A/C and Overheating Help Please
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,325
Likes: 4
From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
ok, not the original link i was looking for but this one should do! look at post #9
https://g35driver.com/forums/g-spot/...-heater-c.html
https://g35driver.com/forums/g-spot/...-heater-c.html
I want to thank everyone for their valued comments here. My car is no longer overheating, but I found out the problem was something I previously hadn’t considered.
The day after my last post, I met with one of my valued acquaintances, a Nissan Master mechanic. When I suggested what I (we) thought might be the issue, he quickly told me that I was over-thinking things and stated that he was 90% sure that I’ve run into a problem that he’s seen innumerable times with other cars, especially Nissans- the radiator was clogged!
Since the rad and the AC condenser are so closely sandwiched together, material that gets through the condenser builds up and clogs airflow to the rad and has nowhere else to go. He recently worked on a Titan, an Altima, and a G35 and showed me one rad that had an encrusted mat of material over its surface!
I went home and went to work on this, and without total removal of the rad, flushed what I could off the front of the rad and my temps dropped to nearly normal on the first drive following! No more high temps, even with the AC on!
This past W/E I fabricated a flushing wand (only need a ½” to 1” clearance and sprays at 90 degrees) so I could do a more thorough flush. I sprayed the AC condenser and the rad with foaming condenser cleaner and let it soak for a few minutes and flushed virtually all of the crap out from the rad and condenser.
I’m pleased to say that my temps are within a degree or 2 of the table posted by Eric, the AC is blowing ice cold air, and it's no longer overheating!
So I thought this may something that others may find useful as well!
The day after my last post, I met with one of my valued acquaintances, a Nissan Master mechanic. When I suggested what I (we) thought might be the issue, he quickly told me that I was over-thinking things and stated that he was 90% sure that I’ve run into a problem that he’s seen innumerable times with other cars, especially Nissans- the radiator was clogged!
Since the rad and the AC condenser are so closely sandwiched together, material that gets through the condenser builds up and clogs airflow to the rad and has nowhere else to go. He recently worked on a Titan, an Altima, and a G35 and showed me one rad that had an encrusted mat of material over its surface!
I went home and went to work on this, and without total removal of the rad, flushed what I could off the front of the rad and my temps dropped to nearly normal on the first drive following! No more high temps, even with the AC on!
This past W/E I fabricated a flushing wand (only need a ½” to 1” clearance and sprays at 90 degrees) so I could do a more thorough flush. I sprayed the AC condenser and the rad with foaming condenser cleaner and let it soak for a few minutes and flushed virtually all of the crap out from the rad and condenser.
I’m pleased to say that my temps are within a degree or 2 of the table posted by Eric, the AC is blowing ice cold air, and it's no longer overheating!
So I thought this may something that others may find useful as well!
Do you have any pics of the wand that you made up to do your flush?
Also, did you spray the condenser cleaner directly over the rads surface? ( that's what I understand from what you said)
I'm having similar issues with my sedan with all the extreme temps we have been getting in Toronto.
Thanks,
Bill
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,325
Likes: 4
From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Wand Pics
Gord,
Do you have any pics of the wand that you made up to do your flush?
Also, did you spray the condenser cleaner directly over the rads surface? ( that's what I understand from what you said)
I'm having similar issues with my sedan with all the extreme temps we have been getting in Toronto.
Thanks,
Bill
Do you have any pics of the wand that you made up to do your flush?
Also, did you spray the condenser cleaner directly over the rads surface? ( that's what I understand from what you said)
I'm having similar issues with my sedan with all the extreme temps we have been getting in Toronto.
Thanks,
Bill
Yes, I sprayed the condensor cleaner directly on the surface of the rad and on the surface of the AC condensor, let it soak for a few minutes, and sprayed from behind the rad and then the condensor.
The cleaner got the fins nice and clean!
You'll need to remove the fan shroud and separate the AC condensor from the rad as well as you can to spray between each. Even better, take the rad out completely to do it separate from the condensor.
The first time I did this, I didn't have my spray wand nor the condensor cleaner, but even though I just carefully sprayed with a garden hose and an old car wand (fan spray pattern), an amazing amount of gunk came out of the rad fins. Made all the difference in the world and my temps immediately dropped. Glad I did this before I ordered a fan clutch as I was initially planning to do as well as replace the thermostat and possibly the rad cap.
^^^
Thanks Gord!!!!
Where did you get the foam cleaner from? Home Depot or Cdn Tire?
What brand did you use?
Cheers!!!
Thanks Gord!!!!
Where did you get the foam cleaner from? Home Depot or Cdn Tire?
What brand did you use?
Cheers!!!
Last edited by 35bills; Jul 19, 2011 at 10:05 PM.
