Fixed My Air Again Today - Just 400 Baht. I Love Thailand!

[ClareQuilty]

I had my air fixed up on the ancient Ke-70 around a year ago - it had been a bit less than cold. After the fix it has been great, but about every 3 months it goes out, either due to a short/fuse or other electrical part, or due to a leak. Each of the first 2-3 times this happened the guys I'd paid around 2,500 for the original fix took care of the problem for free (a fuse, a little freon, whatever).

This time they finally started charging me, as an electrical part had gone bad. Total bill - 400 baht for the part, nothing for the 45 minutes of labor, and I've my cold air again. Ice cold at night, a bit less cold in the heat of the day. Hey, its the best you can expect on an old Ke-70! And it doesn't even die (though it seems it might) when the compressor kicks in.

[MAJIC]

I know what you mean! Reminds me of the time I moved house,four guys from a specialised Air Con company turned up,and moved my mitsubishi air con and compressor, reinstalled it in the new house,and put a new longer pipes and cable cluster,and all for 2500 Baht.

[BSJ]

I remember when the Ke-70 was a new model in the showroom. No factory air back then, but Smiths had an underdash a/c for the true believers.

In the Corolla there was no room in the middle so they mounted it under the dash in front of the passenger (polar bear).

[ClareQuilty]

BSJ, I believe my air-con is a retro-fit - presumably installed by the dealer - though it blows through the factory vents, the controls are in an odd position at the lower right of the steering wheel and definitely look 'added on' rather than built-in.

In fact, I think that this retro-fit air-con overstrains the car's cooling system, which may have contributed to the original owner's wife blowing up the original 1300cc engine quite a few years ago (you know how it goes, the old man took care of it, after he died the poor thing fell into the hands of the lady of the house). It was replaced with the current engine, an even smaller 1000cc unit from a 'Tercel'. Its a mighty slow old car now, and many people have heard it running and said to me 'I didn't know they put diesels in these'!

Nowadays I can use the air just fine as long as the car is moving, but I have to be careful to keep an eye on the temp-gauge if it sits in traffic a long time. I added an electric fan to the outside of the air-con's radiator (which sits in front of the regular radiator), and it seems to help a little.

[BSJ]

"an even smaller 1000cc unit from a 'Tercel'"

I didn't know the Tercel came with 1000cc engine....which would be too small for the Tercel and the Corolla. I may be wrong but I think it would be a Starlet engine you have.

[ClareQuilty]

"an even smaller 1000cc unit from a 'Tercel'"

I didn't know the Tercel came with 1000cc engine....which would be too small for the Tercel and the Corolla. I may be wrong but I think it would be a Starlet engine you have.

Could be.. I think 'Starlet' is the name of the thing that predated the Tercel, but it is essentially the same car, isn't it? The one the size below the Corolla in whatever year one is talking about.