PANAMARED

Hello, believe is time to do some maintenance on A/C (working fine but has not been maintained ever, 2001 model). I already have the cabin air filter which is very easy to change. I want to replace the filter (refrigerant line) and expansion valve. can someone tell me ifthe valve is attached to the evaporator behind glove box? if that is the case: do i have to remove complete evaporator? or can it be replaced easy? is it located somewhere else? Also very important I need to ask: Is there is anything else that should be replaced? (besides oil + refrigerant obviously). All the best my friends!

fuzzy02CLS

iTrader: (2)

If it's working fine there is no need to mess with it. It's a pressurized closed system.
Changing the cabin air filters & running some compressed air through the front of the condenser to get out any stuck debris, little rocks, leaves, bug guts, etc is all that's needed.

PANAMARED

A/C system maintenance is very usefull (there is a reason it has a filter). The oil inside system also loses its lubricating/protective properties after time and use. Most of failures in A/C occur due to lack of maintenance (specially compressor issues). All comments are wellcome and highly appreciated.

fuzzy02CLS

iTrader: (2)

What filter? I see no filter other then the cabin air filters in the service manual. There's an expansive valve in the evap.
You will need to discharge it. Better have some r134 gauges & get the pressures right when you recharge it.
I just don't see a reason if it's working fine. I'm pretty good with AC & have learned over the years to not mess with it unless you have to. I don't know where you get this notion of it needed maintenance. Throw some gauges on it & see what the pressures are. That's the best indication of AC system health.
If your going to open it up replace all o rings. May want to get a service manual. Has all the right capacities pressures & outlines how to get to what & where.

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

Id just replace the freon and be done with it. If it aint broke, dont fix it.

AnthraciteTypeS

Just did this because I had a punctured line by side motor mount that needed replacement. Anytime you open the system, you should replace the accumulator (located by the hood latch) which I did. As said before, if currently blowing cold and there are no problems, I wouldn't bother doing much else

PANAMARED

hello, thanks for the feedback.. will not mess with it. By filter I meant the accumulator (sorry my English not that good, that accumulator is actually kind of a filter right?). In any case, doing that job is easy for me (done it a few times on other of my vehicles). Just need to know the HI and LOW pressures, the gauges I can borrow as well as the vacuum pump (need to purge lines). The idea of this maintenance is because I´ve seen many compressors broken for lack of maintenance. My A/C is ON full time (tropical country - summer whole year long - either full blast sun or full blast rain). Thanks to all

AnthraciteTypeS

The high and low pressure sides will be marked with an H and L on the caps. The low pressure side is located on the line right next to the side motor mount on the left side of the engine. The sticker on the engine bay also tells you what the filling specs are for the freon (134a). I bought 2 12oz. cans at wal mart for $10/pc and since my system was totally drained with refrigerant being as there was a hole in my line, I put one whole can in and about 80-90% of the second can..just was guessing by weight. Everything is now working great and blowing cold so I would just go that method. The gauge cans were a lot more expensive when I looked at them. Oh and I got the accumulator from rockauto. It doesn't list for the j32a2 but they had one for the j32a1 in stock (probably a computer glitch) which after comparing pics of the two they are the same..worked fine. Hope this helps

PANAMARED

Thanks Anthracite! and thanks to all. Will do maintenance soon and post how it went.