Air conditioning??

[JakeM]

Air Con..where do I start? I know absolutely nothing about air con. All I know is that it doesn't work

The daily temperature here rarely reaches 20 degrees, so my need for air conditioning is not exactly a priority. However it would be nice to clear the condensation from time to time when four people with sopping wet jackets get into the car on rainy day. And you never know I might venture further afield one day, into the heat..

So yes, a 2001 d4d with non working air con. Any tips on how and where to start looking for a fix. Or is it just a case of getting a re-gas and hoping for the best?

Any advice appreciated
Thanks
Jake

 

[clivehorridge]

I had the same problem, knowing noting except it didn't work!

I still know nothing but here's some pointers in my experience, JMHO but this is how it panned out.

My 80 was 11 years old when I got it, AC working, all good.

Into the 10 years of ownership, it faded bit by bit, to the extent that it stopped working. I drove it for a few seasons without but then decided to do something about it.

First stop was to take it to a "specialist" to have it re-gassed. He looked at the glass "window" in the piping circuit and said "it's empty". So he re-gassed it and then said "it's full" and that's when I realised he'd reached his level of "expertise" because it still didn't work and he "diagnosed" no circulation and therefore I needed a new compressor. (That's the bit that the drive belt drives, if you really know nothing at all).

They are expensive so I'm thinking maybe he's wrong. I then queried in my mind why it was empty, there must be a leak methinks. I traced all the pipework I could find and noticed a darker area at some junctions where dust had gathered. The liquid evaporates on escape but leaves a trace of the lubricant oil mixed with the refrigerant, so that had attracted the dust.

Then, thank goodness, I found a specialist that knew a damn site more than me...

He replaced the "O" rings in the leaking junction I'd spotted and advised replacement of the "drier" which on the 80 is a "Red Bull" shaped can mounted vertically at the lowest point on the circuit right behind the front bumper. I have no clue about a 2001 d4D, so can't comment where your dirier might be.

He then re-gassed it and warned me that it seemed to be running at too high a pressure, which may have been the cause of the leak. He advised to run it for a while, and if the leak returned or persisted, he could try a replacement pressure valve on the compressor which may be the cause of the too high pressure.

It's worked fine ever since, no losses and ice cold air when I want it.

Nothing wrong with the compressor I might add...

I do know that when you switch the AC on, it activates a clutch on the compressor which connects the drive belt pulley to the compressor and starts the circulation. It could be that you have a fault in the wiring (fuse maybe) or there's a problem with the clutch. It's a good place to start, but better still, try to find a recommended specialist, one who's trusted, he should sort you out from start to finish without getting it wrong.

It's a process of elimination really.

 

[Rob Cowell]

Air Con..where do I start? I know absolutely nothing about air con. All I know is that it doesn't work

The daily temperature here rarely reaches 20 degrees, so my need for air conditioning is not exactly a priority. However it would be nice to clear the condensation from time to time when four people with sopping wet jackets get into the car on rainy day. And you never know I might venture further afield one day, into the heat..

So yes, a 2001 d4d with non working air con. Any tips on how and where to start looking for a fix. Or is it just a case of getting a re-gas and hoping for the best?

Any advice appreciated
Thanks
Jake

I don't know how wild and west into Wales you are, but I'd recommend Red Dragon air conditioning in Pyle (J37 on the M4). Had two garages fail to do much more than regas mine, they couldn't find any leaks. Ended up needing a new condensor with Red Dragon but I've had 9 months of cold air now. Sensibly priced too.

 

[StarCruiser]

Some good pointers there from Clive. R134A refrigerant is such a small molecule it can leak from the tiniest hole. As he said, look for tell tale patches of dust around joins where the oil has leaked out. If you haven't or don't use the system regularly the seal around the compressor shaft can leak. If the compressor runs, you have sufficient refrigerant in the system to make it run but it still may be 'short of gas' and not at the top of its game. If it doesn't run, and you can use a multimeter, follow the pipework and look for a teed off sensor with two wires or terminals sticking out of it. Disconnect and test across these on 'Ohms' and if you get an open circuit then it's too low to operate. With it connected, test from each terminal to earth with the AC and fan on and see if you get 12v. Also Ohms across the compressor to earth which should give a reading of low Ohms not open circuit.

Try and find a local refrigeration engineer, he'll have the greatest knowledge, otherwise the best garage with a Re gas machine.

Other potential leak spots are corroded solid pipes. Often the drier doesn't need changing but may do if there's a bad leak or the system is opened to the air for some time.

There's a couple of threads on here if you do a search.

Good luck with it

 

[Beau]

If you're re gassing not knowing for sure if you have a leak, it might be worth to add a dye which will make finding a leak a lot easier.

 

[JakeM]

Thanks guys, all good stuff. I'll start having a root around the pipe work see if I can see anything oily or broken. Although it's all packed in pretty tight with the d4d, not masses of room to move in there!

Rob - I am way out west, a mere 95.7 miles from J37 M4 according to google.
Hopefully they'll be someone in Aberystwyth.

I did start reading another thread on here that mentioned some systems shut down (or do not start?) when there is not enough gas in the system. Would this be the case with the Colorado?

Sitting in the car with the engine running, press the air con button and not a lot happens. No rise in revs. No audible sounds of anything kicking in.

Thanks again
J

 

[Shayne]

I asked a garage that to check everything and refill mine after i replaced the condenser (the old one got bent in a bump) and typical of the workmanship i have learned to expect in South Wales it didn't work when i tried it again a month later .

Get a mobile specialist , his reputation depends solely on aircon . I was working on the headlights while he hooked up his machine and it didn't take him long to find a leak so he turned off the machine undone a joint and popped a washer or gasket or something in there tightened it up and turned the machine back on . All in it took him about 45 minutes and he charged me about 40 quid .

Even if its not something so simple on yours at least you get an experts advice for your 40 quid

 

[JakeM]

Sounds good to me Shayne. Just hope there is one around these parts.
Best crank up google....

 

[StarCruiser]

If any refrigeration or AC system gets too low on Gas it won't run. The bit I mentioned to test across is a pressure switch that regulates the compressor off and on.

 

[clivehorridge]

I asked a garage that to check everything and refill mine after i replaced the condenser (the old one got bent in a bump) and typical of the workmanship i have learned to expect in South Wales it didn't work when i tried it again a month later .

Get a mobile specialist , his reputation depends solely on aircon . I was working on the headlights while he hooked up his machine and it didn't take him long to find a leak so he turned off the machine undone a joint and popped a washer or gasket or something in there tightened it up and turned the machine back on . All in it took him about 45 minutes and he charged me about 40 quid .

Even if its not something so simple on yours at least you get an experts advice for your 40 quid

I'm with Shayne on the mobile guys.

If you can't find one for your area, just contact the nearest, they all seem to know each other and the patches they work, so you'll probably be able to get a local contact number and name off another mobile guy working a different patch.