So the weathers getting hotter....

[cherry1809]

Air con hasn't worked in 18 months and it's time I addressed it.
It had a complete new system not long before I bought it, but it wasn't cold when I bought the car. I didn't want to spend £60+ getting it gassed to find out it's FUBAR anyway. Are the Halfrauds little canistors any good as a quick test to see if everythings A1?

[Tomcat]

I heard that one of the tyre places (kwik fit etc) was offering a re gas for about £30...ish, I wouldn't bother with the stuff at halfrauds, the system needs to be properly drained first before you put new stuff in, best to get it done properly.

[AlanG]

Had mine re-gassed last year by a mobile chap. Drained,pressure tested and replenished for £50. Think the fast-fit places are just that. Would definitely avoid the diy. It's worth paying the extra to know it's properly done and have some comeback if it goes wrong...

[cherry1809]

Cheers chaps, there's a Kwik fit on the way home from work so I'll ty them first. Got a funny feeling someone said if they try re gassing it and it doesn't work, they don't charge you. Have to check it out I think.

[MrMopp]

Got a funny feeling someone said if they try re gassing it and it doesn't work, they don't charge you. Have to check it out I think.

Let us know cherry if thats the case because the jag needs a regas :)

[850 2.5 10v]

KwikFit say:

"If we cannot improve the coolest vent temperature from your car by more than 10% when measured in degrees Celsius – then you pay nothing at all."

They do a before and after reading...

[MrMopp]

KwikFit say:

"If we cannot improve the coolest vent temperature from your car by more than 10% when measured in degrees Celsius – then you pay nothing at all."

They do a before and after reading...

To be fair thats not a great improvement that they have to gain is it :pants:

[850 2.5 10v]

They are however the cheapest at around £30 IIRC

http://www.kwik-fit.com/about-air-conditioning.asp

[Big Pete]

Is there anyway you can specifically tell if it is out of gas? Only owned my 850R for 6 months and when I turn it on it doesn't seem any colder, so guess it is out, but a friend of mine a few years ago was out of gas on his car and when the A/C was on it made a wracket?

[Big Pete]

Just phoned my local Kwik Fit and £45 all in, I am down in Plymouth.

[PaulZX]

"... and Leon's getting larrrrger"

Quote from a famous old movie... can you name it..?

[MrMopp]

"... and Leon's getting larrrrger"

Quote from a famous old movie... can you name it..?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo_dnfOaEX0

Quality and dont call me shirley ;)

[cherry1809]

Is there anyway you can specifically tell if it is out of gas? Only owned my 850R for 6 months and when I turn it on it doesn't seem any colder, so guess it is out, but a friend of mine a few years ago was out of gas on his car and when the A/C was on it made a wracket?

Pretty sure if the whole system's empty, the pump won't even engage.


To be fair thats not a great improvement that they have to gain is it :pants:

LOL, I can blow colder air than the fan in mine :biggrin:
In all fairness though, if it is knackered, they won't be getting anything out of it.

[AlanG]

If the system is below a specific level the compressor will not operate. Compressor operation can be checked by disconnecting the multi-plug on the a/c pipe at the bulkhead centre and bridging the contacts. HTH.

[Porcine_Aviator]

I know mine isn't working, I had it pressure tested and there is none. The aircon rad was holed. The replacement is sitting in the hall waiting to go in, when I get the gearbox sorted on Christine, I can get the 850 in and have the job done.
The worst part was, when i went down to the garage with the V70 "Christine" he said "right you've come about getting the aircon done on the 850 have you?" Sob if only the cow had lasted a week longer :cry:

[Murphy]

Make sure you have it lubricated as well. I had my wife's Honda Odyssey re-gassed at kwikfit - it worked fine for 24hr's but then disaster struck:

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y198/Andyvrs/photo.jpg

The compressor started smoking a lot! As it had auto climate you couldn’t override it, the breakdown service said it needed to be lubricated anually, I ended up chopping the wire to it. Needless to say, a proper aircon ‘service’ is worth the extra cash!

[roryscott30]

Alan,

i been trying to find out if my compressor is working do you have a photo of the multi plug so i can try it or a part it is close to

thanks

[stan lee]

Dont bother with the halfords kits, your better off taking it to a qualified air con tech to be sorted. I am a ATA qualified air con technician and volvo technician working at a volvo dealer.. I have personaly tried the after market cheap kits and all you can do with them is top up the refrigerant, you have to fully reclaim all the gas to be able to tell how much was in the system before you fill it up with the correct amount( using a automated air con machine).
Hope this helps...

[AlanG]

Alan,

i been trying to find out if my compressor is working do you have a photo of the multi plug so i can try it or a part it is close to

thanks

Not very computer-literate so don't have a pic,sorry. Easy to describe though. On raising the bonnet and facing the car,you'll see a metal pipe between the brake servo and the alarm horn at the bulkhead with a multi-plug sitting on the top of a sensor. With the engine running and ECC/Air-con switched on,dis-connect the plug and bridge terminals 1 & 3 (I think......there are only 3) and if all is well with the pump,it'll kick in and all you can rule it out as cooked.It's basically a safety cut-out switch HTH

[roryscott30]

Alan,

thanks for that i'll give it a lash tomight, i tried going through the diagnostic procedure last and it shows up 1-2-2 but the clutch never engages and is quite stiff to turn so i'll see if it is ok with your trick

thanks again

[AlanG]

Very welcome,my friend. Hope it goes your way and let us know the results......:B_thumb: Another cause can be that the air-gap in the clutch mechanism could be too wide due to wear/mileage and this is possibly your next step (hopefully not,as it is a pain in the a**e) To check this,again switch on and get a big plain screw driver and carefully lever against the outer wheel of the compressor. The fault will be obvious if the pump kicks in. Hopefully you won't have to go to these lengths though as the repair is an awkward one.

[roryscott30]

Did as you described last night and the compressor worked so it must be low on charge as there was no cold air coming through. The other thing is i've read is that when it starts the fan should come on. Last mot the car couldn't be tested as the car overheated and had to be shut down. On investigation and after a bodge i re-routed the earth from the fan which now works although i always get a code 5-1-4 and i wondered if it was related.

I don't know of any mobile companies so i'll take a trip to kwik fit.

The compressor was changed last year as the bearing was howling on the original one when i got the car and the air con worked fine but then it started making the frequent clicking and i noticed green deposit round the pipes so maybe it just needs filled and the leak found.

I'll let you know

[AlanG]

Good news mate.Mine starts the secondary fan when switched to re-circulate,othewise off. Not sure what way it is meant to be though but someone on here will. Mine is sided ECC,not sure if that makes the difference. Maybe you'll get some use out of it before it's ice-age again!!:B_thumb:

[smudgethecat]

Make sure you have it lubricated as well. I had my wife's Honda Odyssey re-gassed at kwikfit - it worked fine for 24hr's but then disaster struck:

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y198/Andyvrs/photo.jpg

The compressor started smoking a lot! As it had auto climate you couldn’t override it, the breakdown service said it needed to be lubricated anually, I ended up chopping the wire to it. Needless to say, a proper aircon ‘service’ is worth the extra cash!

Hope your sueing the useless gits, part of a air con service is to add the correct anount of PAG to the freon