Do I need a re-gas?

[M-R-P]

Not having been in a position to think about this previously, I think I may need a re-gas for my A/C.
the Symptom is, it blows cold (not quite as cold as I remember) then gradually warms-up. The compressor is still kicking - in but nowt else.

So, is it a regas?

How the hell do I do it?

Cheerz peeps ;)

[foammanmark]

Sounds like you probably do need a re-gas, cos these p2's are usually superb on the aircon/climate. Mine even at 22 is very noticeable in the current warm weather.

You can buy refills on ebay, but I've not done one myself. Can't be too hard.............

[M-R-P]

Friend of mine was trying to do his on his '02 D5 and reconed he'd found the lower port in the cab somewhere and was attempting it in the evening.
I'm pretty sure it's not the pump as that was replaced just before I got the car...

[foammanmark]

My p1 V70 needs a new compressor, so I've no aircon at all in that. My local Volvo indy has a used one, and regas for £140, which I don't think sounds too bad.

[stribo]

Not having been in a position to think about this previously, I think I may need a re-gas for my A/C.
the Symptom is, it blows cold (not quite as cold as I remember) then gradually warms-up. The compressor is still kicking - in but nowt else.

So, is it a regas?

How the hell do I do it?

Cheerz peeps ;)

TBH I'd take it to get leak tested before it's regassed, no point spending out on gas if it's all going to come out again, also from what I've been told the DIY kits are that easy, or reliable.(No experience of them myself though)

[M-R-P]

I don't think it has a leak as it starts - off cold and just goes warm after between 10 and 20 minutes.

Mark... yes that is a good price, I have the recipt for the compressor and fitting and it cost more than the DIM (I didn't pay so that's ok lol)

[JamesT5]

Not having been in a position to think about this previously, I think I may need a re-gas for my A/C.
the Symptom is, it blows cold (not quite as cold as I remember) then gradually warms-up. The compressor is still kicking - in but nowt else.

So, is it a regas?

How the hell do I do it?

Cheerz peeps ;)

Hey Martin it's my turn to help you for a change! :biggrin:

Thankfully Aircon systems I'm pretty knowledgeable on although I wouldn't dare service one myself....

The fact the compressor is still working means and you're not getting much cold air out means that the gas is low. There is a little bit of gas in there but also lots of 'air' and dirt and probably a lack of lubriacant oil. Becareful because you can damage the compressor if the system dries up and that's hundreds to have it fixed (it happened on my Dads Skoda and it was £300 plus a regas and fitting to have it fixed).

The compressor kicks in and there is intermittant cooling and then it stops and blows warm again because the system isn't pressurised properly. Definately symptomatic of a low gas situation.

I've just had mine serviced about 2 weeks ago before all the hot weather, knowing I'd be on a waiting list if I didn't because everyone will want their Aircon serviced at the same time. The car should have about 1000g of gas in the system when fully charged, mine had about 700g so that was a 30% loss of pressure - good job I had it checked because it wasn't cooling as well as it should have been although it wasn't intermittent like yours is now.

The Aircon should be checked and regassed at least once every 2 years and to be honest the cost is minimal. An aircon system that doesn't have any 'leaks', can loose up to 30% of the pressure and gas in a 2 year period, reducing cooling significantly. Some cars that have never been regassed can have so little gas in the system the compressor doesn't even try to work.

ATS Euromaster charge £44.99 for a regas and they'll check for leaks using a dye and a UV lamp too. They put the dye in to the system and UV lamp around the pipe work and compressor to see if you have a leak as the dye shows up under UV light.

A regas take about an hour, they'll vacuum pump all the old gas out along with the air, dirt and old lubricant oil and then regas with fresh oil and ususally R134A.

You can book the appointment online at the ATS Euromaster website but you have to pay on booking. The same with Kwik Fit but they are £5 - £10 more expensive I think.

ATS offer (as do Kwik Fit) an anti-bacterial clean which is just a aerosol can they let off in the car, the vapours get sucked in to the ventilation system and on to the evaporator etc and kill off alot of the bugs that build up on there.

Best way to keep your Aircon system working is to use it frequently all year round and that way it keeps the system pressurised and helps prevent the lubricant oil from running away from the seals etc.

