Car Air Con

[puffernutter]

A curious one, it starts off really cool, then gradually warms up!

Where would I start looking to make it stay cold! I've never played with air con systems before!

I know it's being called as I can hear the electric clutch pulling in (and the engine revs dropping!)

Cheers

Peter

 

[winchman]

I know very little about it but wouldn't you need to put a set of gauges on to see whats happening?

 

[frank horton]

some car parts places u can buy a bottle or refrigerant, bit like a 1ltr paint tin in size......some come with a hose or u may need to buy........
find the filler valve and top up.......
OR just go to a shop poss Halfords and get it topped up....... pound to a penny it's just low on gas.......hence cold then warming......
no idea on cost in the UK right now but when I looked to do the same thing for myself it was hardley worth doing it urself........

the shop may say we can put a special fluid in to clean the system and regenerate the seals and all that BXXXXXXK"S but dont bother, it's already in the refrigerant......
never once did we have a problem in the years I did this in California.........AND now the refridgerant is so much better..........
if u had a proper leak it wouldn't go cold at all.........

 

[Kayos]

Used a Halfords refill on 2 cars including my freelander that had zero pressure

Worked well last time it was hot

 

[Fazerruss]

There was a wheelers deelers episode that recently where Ant did the aircon. The gauges and hoses he used are just over 30 quid on eBay. Looked interesting.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/253588020052

 

[Rig Pig]

Just did the condenser on the wife's car, horrible job, the bottom fitting is cunningly placed so you can just about touch it if you have octopus tentacles for arms.
The old one had seen better days!

 

[Wallace]

Could be simply just low on gas as said. I had a conversation last week with the local motor factor lads and they were saying the price of refrigerant gas has risen significantly recently and a new type of gas is being introduced. They were quoting figures of £70 a bottle having risen to over £300, not sure of the full facts yet as I've not needed anything refilling other than our car which I know has a leak.

 

[Matrixx]

look for deals Kwik fit were doing one for full refill around £35, they have to by law drain and Vacuum test the system, if there is a leak they are not allowed to charge it up. but they will put flurodye in to trace the leak.
the air con is designed to be on all the time, if not the seals can dry out and shrink letting the gas out, when they add the refrigerant they also add a lubricant that make the seals swell.

 

[normspanners]

Worked well last time it was hot

surely, it should have been cold ??
I have had good results with the leak stop, for a couple I have done. One merc the leak was so small it lasted for mths on a standard fill, I used the leak stop and it was sorted.

 

[armalites]

If you want it done properly then it needs to be vacuumed out,pressure tested and refilled as Matrixx says. Many places will just top it up with no thought as to why it's low even though they are supposed to pressure test.

We have a mobile guy local who does a good job, the best way I found is if you can get 2-3 cars together to make it worthwhile and pay with real money. Lasts ones I had done were about £45.The other thing is not to be doing that when you've suddenly realised it's really warm get it done earlier when they are less busy.

Running them all the time is the way to keep them working well and that is shown by the fact some modern cars Discovery 3 for example still run the system in a low mode even if you turned the AC off on the dash.

The AC on my latest V70 is so cold I have to shut the vent that blows on my hand on a long motorway run.

 

[Kayos]

surely, it should have been cold ??
I have had good results with the leak stop, for a couple I have done. One merc the leak was so small it lasted for mths on a standard fill, I used the leak stop and it was sorted.

Wasn’t leak stop, it was a gauge and connector with a refillable bottle

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Just had mine done at ATS using a Groupon offer. £36 for check, regas and anti-bacterial treatment. Aircon is now ice cold, and although it was working after a fashion before, the difference is ;chalk & cheese'.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

look for deals Kwik fit were doing one for full refill around £35, they have to by law drain and Vacuum test the system, if there is a leak they are not allowed to charge it up. but they will put flurodye in to trace the leak.
the air con is designed to be on all the time, if not the seals can dry out and shrink letting the gas out, when they add the refrigerant they also add a lubricant that make the seals swell.

Trouble in going to Kiwk Fit for air con recharge is they will try to upsell other products so you will come back to find a quote for 4 new tyres, new discs and pads, new exhaust system and shock absorbers - all of which they deem needing changing !

 

[colnerov]

Could be simply just low on gas as said. I had a conversation last week with the local motor factor lads and they were saying the price of refrigerant gas has risen significantly recently and a new type of gas is being introduced. They were quoting figures of £70 a bottle having risen to over £300, not sure of the full facts yet as I've not needed anything refilling other than our car which I know has a leak.

Hi, Yes there is a change of gas being pushed through. Because of environmental/climate damage R134a is being phased out in preference to 1234yf, to help things along there is a policy of increasing the price of R134a substantially, although the new gas is only slightly dearer. The use of the 'new' gas is quite widespread but Mercedes are kicking against it over flammability concerns.

Colin

 

[Matrixx]

Trouble in going to Kiwk Fit for air con recharge is they will try to upsell other products so you will come back to find a quote for 4 new tyres, new discs and pads, new exhaust system and shock absorbers - all of which they deem needing changing !

You are right they will try to sell you something else but I wouldn't let them do anything else to my car, apart from the free puncture repairs they do.

 

[Justme]

Watch out if you have a hybrid or all elc car as they use different non conductive gasses as they use electric pumps.

 

[Wallace]

Hi, Yes there is a change of gas being pushed through. Because of environmental/climate damage R134a is being phased out in preference to 1234yf, to help things along there is a policy of increasing the price of R134a substantially, although the new gas is only slightly dearer. The use of the 'new' gas is quite widespread but Mercedes are kicking against it over flammability concerns.

Colin

I asked in the same motor factors this afternoon how the prices were going and he looked them up, the new stuff was a lot more expensive for a smaller bottle. That may just be opportunity pricing though, he had been hunting round suppliers to stock up on some for himself to make a bit on the side as prices rise.

 

[Ashley Burton]

Watch out if you have a hybrid or all elc car as they use different non conductive gasses as they use electric pumps.

I know the PAG oil is specific to PHEV & EV's. But not convinced about the gas situation, As the early Prius models would have been using R134A & newer models are moving over to 1234YF

I asked in the same motor factors this afternoon how the prices were going and he looked them up, the new stuff was a lot more expensive for a smaller bottle.

1234YF 6kg is around £400 + VAT atm & 12kg of R134A is £300 upwards + VAT

 

[supaimpy]

Going back to the OP it could be the filter drier , as if the system is wet , it will in time freeze at the orifice or expansion valve, or it could be simply the frost protection sensor on the evap , meaning the evap freezes then the air exchange cant take place because the airflow is blocked , or simply poor condensing performance due to lack of heat extraction , what I'm saying is not every AC fault is the result of a gas leak .To be able to diagnose properly you need a gauge on both suction and discharge and a decent thermometer , if you rang me at work and asked whats wrong and couldn't give me gauge and teemp reading you'd not get a great deal of help !!!!

 

[Rig Pig]

I know the PAG oil is specific to PHEV & EV's. But not convinced about the gas situation, As the early Prius models would have been using R134A & newer models are moving over to 1234YF



1234YF 6kg is around £400 + VAT atm & 12kg of R134A is £300 upwards + VAT

Pag is the oil in all 134 systems isn't it?