`05 A/C problems?

Link to Jayman's pictures . . .

http://www.priuschat.com/forums/album_sear...r&search=jayman

. . . easier for all to find this way.

Thanks Jayman.
P.S. Yuck.

 

ok i looked at the pics and lack of 3D makes it impossible for me to see what im looking at...

i do see some items that could be a hole or dirt. could you highlight the damage?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy\";p=\"110668)</div>

Patrick:

Thanks, that makes it easier for folks.

Or you can go to any of my posts and click the Album button. The only pictures in there right now are of the condenser.

Jay

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DaveinOlyWA\";p=\"110722)</div>

Dave:

Sorry I had to lose some resolution from the 1 MB raw files.

I did download the pictures in my personal album and even though they have about 30% lower resolution to the raw files, you can still zoom in quite close to see the nicks, small stones, and especially the pockmarks on the header tank.

If you don't have an image editor, something like Microsoft Word will also work. I used a zoom of 350% and the bent condenser fins, small stones lodged in the fins, and the header tank pockmarks near the bottom of the header tank are all fairly obvious.

I suggest going back to one of my posts and clicking on my ALbum button. The only pictures there are of the condenser. Click on the pictures and then download the picture to your computer.

With an image editor or a good word processor you should be able to zoom in quite good. If you need the raw files I certainly can send them to your Yahoo account, actually I'll do that anyway but do you have a high speed connection? They're 1 MB each. I'll use Yahoo Photo.

Good suggestion I should use my image editor to add red circles where the pockmarks, stones, and nicks are. Unfortunately, due to an illness in my family, I'll be away at least a week starting this afternoon. I'll have my notebook with me and will try to get to it, otherwise it will have to wait until I get back.

Jay

 

i can see the pix and there appears to be on the 2nd pix a black spot that could be a hole or something that is on lower right corner of pix at the bottom edge of the cooling fins, then again, it could be a bug. it just appears rather uniform in color to not be a hole. guess it could be a black bug.

im using firefox and when viewing pix you just click on it to zoom to normal size. im looking at it on a 21 monitor so i can see detail fairly well. i do see several flattened fins but none appear to be bad enough to cause damage. of course, under pressure, dont need much.

but a highlighter would help a lot. the more i stare at the pic, the worse the damage seems to get. its not one of those optical pix now is it??

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DaveinOlyWA\";p=\"110767)</div>

Dave:

Once I have some time I'll go over the pictures and highlight the nicks and pockmarks. Maybe in a week or so.

The A/C still works but that aluminum condenser will not tolerate much road debris.

I took the images with my Fuji FinePix E500 with image resolution of 2304x1728 pixles. I emailed the raw pictures to your Yahoo account using Yahoo PhotoMail. You will be able to zoom much more closely.

Jay

 

Dooh!
Didn't know that.
I guess it's true that we all learn something new each day.

 

Patrick:

Hey, welcome to my world. It's called Junior Alzheimers!

Jay

 

Went to Home Depot and purchased some Frost King Gutter Guard in Black and

black catamount 7 inch multi-purpose ties. Cut the gutter guard to fit over the

grill and secure with the black ties. The cost was around $5.00.

 

Care to post some pictures?

 

Do you have comprehensive insurance for your Prius? Someone suggested that damage of this type could be covered by your auto insurance. I think we would all be interested in whether anybody has any success or failure in trying to get reimbursed for AC compressor damage that is not covered by warranty.

 

jayman Oct 24 2005, 06:30 PM Post #40


Senior Prius Poster


Group: Members
Posts: 2,698
Joined: 21-October 04
From: Winnipeg Manitoba
Member No.: 3,043



Doc Evan:


QUOTE(efusco @ Oct 24 2005, 12:58 PM)
HOLY CRAP!!! What a PITA that was!


Sure am glad mine was delivered that way. You are either a patient man or must love punishing yourself.


QUOTE(efusco @ Oct 24 2005, 12:58 PM)
I double checked the handy/dandy owners manual for the proper jack point. It shows right b/w the front wheels in the center. My hydrolic floor jack would hardly even reach there due to clearance, and even when I did get it there there was no clearance to pump it up.


I actually see a lot of owners confusing the oil pan for the cradle brace and crushing their oil pan, don't you?

I have a commercial low-profile trolley jack that works well, but that's because it has a long body. With the head properly positioned under that cradle, at least 4 inches of trolley jack sticks out from under the front bumper. Easy to jack up in 6-8 pumps.


