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Restoring Airconditioning To Toyota Corolla 1.6 Sr (1999, T, E11, 4A-F


gazhawkins
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For my first question to the Corolla Club Forum, I would like to ask how I restore the airconditioning on the above vehicle?

At the moment everything works, bar cold air coming out of the air vents... ie the aircon button depresses, the greeny yellow led light comes on, the aircon belt whirrs around in the engine and the rpm on the rev counter dips ever so slightly. Obviously the temperature dial is set to its coldest setting and the fan is turned to its fastest setting. No cold air.

The aircon has worked ever since I purchased the vehicle in 2005... I vaguely recall that I forgot to turn the aircon on during the winter time a few years ago - so it is perhaps my own fault that it stopped working.

Is this a classic case of the aircon needing what is called a "re-gas" ?

If so, can anyone recommend any trustworthy companies offering to do the job (preferably near Northampton) ? Bearing in mind the age and mileage of the vehicle (135k) - any repair of three figures effectively writes the car off - thus making the repair of what is really an unessential function pointless.

Any suggestions gratefully received... Gaz.

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You can get it re-gased at most local garages these days Gaz. Make a few phone calls and ask them what the procedure is. They should be telling you it has to be evacuated by vacuum if they do it right. For that reason I would avoid these DIY kits.

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Thanks Don, particularly for the heads up on the DIY kits.

Gaz.

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hey,

I know when my aircon stopped working properly it was because the cabin/pollen filter needed changing. Yours is the same year as mine and will be a pig of a job to change as well... Changed my filter first before looking into regassing 'cause i'm not exactly made of money, and my aircon works perfectly now... could be worth looking into?

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Yes they are a real struggle - bending it over the carpet. Thank goodness that idea is gone!

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Yes they are a real struggle - bending it over the carpet. Thank goodness that idea is gone!

yup, i broke the new one putting it in, snapped some of the plastic on the edges...

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All,

Interesting stuff... the pollen filter... mmmm... never occurred to me to replace that. Found this on you tube:-

Presumably, a 1998 G6E Corolla isn't not radically differerent to a 1999 1.6SR 110hp?

This is why folks often feel sick on leaving aircraft - if you think cabin filters are expensive for corollas - well, they cost a bit more for your average airbus or boeing. Airlines don't tend to replace them often.

I'll have a chat with my friendly mechanic and get an estimate for a pollen filter and aircon regas - I see pound signs! Will post an update when I can.

Regards,

Gaz.

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That's an interesting comment!!! "Airlines don't tend to replace them often" ????? both cabin and cockpit air filters MUST be changed at the interval stated in the approved maintenance schedule, the airline has no choice, not to do anything IAW the approved documentation risks heavy fines or even loss of AOC. I don't know of any airline which changes any "lifed" component when it feels like it!!!!

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I don't hold with the aircraft theory either, if its on the schedule it gets done end of! Every single componant on a plane can be tracked from the day it was made to the day it was scrapped

People feel sick for any number of reasons, and it's usually motion sickness and reduced oxygen levels, nothing to do with the cabin filters

Kingo :thumbsup:

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  • 2 weeks later...

Managed to get hold of a new cabin/pollen filter on eBay... £11.18.

Decided to do the job myself in the end. Fairly easy to get the old one out, but a bit of a ***** to get the new one in.

The old one was full of pine needles and catkin seeds - with the fan on full made a right old mess in the car interior - been in there eight years at least. It wasn't black like the one in the you tube video.

Ventilation is clearly improved, but I don't think it's fixed the aircon - though I'm yet to try it on a long run.

As for aircon regas, anyone got an opinion on this outfit?

http://www.coolcaraircon.co.uk/car-air-conditioning-services-prices/

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They should be fine. Most reputable local garages can do it too. Make sure in either case you get the system evacuated first as in option B in the link.

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Update: job done... apparently virtually no coolant left in the system, no obvious leaks visible (via UV torch).

The chap doing the regas had hoped the final result would have been a little cooler (via temperature probes inside the air cooling ducts), but he did say that the condenser wasn't in great condition - after a life of 14 years and 136,600 miles.

He isn't wrong: there are a lot of condenser 'nodules' that have fallen into the bottom of the radiator 'tray' (don't know the correct 'terms' here).

I note new replacements cost £70 on e-Bay; I can't see this is worth the candle for a car worth maybe £500 when it has a full MOT... what do you folks think?

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