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,325
Likes: 4
From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
) they have 19 oz cans of 'Frost King' AC condensor cleaner for $7!Incidentally, this stuff works great to clean your in-cabin AC evaporator coils and ducts to finally get rid of that funky 'locker-room' smell when your AC is off. I did this last week and the funky smell has been gone since!
I'm going to buy another can just to keep on hand. It's supposed to work great on the grunge deposited on your refrigerator coils as well.
I looked at many of the major stores and couldn't find it. Home Depot in the US sells it, (AC Safe) but their Canadian stores don't carry it. I found a local supply shop that sells it as a commercial product to plumbers and AC service places for $16 for 14 oz but since the new Lowes opened up in town recently, I decided to check them out. Lowe and behold! (sorry ) they have 19 oz cans of 'Frost King' AC condensor cleaner for $7!
Incidentally, this stuff works great to clean your in-cabin AC evaporator coils and ducts to finally get rid of that funky 'locker-room' smell when your AC is off. I did this last week and the funky smell has been gone since!
I'm going to buy another can just to keep on hand. It's supposed to work great on the grunge deposited on your refrigerator coils as well.
) they have 19 oz cans of 'Frost King' AC condensor cleaner for $7!Incidentally, this stuff works great to clean your in-cabin AC evaporator coils and ducts to finally get rid of that funky 'locker-room' smell when your AC is off. I did this last week and the funky smell has been gone since!
I'm going to buy another can just to keep on hand. It's supposed to work great on the grunge deposited on your refrigerator coils as well.
How do you clean the in cabin a/c coils without spilling water all over the place?
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,325
Likes: 4
From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
I asked the tech that I consult with about how they normally do this at the shop. I was going to try spraying the foam on the evap coils by removing the fan. He said just drill a very small hole on the leeward side of the fanbox (use a plug to seal the hole when you're finished) and with the fan running, inject the foam through the hole. The fan blows the foam through the coils and through much of the duct-work as well. Shut the fan off for a few minutes to let the foam finish expanding through the coils and then run the blower on high for a few minutes and you're done. The next time you run the AC, the water that condenses on the coils will 'self rinse' the cleaner.
I'm told this is exactly what some of the automotive AC service places do when they charge a couple hundred $ to 'foam clean' your AC duct-work and evaporator!
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,325
Likes: 4
From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
I don't think the issue with debris clogging the area between the rad and the AC condenser is unique to either design however and based on my experience, I would suggest that it should be one of the first things to check for overheating problems after ruling out the normal suspects if your car is several years old and gunk has had a chance to accumulate there.
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,325
Likes: 4
From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Last year, though my AC worked okay when the car was in motion and I didn’t notice any overheating, when stopped in heavy traffic, the AC performance dropped off precipitously which I attributed to requiring an AC recharge. Even after I had this done, I never felt it worked as well as I remembered.
Now that I’ve cleaned and flushed out the radiator and condenser fins, the temps are within normal limits and using an infrared thermometer, the air coming out of the ducts is as low as a very cool -6° C (21° F) in stop and go traffic! Not sure what the AC temps are from other G35, but I’m very pleased now with mine.
Now that I’ve cleaned and flushed out the radiator and condenser fins, the temps are within normal limits and using an infrared thermometer, the air coming out of the ducts is as low as a very cool -6° C (21° F) in stop and go traffic! Not sure what the AC temps are from other G35, but I’m very pleased now with mine.
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: Utah
I was having similar issues with my G. This is was I did to fix the problem. Hope it helps!
https://g35driver.com/forums/g35-sed...t-temps-c.html
https://g35driver.com/forums/g35-sed...t-temps-c.html
Yes, mine is one of the oldest (original G35 from spring 2002) models with the 'doggy door' trunk-lid. The primary fan is belt driven and has a fan clutch which was referenced as a probable culprit for many over-heating issues. They still do have an electric fan in front of the AC condenser however. I think the first G35s with just electric fans were the Coupes.
I don't think the issue with debris clogging the area between the rad and the AC condenser is unique to either design however and based on my experience, I would suggest that it should be one of the first things to check for overheating problems after ruling out the normal suspects if your car is several years old and gunk has had a chance to accumulate there.
I don't think the issue with debris clogging the area between the rad and the AC condenser is unique to either design however and based on my experience, I would suggest that it should be one of the first things to check for overheating problems after ruling out the normal suspects if your car is several years old and gunk has had a chance to accumulate there.
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,325
Likes: 4
From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
I was having similar issues with my G. This is was I did to fix the problem. Hope it helps!
https://g35driver.com/forums/g35-sed...t-temps-c.html
https://g35driver.com/forums/g35-sed...t-temps-c.html
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2003, ac, auxilliary, change, clutch, cooling, escalade, fan, g35, infiniti, overheating, replace, sedan, thermostat, tsb