Ok, sorry for the essay but I hope it helps! :flying:

Regards

James

[JamesT5]

By the way, don't be tempted to use the self-charge kit cans from Halfords. All they do is top up the gas but don't clean out all the contaminents and oil from the system. It would be the same logic as never changing the oil in the car and just topping it up with new oil everytime your oil gets low. All the contaminents left from old oil might not do much good for your engine. By the same token, old oil and contaminemts can get in and damage the compressor so this is a job to be done at a garage with the right equipment and training, unless you happened to be trained and have the kit in your garage to do it. :)

Regards

James

[I want a T5]

I had heard, that car manufacturers never fully gas a new car so as to save cost.... Apparently its around 70% full and they can then get you in a couple of years for a clean out and refill.
Not really surprising.
I need to get mine done as it's pretty poor and this hot weather really shows it up.
Looks like a trip to Kwik Fit this weekend!

[JamesT5]

I had heard, that car manufacturers never fully gas a new car so as to save cost.... Apparently its around 70% full and they can then get you in a couple of years for a clean out and refill.
Not really surprising.
I need to get mine done as it's pretty poor and this hot weather really shows it up.
Looks like a trip to Kwik Fit this weekend!

ATS are cheaper (just), at least around here they are. :)

[M-R-P]

Cool! (quite literally) the proper service is only slightly more expensive than the kit :)

I'll start googling...


Thanks James :)

[M-R-P]

Ok, I'm now sat in the waiting room at my local Protyre who are doing a special today... Full A/C service for 30 quid :D
Results to follow.

[V70 Graham]

Ok, I'm now sat in the waiting room at my local Protyre who are doing a special today... Full A/C service for 30 quid :D
Results to follow.

Mrp scores ANOTHER bargain, well done mate, awaiting results :D

[M-R-P]

Well it took longer than expected because the mondeo ahead of me wasn't playing fair but my AC is bang on now. Apparantly, there was only 504g of refrigerant in the system, out of 1000. This was a full service too, not just a regas. It took just over an hour to do it all, the staff were professional and friendly, the waiting room was tidy with a tv showing the F1 quallies and free refreshments and a clean toilet.
While i was waiting, they offered me nitrogen tyre filling for 2 quid a corner, which i couldnt refuse (I got nice green valvecaps with N2 embossed on them for free)
In all, 30 quid very well spent, I have a 1.7 ton fridge :).
Oh, they forgot to charge me for the N2 filling, and when i offered to pay, they waved it and said it wasnt my.problem :D.

New pollen filter too as mine had collapsed.

Good day :)

[t5steve]

well done mate.............a real bargain.............with extras thrown in..............what more could you want

[merc85]

well done mate.............a real bargain.............with extras thrown in..............what more could you want

A set of Ap brakes.... you jammy git lol

[t5steve]

just in the right place at the right time...............

[local-looney]

Ok, I'm now sat in the waiting room at my local Protyre who are doing a special today... Full A/C service for 30 quid :D
Results to follow.

my s60 came from down your way martin!
protyre ay? i got stacks of bills with my car from protyre...reading through em',they sound thorough!!

[M-R-P]

well done mate.............a real bargain.............with extras thrown in..............what more could you want
Bargain since the Mondeo before mine only held 800g of refrigerant but still had to pay the same as me :)

A set of Ap brakes.... you jammy git lol
Hmmmm... must go back and see where they got to lol :D

just in the right place at the right time...............
Bloody good luck since most of the others I tried had closed at 1pm!

my s60 came from down your way martin!
protyre ay? i got stacks of bills with my car from protyre...reading through em',they sound thorough!!

Best outfit I've seen around here mate. Very professional.

To celebrate, I bought an electric polisher from Aldi and a selection of cleaner sprays and had a little session...

http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g413/martinrpeachey/DSCF7906.jpg

http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g413/martinrpeachey/DSCF7907.jpg

http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g413/martinrpeachey/DSCF7905.jpg

[local-looney]

dont think ive ever seen ur car dirty!!

do you drive it??? lol

[stephenevans99]

Air Conditioning - pain in the back side - totally worthless - but when in need....ahem

Shameless Link (http://coolaircon.co.uk/)

[M-R-P]

Do you get a discounted service for your efforts there Steve? Lol.
Nice Soo mate ;)

[stephenevans99]

It's free for me...all the R134a I want. I'm busy as hell at the moment, roll on Winter...lol

[V70 Graham]