QUOTE(efusco @ Oct 24 2005, 12:58 PM)
On to "Plan B"--get the Prius Jack--what a piece of crap that is. I challenge you to jack your car up with that little thing in the front center position with that tiny "handle" they give you for that process.


Oh yeah baby, I tried that factory "jack" as soon as I bought my Prius. You'd be SOL if you ever needed it at oh-dark thirty on a country road. For that matter, you'd be SOL if you needed it to change a flat in your own garage.

Canadian Tire had a sale last fall on a Michelin-branded 1.5 ton hydraulic trolley jack that has a nifty hard plastic carry case. I got it at the same time I bought the 700 amp booster box, also on sale.

It easily fits in the well with the temporary spare. It would never fit under the front of the car to jack up the cradle, but it works fine for jacking from the side to change a single tire.

Note: I also have a piece of 1/2 inch plate steel cut in a 10x10 inch square. Have you ever tried to jack up a car on a gravel shoulder or God Help You in mud? The 10x10 chunk of steel is just big enough to support the jack so it won't sink.

Note#2: If you live in a cold climate like I do, drain the fluid that comes with the jack and put in semi-synthetic or synthetic hydraulic fluid. Most of that jack fluid is rated 68 viscosity, so at 0 F or colder it won't even pump. That happened to me once on a lonely back road after a flat, at -30. Use an N22 or thinner fluid, for as often as you have to use the jack you won't hurt it.


QUOTE(efusco @ Oct 24 2005, 12:58 PM)
climbed under the car thinking about whether I'd still be able to breath with my chest compressed all but 4.5 inches if/when the car falls off the jack


Your life insurance is fully paid up, right? Just had to ask. You got a wimman and munchkins.


QUOTE(efusco @ Oct 24 2005, 12:58 PM)
Ok, so I'm smarter than these other guys who whined about how hard it was to get the cord plugged into the core after inserting the core...I'll just plug it in before inserting so I can smuggly show them just how easy this really is


That would make it too darn easy.


QUOTE(efusco @ Oct 24 2005, 12:58 PM)
forgot the lube.


Don't forget to thoroughly wash your hands with a good cleaner. Not sure about the Toyota stuff, but most of the industrial thermal transfer grease I've used is plastered with the good 'ole Skull and Crossbones, many warnings about carcinogenic this and birth defects that and kidney damage blah blah brain tumor etc etc impotence yadda yadda yadda ...


QUOTE(efusco @ Oct 24 2005, 12:58 PM)
I zip tied it with just a couple inches sticking out then pushed the plug b/w a couple of the grill 'fins' so it doesn't flop around when not in use but is still accessible without opening the hood.


That reminds me, I finally made a bug/rock ap plastic Gutter Guard from Home Depot. I've attached a picture to show a close-up of the gutter guard and where I keep my heater plug.


QUOTE(efusco @ Oct 24 2005, 12:58 PM)
Winterization complete, just hope I don't overheat anything with some of the warmer days yet remaining before cold weather really hits.






I've got a few pieces of "mill felt" at my hobby farm that I intend to fasten in FRONT of the grille where I attached my rock/bug guard. I got ziptie with anchor brackets to make this easier.

Once again, good job but if my block heater ever quits, I'll happily pay Toyota to replace it. Or just set the Prius on fire and buy a new one.

jay

jay

Attached thumbnail(s)

 

Just had our Air conditioner go out in the middle of no where Utah in over 100 degree weather. Had to drive 150 miles one way to get it fixed. Seems they have done 3 in the last 2 months- rock flys through grill into condensor- over $700 - not covered by warrenty- and it could happen again at any time...

Jayman- could you post pciture of any grill cover you have done?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PriusPage @ Jul 12 2005, 07:02 PM) [snapback]106755[/snapback]</div>

My 2006 has been in the shop for the last 3 days to replace the compressor.. They had to order parts, which contributed the delay.

William

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(inventor00 @ Jun 24 2006, 12:49 AM) [snapback]276214[/snapback]</div>

Sorry about the long delay but I was away on vacation. If I recall, the links in this post to the "old" PriusChat site still work, and you can see the closeup pictures of my grille guard there.

It was nothing fancy, just some Home Depot black gutter guard that keeps the leaves out of your rain gutter. A roll cost me around $4 plus the time it took me to trim to fit.

It works well, I've found smaller stones caught in the gutter guard. Also keeps the bigger flies, moths, etc off the condenser fins.

If the pictures are no longer at the "old" site, let me know and I'll email you high resolution pictures. Apparently I can no longer post pictures or attachments, my Global Space is used up.

 

I don't agree it was made of aluminum for weight savings, but rather for heat transfer efficiency.