Nissan 370Z Forum - View Single Post

djohnson1967 · 08-04-2010, 12:21 PM

My 370 has an intermittent air conditioning problem. When the car is hot from a previous drive, the air conditioning compressor won’t kick on for a few minutes and the air blows hot. It was the worst it has been yesterday. It wouldn’t cool down for probably 10-15 minutes after I started the car. Even then, the compressor just wouldn’t stay on. Early on, I was extremely impressed with the air conditioning in this car. When it is working it is COLD. I am normally one to run the air full blast all the time (especially in the summer), but I can’t do that in this car. It is just too cold. So, I know the air “works”. It does not have a freon leak or something like that. This morning when the car was cool the air blew cold right away and never faltered on the way to work. But I bet if I went out there right now and started the car I would have problems. I honestly can’t remember when this first happened to me, but I THINK it was before I installed the Stillen Gen3 CAI (more on that later). I recall having to turn the air off and then turn it back on and then it would work fine. Yesterday, turning the air on and off a few times did not help.

So, I get on the internet last night and I Google something like “AC problem on 370z”. The first thing that comes up is a description of my problem EXACTLY, but on the 350Z forum. There didn’t seem to be a definitive resolution on the 350 board. But the reason I stopped looking is the SECOND search result: “Stillen CAI causes AC problems”. Apparently the intake tube on the drivers side passes through a hole in the front and sits right next to a couple of AC lines. I knew this, as I had to enlarge that hole to get the tube through and the instructions are very clear about being careful not to damage those AC lines. I don’t believe I damaged them, but I am going to take the front fascia off this weekend and check it out. Again, the AC is CAPABLE of blowing VERY cold still so it does not seem to be a coolant leak (which is what it would be if those lines are damaged). The problem described on this forum seems to stem from the intake tube touching those lines and OVER TIME it actually rubs and vibrates enough to wear through those lines and cause a leak. It seems to take months for this to happen. The instructions further stated that you MAY want to wrap the AC lines in some protective covering to prevent damage. I did NOT do this because I was petty sure I had avoided contact with the lines. However, after reading the posts I will now go back and do that before any damage DOES occur. Everyone that had AC problems ate the repair because damage was caused by an aftermarket part.

Here is where the advice comes in: How do I approach this problem with the dealer?? I am scared to death now to take it in for warranty work with the modifications on it (only other mod is an oil cooler). Especially for an AC problem, since AC problems have been tied specifically to the part I put on! I am thinking about taking it off and putting the stock intakes back on before I take it to the dealer. But what a pain!! You and I both know that the dealer will give me trouble if they see mods. This is so frustrating. I was hesitant to put mods on a car that was still in warranty, but I guess I talked myself out of worrying about potential problems. And now, just a week or two in and this happens. Help!

08-04-2010, 12:21 PM	#1 (permalink)
djohnson1967 Base Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 21 Drives: 2010 370z 40th Rep Power: 15	A/C Problem My 370 has an intermittent air conditioning problem. When the car is hot from a previous drive, the air conditioning compressor won’t kick on for a few minutes and the air blows hot. It was the worst it has been yesterday. It wouldn’t cool down for probably 10-15 minutes after I started the car. Even then, the compressor just wouldn’t stay on. Early on, I was extremely impressed with the air conditioning in this car. When it is working it is COLD. I am normally one to run the air full blast all the time (especially in the summer), but I can’t do that in this car. It is just too cold. So, I know the air “works”. It does not have a freon leak or something like that. This morning when the car was cool the air blew cold right away and never faltered on the way to work. But I bet if I went out there right now and started the car I would have problems. I honestly can’t remember when this first happened to me, but I THINK it was before I installed the Stillen Gen3 CAI (more on that later). I recall having to turn the air off and then turn it back on and then it would work fine. Yesterday, turning the air on and off a few times did not help. So, I get on the internet last night and I Google something like “AC problem on 370z”. The first thing that comes up is a description of my problem EXACTLY, but on the 350Z forum. There didn’t seem to be a definitive resolution on the 350 board. But the reason I stopped looking is the SECOND search result: “Stillen CAI causes AC problems”. Apparently the intake tube on the drivers side passes through a hole in the front and sits right next to a couple of AC lines. I knew this, as I had to enlarge that hole to get the tube through and the instructions are very clear about being careful not to damage those AC lines. I don’t believe I damaged them, but I am going to take the front fascia off this weekend and check it out. Again, the AC is CAPABLE of blowing VERY cold still so it does not seem to be a coolant leak (which is what it would be if those lines are damaged). The problem described on this forum seems to stem from the intake tube touching those lines and OVER TIME it actually rubs and vibrates enough to wear through those lines and cause a leak. It seems to take months for this to happen. The instructions further stated that you MAY want to wrap the AC lines in some protective covering to prevent damage. I did NOT do this because I was petty sure I had avoided contact with the lines. However, after reading the posts I will now go back and do that before any damage DOES occur. Everyone that had AC problems ate the repair because damage was caused by an aftermarket part. Here is where the advice comes in: How do I approach this problem with the dealer?? I am scared to death now to take it in for warranty work with the modifications on it (only other mod is an oil cooler). Especially for an AC problem, since AC problems have been tied specifically to the part I put on! I am thinking about taking it off and putting the stock intakes back on before I take it to the dealer. But what a pain!! You and I both know that the dealer will give me trouble if they see mods. This is so frustrating. I was hesitant to put mods on a car that was still in warranty, but I guess I talked myself out of worrying about potential problems. And now, just a week or two in and this happens. Help!