Car's looking good mate, got a great price with the air con, another job on the list for me to do.....lol

[M-R-P]

Car's looking good mate, got a great price with the air con, another job on the list for me to do.....lol

Protyre are a franchise mate, the offer is on for the next week or so, as is the nitrogen tyre thingy. Worth shopping around :D

[JamesT5]

Well it took longer than expected because the mondeo ahead of me wasn't playing fair but my AC is bang on now. Apparantly, there was only 504g of refrigerant in the system, out of 1000. This was a full service too, not just a regas. It took just over an hour to do it all, the staff were professional and friendly, the waiting room was tidy with a tv showing the F1 quallies and free refreshments and a clean toilet.
While i was waiting, they offered me nitrogen tyre filling for 2 quid a corner, which i couldnt refuse (I got nice green valvecaps with N2 embossed on them for free)
In all, 30 quid very well spent, I have a 1.7 ton fridge :).
Oh, they forgot to charge me for the N2 filling, and when i offered to pay, they waved it and said it wasnt my.problem :D.

New pollen filter too as mine had collapsed.

Good day :)

This might seem like bragging but "I told you so". 1000g of gas needed in the V70 P2. :D Plus I knew the pressure would be low from the symptoms you described. Glad you've got your cool back.... ;)

Regards

James

[Dirty Busted]

So whats the crack with this nitrogen tyre thingy then Martin ? never heard of it !

[M-R-P]

This might seem like bragging but "I told you so". 1000g of gas needed in the V70 P2. :D Plus I knew the pressure would be low from the symptoms you described. Glad you've got your cool back.... ;)

Regards

James
Lol, show off! Thanks for the info mate (doesnt it say 1000g on tue label in tue engine bay lol)
My mate tried the halfrauds kit today and found an interesting cloud, eminating from one of the pipes from the ac rad!

So whats the crack with this nitrogen tyre thingy then Martin ? never heard of it !
They've Been using it on supercars for a while, the Nissan gtr has it from the factory. Supposed to not leak out so easily, maintains pressure throughout temperature ranges, save fuel (proven -somehow, not seen the proof tho) and more comfortable. Besides, I can say "I got nitrogen in my tyres" to people down the pub :D
I'm posting from my phone, otherwise I would post some links for u .

[stephenevans99]

Nitrogen is also moisture free as opposed to air. Moisture build up within a tyre is supposed to effect the rubber compound.

I've got my tyres filled with helium....makes the car go fractionally quicker due to weighing less.

[Harvey]

Nitrogen is also moisture free as opposed to air. Moisture build up within a tyre is supposed to effect the rubber compound.

I've got my tyres filled with helium....makes the car go fractionally quicker due to weighing less.

Do your tyres still sound the same round corners or do they screech that bit louder bit like Tom & Jerry ?.

[stephenevans99]

There is a definite high pitched road noise to them but you get used to it. Just got to be careful at those canal bridges, with helium in my tyres there's a chance it may defy gravity if taken at speed.

[popuptoaster]

I'm not sure about this nitrogen in your tyres malarky, ordinary air is already 78% nitrogen.

[stribo]

I'm not sure about this nitrogen in your tyres malarky, ordinary air is already 78% nitrogen.

It does seem like a bit of a gimmick, and what happens if a tyre needs a bit of a top up. That having been said it's getting more common in Spain, due to the temperature differences between summer and winter.

[M-R-P]

It does seem like a bit of a gimmick, and what happens if a tyre needs a bit of a top up. That having been said it's getting more common in Spain, due to the temperature differences between summer and winter.

You can top them up with air, to be honest, ive noticed no difference in ride or fuel economy but I have lovely green valve caps and i didnt pay a penny :D

[JUDGENINJA]

Nitrogen - you are talking about minute improvements. there is loads of science and proof behind it.... But we are talking about super cars doing lap times on a track recording lower tyre temperatures,better life etc. Real world... You won't see much difference.

[V70 Graham]

.....but we are talking about super cars doing lap times on a track recording lower tyre temperatures,better life etc.....

You saying the 'Big Swede' ain't a supercar lol

[aftershock]

Hope the ac is now running flat out!

[LeeT5]

They've Been using it on supercars for a while, the Nissan gtr has it from the factory. Supposed to not leak out so easily, maintains pressure throughout temperature ranges, save fuel (proven -somehow, not seen the proof tho) and more comfortable. Besides, I can say "I got nitrogen in my tyres" to people down the pub :D
I'm posting from my phone, otherwise I would post some links for u .

