REPAIRS PAGE 81

AIR CONDITIONING – REMOVAL

Pictures to follow

This article is based on, and intended for, right hand drive Japanese home market superchargers as imported into the UK.

If your supercharger is left hand drive it will have been made for the US/Canadian market, and there may be differences other than the obvious. Until I can lay my hands on a LHD MR2 – only 1 n/a and 1 s/c known in the UK - I am unable to write a version of these instructions for the US/Canadian models. If anyone has undertaken this work on a LHD car, please E-mail me with the differences in procedure and I will add them to this article.

REASONS – The a/c installation may be an essential aid to driver comfort in many countries, but the British climate simply does not require it. The weight of the a/c is a considerable 36lb and the compressor absorbs up to xbhp from the engine. Also I recommend removal of the radiator fans – see note * below.

If the a/c has not been used for a long time, as is often the case with imported Japanese superchargers, the seals tend to give up rendering the system ineffective anyway. A re-charge can cost up to £80. If the system appears to have some gas remaining, it should be discharged by someone with the appropriate equipment rather than be allowed to escape into the atmosphere.

Please read through thoroughly before starting work, it is not necessary to do everything in the same order as laid out below.

Jack up the car and place securely on axle stands. SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT!

Remove the 3 screws holding the radiator grille.

LEFT HAND PIPE

Undo the left hand a/c pipe union to the h/e (heat exchanger)

Remove the 1st pipe bracket attached to the h/e.

Remove the 2nd pipe bracket attached to the edge of the boot “tub”.

Remove the 4 x 14mm bolts holding the bottom suspension crossmember to the body to allow access to the pipes.

Remove the 3rd pipe bracket.

Undo left hand pipe union and remove the section of pipe.

Inside the front boot, undo the other pipe union, and remove pipe through boot floor.

RIGHT HAND PIPE

Do the same on the right hand side.

Remove the pipe union to the accumulator located under the trim in the front boot.

Remove the whole pipe together with its grommet.

Disconnect the other pipe union, remove the brackets and the accumulator.

BOTH THE NEXT PIPE SECTIONS ARE CLAMPED TOGETHER

Remove the 5 x 10mm bolts holding the front undertray, and remove to reveal the next pipe sections.

Undo the 2 pipe unions located between the 2 handbrake crossmembers.

Remove the 4 x 12mm bolts holding the forward handbrake crossmember.

Remove the next section of pipe.

Replace the crossmember.

Replace the front suspension cross member.

Remove the x 10mm bolts holding the next undertray.

Remove the pipe brackets at the rear handbrake crossmember.

Remove the x 10mm bolts holding the next undertray.

Undo the 2 pipe unions under the engine bay.

Remove final pipe bracket and final length of piping under the body.

COMPRESSOR REMOVAL

Undo the 2 electrical connectors to the compressor.

Remove the long 14mm bolt that adjusts the position of the jockey pulley – this acts as the a/c and alternator drive belt tensioner.

Remove the 14mm nut holding the jockey pulley.

Remove the drive belt.

Underneath the car remove the 4 x 12mm bolts that hold the compressor to its bracket – careful, it is heavy - and remove the compressor.

Remove the 2 x 14mm bolts and 1 x 14mm nut and washer that hold the bracket to the engine block.

Replace the short bolt to retain the alternator bracket.

Replace the nut and washer retaining the exhaust manifold stay bracket.

Replace the jockey pulley but do not tighten.

Fit a new drive belt of xxxmm circumference and tension by jockey pulley adjustment.

Monitor tension over a period of a few weeks. Adjust again as necessary.

CHILLER UNIT

Remove the 2 screws holding the glovebox lid stay.

Remove the 2 hinge screws and remove the lid.

Undo the 2 front screws and remove the glovebox.

Undo 10mm nut and washer and remove side trim in footwell.

Undo 4 screws holding trim below glovebox.

Undo screw holding left dash vent ducting to heater assembly.

Undo screw joining this to next section of ducting.

Undo all the wiring connectors.

Remove all the bolts and screws which clamp the wiring to the unit and the unit to the heating system.

Remove the chiller unit section and take to work bench.

Undo the 4 clips holding the 2 halves of the unit together, cut the foam seals and ease the casing apart.

Remove the chiller assembly and put the casing back together.

Refit to the heating system, reconnect wiring connectors, its clamps, screws and bolts.

Replace trunking to side air vent.

Replace bottom dash trim and glovebox.

REMOVING THE H/E

Remove the radiator fan assembly. * For typical UK weather I have found that this is unnecessary and I remove it all together. Air flow through the radiator is actually improved, as it will also be after removing the h/e which partially blocks airflow. The weight of this assembly is xxlb.

Undo the wiring connector to the radiator temperature sender unit.

Remove the 4 x mm bolts that hold the 2 curved metal straps that locate the top of the radiator.

Carefully lift the radiator out of the bottom locators and move backwards to rest on the edge of the bottom radiator support bracket.

Place a cloth between the radiator and the h/e to protect them.

Undo the 2 bottom h/e brackets.

Lift the radiator and push backwards to give a gap large enough to lift the h/e out of the way.

Relocate the bottom of the radiator.

Replace the top curved metal straps.

(Minor point - pre late 1986 cars have shorter straps held by single bolts which locate the radiator in a more upright position closer to the top body panel – the tilting backwards on the later cars does not offer such a good “seal” – use a pair of the earlier type straps from a breakers)

Replace the wiring connector.

Component weights in pounds:

Compressor and bracket - 19

Chiller - 2

Accumulator - 1 ¾

H/E - 7

Pipes, brackets, nuts and bolts - 6 ¼

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Total weight - 36