I know I may already be stating the obvious, but here are some of the things I have learned about the aircon on these beasts. If the level of gas falls, the ecc will not tell you. The first warnings will be loss of cooling ability, accompanied by more and more rapidly cycling compressor clutch. If the problem is not the gas level, but the climate operates for so long and then packs up, probably the air gap on the compressor. This causes the compressor electro magnet to overheat, and it can't overcome the air gap to re-engage. An interesting side effect of this is the engine revs racing and not falling on gearchange. If you find this happening, try turning off the ac switch and see if the problem goes away. The compressor will usually start working after the car has been off for a while and it has cooled down. To test for this if you are feeling brave you can prove this by giving the front of the compressor a tap with a long bar, if the air gap is the problem, the clutch will pull in. Do not fear though, I believe that if you undo the 10mm nut in the middle and remove the front plate of the compressor, there are shims behind, remove one and remeasure, the clearance should be between 0.4 to 0.6 mm maximum. As I learn more, I will post more.
Bookmarks