New MR2 Owner, Couple Questions.

[Maticuno]

These will be my first questions out of many now that I am the proud new owner of a white 87 MR2 with 213k miles on it. I traded a 9mm handgun that I couldn't carry on duty for it.

First question: Where is the transmission fill plug?

Second question: My A/C doesn't work. The light under the button turns on, but the compressor never engages. Can someone point me in the right direction?

Thanks!

[Raptor13x]

Welcome to the board.

To answer your first question, if it's a manual trans, the fill plug is located on the side of the transmission facing the front of the car. It's easiest to spot from underneath the car.

As for your second question, I hate air conditioning and rip it out of most of the cars I own, so I'm not much help there.

[Maticuno]

Thanks. That was the one spot I didn't look. This is the first car I have ever owned. Everything else has been trucks that I could just crawl under without having to use jacks or ramps. Any home remedies for getting under these cars? Any safe jacking points other than what the book shows?

[muffinman]

Welcome

check the connector behind the passenger side that goes to your compressor clutch and make sure it's properly connected. have you checked to see if there is any freon in the system as this could also keep the compressor from engaging?

the way i jack it up is with a floor jack on the rear motor mount or the front center and then place four jack stands at the jack points.

[Raptor13x]

I avoid using the published jack points near the wheels as much as possible- they crush very easily, especially in an old rusted out car. I prefer to jack the car up by the rear crossmember, rear motor mount, transmission, or other solid part of the car. I put it on jack stands either at the suspension points, or if I need the car up really high, at the normal jack points.

[nitrate]

Originally Posted by Maticuno

Thanks. That was the one spot I didn't look. This is the first car I have ever owned. Everything else has been trucks that I could just crawl under without having to use jacks or ramps. Any home remedies for getting under these cars? Any safe jacking points other than what the book shows?

i lift MR2s by the trany or the rear trailing arm body brackits. it is very easy to dent the floor pans in theys cars with a jack.

[Maticuno]

Thanks for the jacking info. For checking for a/c system charge, do I test at the port with the blue cap or the red cap? I'm assuming the blue cap is the low pressure side and the red cap is the high pressure side?

[nitrate]

Originally Posted by Maticuno

Thanks for the jacking info. For checking for a/c system charge, do I test at the port with the blue cap or the red cap? I'm assuming the blue cap is the low pressure side and the red cap is the high pressure side?

the stock mr2 caps are both black. but the low side line is the larger of the 2 lines.the cap closest the pass side is the low side. are you sure theres a belt on the ac compresor ? most MR2s simply lose there r12 or 134a to leaks. be sure to add oil with the 134A

[conor]

If the A/C clutch does not engage, the most likely reason is that you have no refrigerant. The system has a low pressure cut-off switch that disables the clutch when system pressure is low. The reason for this is that refrigerant carries the oil that is vital for compressor function.

If you can get under the car, inspect all the a/c line junctions and see if any of them look like they might have been leaking. Sometimes it's really easy to spot (there will be an oil drip with a bunch of dirt caked on it), but often times it's not. You'll have to take it to an A/C shop for them to pull a vacuum on and possibly fill with dye to hunt for the leak.

A/C isn't really very DIY .. to do it right you need a vacuum and a set of manifold gauges.

Good luck and welcome to the club!

[Maticuno]

I just checked, the system has zero pressure. Shops are not in my budget so is there any way to retrofit the system to run on R-134a? They used to sell a kit at NAPA that would allow you to do it. It was a box with a can of compressed oil and a couple cans of 134a, but now the only things I see are just a bottle of oil and a bunch of o-rings.

[muffinman]

did you say that you had blue and red caps? are they screw on connectors or the R134 type connectors? the reason i ask is because it's possible that someone may have already tried to retrofit it. if they are screw on connectors the retrofit kit will work if it comes with the R134 adapters butyou must have a leak some where so be prepared to by more freon once you find the leak.

[Maticuno]

They are screw on caps. Do I really have to tear the system apart and replace o-rings everywhere to effectively do the retrofit? I converted my parent's 91 Accord without having to replace anything but the refrigerant.


Also, on a whim I decided to change the spark plugs, just because I'm big on minor maintenance. When I saw the plugs, I wasn't sure how the car was even running. The car had sat for a number of years before I found it. I replaced the radiator and then drove it home.

[muffinman]

by the picture that looks like you already have the R134 connectors so you might as well just add some R134 freon with leak detector and see what happens.

oh and unless you have a leak you don't need to tear it apart

[nitrate]

the after markit 134A connectors are known to leak get a valve stell tool and back of the valves on the 134a connectors. i all ways take them off after adding any thing.

[Maticuno]

Originally Posted by nitrate

the after markit 134A connectors are known to leak get a valve stell tool and back of the valves on the 134a connectors. i all ways take them off after adding any thing.

Are you saying you remove the valve stems or tighten them?

[nitrate]

Originally Posted by Maticuno

Are you saying you remove the valve stems or tighten them?

i remove the whole after markit pice after adding 134A. in side the aftter markit fitting there is a valve stem that should have a few 1000s clearance betwean the stock valve steam and the aftermarkit valve stem. its best to remove the vavle steam from the after markit fitting befor screwing it on. then reinstal the vavle steam in to the fitting, make sure they do not toutch. .
after adding the 134A its best to remove them. the expantion of the difrent metals as they get hot and or cool can move the vavle steams so that they leak

[Maticuno]

I recharged the system with oil, 134a, stop leak, leak finder, and o-ring conditioner. There is plenty of charge in the system now. The compressor still doesn't kick in. I want to think it's a fuse, but would the A/C light come on if the fuse was blown?

[muffinman]

Originally Posted by Maticuno

I recharged the system with oil, 134a, stop leak, leak finder, and o-ring conditioner. There is plenty of charge in the system now. The compressor still doesn't kick in. I want to think it's a fuse, but would the A/C light come on if the fuse was blown?

Usually if the fuse is blown i don't think the a/c light will turn on but i may be wrong. In the MK1 there is a fuse for the a/c compressor behind the passenger side kick panel that is often the problem.

Did it take the charge ok even with the compressor not engaged?

[Maticuno]

It took all of the liquid out of the cans leaving just a bit of gas blowing off when I disconnected the can from the connector hose. I'll dig around for that fuse when I get home tonight. Thanks!

[Gairloch]

Originally Posted by Maticuno

Thanks. That was the one spot I didn't look. This is the first car I have ever owned. Everything else has been trucks that I could just crawl under without having to use jacks or ramps. Any home remedies for getting under these cars? Any safe jacking points other than what the book shows?

Originally Posted by Raptor13x

I avoid using the published jack points near the wheels as much as possible- they crush very easily, especially in an old rusted out car. I prefer to jack the car up by the rear crossmember, rear motor mount, transmission, or other solid part of the car. I put it on jack stands either at the suspension points, or if I need the car up really high, at the normal jack points.

I solved this problem by taking a 8x2x4, cutting it in half then cutting slots down the length with a circular saw. I fit the boards over the pinch rails and jack from there. Even put the jack stands under the boards. Been doing it that way for a couple of years now and it's worked brilliantly.

My car is lowered and I got bloody sick and tired of driving it up on ramps then jacking it up from there.