Don't wanna burst your bubble Martin but that is not true.....

Oxygen and Nitrogen and Air all respond in the same way to temperature changes as the tyre heats up and cools down: they all have the same rate of pressure change for an equal amount of temperature change.

Again the only exception would be if very wet air was used to fill the tyre: if the water content was so high that in cold temperatures there was liquid water in the tyre which could turn to water vapour when the tyre heated up. This would cause an uneven pressure gradient in respect of temperature: effectively a very small amount of water would turn into a large amount of steam within the tyre casing. In normal use (at least in my tyre depots) the air-lines are fitted with water traps to remove excess moisture from the compressed air.

The only reason it is used in F1 is because....

Nitrogen is used because it is easier and more reliable than using an air compressor. The cylinders of Nitrogen are also used to power the impact wrenches for wheel changing.

As for Nitrogen filled tyres holding pressure longer than air filled ones, well that's not true either!.....

Research Data from Dupont shows that although Oxygen is the heavier element it does leak through a porous rubber membrane faster than Nitrogen, but the rate for both gases or a mixture within a tubeless rubber tyre which has an IMPERVIOUS liner is so slow that it would take SEVERAL YEARS for all the oxygen in an air filled tyre in good condition to leak away: though greater leaks can occur around the rim-to-bead seat - so the answer here is to ensure the tyre is properly fitted and sealed.

Test Data from Consumer Reports in the USA, who tested 60 car tyres half filled with air and half with 95% Nitrogen, showed that over 12 months the air filled tyres lost an average of 3.5PSI but Nitrogen filled tyres lost only 2.2PSI. This difference is 1.3PSI and not significant over a year given that tyre pressures should be checked and topped up weekly or monthly depending on usage.

I don't think i'll be filling mine with Nitrogen. Think how much nitrogen you'll be expelling from your tyres each time you check tyre pressures! Also, the trips to the garage for a top up...are they really worth it?

More comfortable?? 36psi is 36psi wether filled with air, Nitrogen, Helium.....it will still be 36psi and give the same road feel. If there was any truth to these claims the garages would be charging a damn sight more than a £1 per tyre.

Remember, the very air you breath is 78% Nitrogen and to fill a tyre with 100% Nitrogen you'd have to be in a controlled enviroment and Kwikfit ain't that. My guess is, your getting about 95% N. Unless you drive where it's -40*C then i'd just stick with good old o2.
I'll be saving my £4 for that pint of milk and bread that i normally get at the local tesco express :B_thumb:

[M-R-P]

Aww Lee ;)
there wasn't a bubble to burst mate. I drive a 1.7ton lump to which filling the tyres with anything short of highland spring water, would make no noticeable difference handling - wise. It was worth the 2 quid (which I didn't end - up spending) per tyre to get the rather sexy valve caps...
http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g413/martinrpeachey/DSCF7905.jpg
As for checking the pressures? that won't be for some time (couple of months) and if they need topping up... I have a little compressor in the back of the car ;) and like you said, air is 78% nitrogen anyway so dilution would be minimal.

Bottom line... "I have nitrogen filled tyres" sounds nice at the pub ;)

[stribo]

The green caps go well with the gay blue wheels.:hidesbehi

[M-R-P]

Probably as well as they would with traffic cone orange interior :D :saythat:

[stribo]

You should know by now, it's Dale Winton orange, which is 2 shades darker than traffic cone orange. :P

[Harvey]

Just to ask anyone knows what PAG oil is used in the compressor on the aircon on a s60 as if I can find out ,free regas for me. As there are a number of grades.

[stephenevans99]

According to one of my books - Volvo S60 2000-2005 - PAG46

16117

[Harvey]

Well just had my aircon regassed,it was a bit low had 765grams , but now back up to 1000grams.also the oil recovered was nice and clean.
The aircon does feel a bit cooler now just a another job off the list.

[JamesT5]

Well just had my aircon regassed,it was a bit low had 765grams , but now back up to 1000grams.also the oil recovered was nice and clean.
The aircon does feel a bit cooler now just a another job off the list.

Well worth having it done at least once every two years but once a year is preferable, even if t's just ot get it checked.