Three weeks ago my air conditioner started to blow nothing but hot air (1990 300Z, R134A retrofited in 2008). Dealership tested and ordered a new compressor. Since it would take a few days for the compressor to arrive, I drove the car home. For the past 3 weeks I have been driving the car every day with the air conditioner on high. If now works great. Could it be I really don’t need a new compressor after all?
yes it could. But the actuator sw. for the ac may be the fault.
The dealership tested nothing in my opinion. They just saw a chance to make a quick buck. The first thing you do is bypass the clutch wiring and make the compressor operate to test it. You then backtrack from there to the more inexpensive parts. Never take your vehicle to a dealership if it’s out of warranty.
If the AC is working and you’re getting cold air, you certainly don’t need a new compressor.
Something else must have caused the AC failure three weeks ago. Compressors don’t spontaneously repair themselves.
If problems recur, find an independent automotive AC shop and stay away from the dealer.
Who did the retrofit?
Maybe there is an intermittent in the compressor clutch coil. This could cause a cold air one minute, hot air the next situation and could mean a new compressor.
I retrofitted a Toyota pickup for a neighbor some years ago and about 6 months later the compressor clutch coil started going in and out on that. That has nothing to do with being retrofitted; it’s simply aged wiring.
Whether this is the cause of your car’s problem I have no idea without knowing how the dealer tested the compressor. If the clutch was not engaging and they jumped it followed by the clutch still not engaging then I would assume it was a clutch coil problem too.
Retrofit by an independent full service shop. Thanks for your help