Air Conditioning Condenser

Technical Area Electrics & ICE
2

Hello,

I have a 2005 Mark 2.5 1.6 Arctic and the air conditioning has failed. My local reliable independent has done a pressure test, and apparently the condenser has developed a leak and needs replacing, but he cannot source one. The Mazda dealership is quoting £674 for the part, not including fitting, which seems very expensive compared with the general run of air conditioning condensers. I have tried advertisers in Soft Top Hard Top, but they can’t help.

Does anyone know of a substitute condenser that would fit? Thanks.

3

Mx5 parts are listing a complete retrofit kit for the  Mk2.5. You could rob the condenser and eBay the rest.

 

4

Or try this.

http://www.autolinkmx5.com/ac-evaporator-mazda-mx-5-mk2-98-05-r134-used-3011-p.asp

5

Thank you so much for the link, which I have followed through. £25 as opposed to £674!

6

The one shown in the photo is not original mx5 part as it looks totally different ,unless they know it will fit???.A friend of mine here in Ireland sent his leaky one to company in UK and they replaced the core itself it but they needed his old fittings to weld to new condenser but it worked a treat and reasonable money even including postage both ways.Merlot Man is his handle and I think he may be on here also.Brain is his name and I have his number if you want to PM me, but I know he is in France for two weeks approx

PS the original condenser is full width of standard mx5 cooling rad so the one in Autolink wont fit.Unless its sample photo?

7

Unfortunately, if I understand the original post correctly, it is the condenser radiator that is required, not the evaporator.

Only a small number of MK2.5 cars in the UK were fitted with air conditioning - about 2000 arctics(2004 on) and 500 Montanas(2002 on). The problem is the lack of MK2.5 imports, as most Japanese cars would presumably be fitted with aircon as with the MK1.

Best bet is to modify a similar condenser radiator from another car or my preference would be to wait until there is one available from another arctic that is being dismantled. I have supplied these in the past but quite rare nowadays.   

8

Maybe too late, I have a brand new genuine Mazda item in the “parts for sale” section !, rgds, PH.

9

http://www.mx5oc.co.uk/forum/yaf_postst94027_NB-Mk2-2-5-2002-on-AIR-CON-RADIATOR-NO53-61-480D-Genuine-MAZDA—Brand-New.aspx

Absolute bargain Paul - hopefully the original poster will see it in time!

 

 

10

Thanks everyone. The evaporator was the wrong part, but I was able to cancel the order. I have bought the ‘absolute bargain’ mentioned above.

11

Kinda gutted  I missed this. I’ve got an early mk2 ( Jun98 ) 1.8iS with a leaking condenser.  The system hadn’t been charged/running since 2009 by the previous owner, but I knew it was holding some kind of pressure as it did fiz when I pressed the connector valve with a screwdriver tip.

So I paid £50 to get it re-charged and it held…for a month. ( at least I could prove all the other bits worked in the system too )

When I took it back for investigation, the garage shined a uv light and said condenser was leaking on the bottom n/s corner.

I don’t want another used condenser as clearly the risk is that the same will happen.

I was hoping to find new ( domestic or international ), but read that US versions might have different fittings/part no. ?

Alternatively I’d consider having my existing unit repaired/re-cored if that’s poss, or finally having a new similar shaped condenser modified to fit.

 

I know a/c is rare in mk2’s but surely somebody has trodden this path before and go a solution which doesn’t break the bank ???

12

For unusual condensers that are unobtainable or expensive to replace,I have regularly used a "universal " type.Something you would find on a tractor or plant.It would need the pipework to be adapted to fit the car,but it is do-able with the correct equipt. Something like this,either a 23x14 or a 21x 14.These are the popular sizes.http://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-a-c-condenser-14-x-23-/111567426609

13

There is a company in London called Aaron Radiators who list A/C condensers for a Mk1 and Mk2 MX-5.

http://www.aaronradiator.co.uk/catalog/Mazda_Condenser-265-1.html

It may be worth contacting them to see if they are still available as when I last said about this on here someone said they were no longer did them.

If that is the case it may be worth seeing if enough people wanted the part in the club to do a group buy. You’d probably need a minimum of 10 people to do it.

I keep meaning to ask them about a mk1 condenser as mine is going a bit crusty.