My god damn aircon!!!

[Mrsmopp]

Had the old girl regassed on Friday (I think) last week and all was well (which surprised me seeing as it hadn't been done for 2 years). However, today that icy chill seems to be a cool breeze.....Am I in for another pocket battering?

x

[Matt30462]

I hope you aint got an old "fusty" "damp" smell coming through aswell. Thats the same symptoms as mine had. Cost me buckets of labour and a new evaporator Apparently all 850 evaps go sooner or later, it's one of their Achilles Heels.

[Andrew]

One of many as these things get older

[MattE]

I had an equally unpleasant re-gassing experience last week (S70 by the way)... The garage re-gassed the system and still the aircon wouldn't kick-in, they checked the system itself by (I think) shorting across two connections on a lead that goes into the ECU and it works. They sent the ECU off to have it tested and there is apparently a fault on the low pressure (?) side that controls the aircon, although the diagnostics place couldn't be sure!? Getting a bit worried about the old pound notes now too.

Oh, to top it all off the guys at the garage have all buggered off on holiday today for a fortnight and have given me the car back with aircon and no real answer as to what the problem is!

Anybody had anything like this happen before?

Best of luck with yours MrsM.

Matt.

[Wobbly Dave]

It is more than likely that the condenser has gone. If it blows cold for a few mins then starts to warm up - it is because you have air in the system rather than gas. Fixed mine last week. If you like - I can get Richard the Air con God to have a butchers next time you come over this way? Me and J can get a 2nd hand condenser fitted in next to no time.

[nikgallagher]

Has anyone got a schematic of an air-con system? I too get a funny smell sometimes with AC on, and the oil filter looking thing under the front of the engine bay looked fairly scuffed up and rusted last time i looked. Could this be the evaporator, or the condenser, or the sherminator?

[Martinr]

That oil filter looking object is the Receiver/Dryer .

The evaporator is housed way up behind the dash and is a bitch to change as the whole of the dash has to come out to get at it.

The condensor is the radiator like object visible from the front of the car behind the horns are (or where they were if you have moved them).

My condensor was holed by a stone and is being replaced now along with the receiver/dryer which should also be replaced apparently, if the system has been open to atmosphere for any time.

The inside of the receiver/dryer is basically silica gel and its' function is to remove moisture from the system. If this is open to the air it gets wet and when the aircon is reconnected the whole lot freezes blocking the system.

I intend to fit a mesh to the intake below the numberplate to stop a repeat performance.

[nikgallagher]

Have been thinking about putting some mesh in that gap under the number plate too. I thought it was the rad behind there. Mine's a bit mashed looking, but think it's still sound. Reciever/Dryer units look to be 30-40 sovs on ECP, so might be an idea to change that when I get the AC charged next time. Don't want to be messing with evaporators so hope that's got some life left in it!

[Martinr]

If you intend changing the receiver/dryer yourself you will need a special tool to disconnect the hoses as they are a springloaded bayonet fixing. The item itself is a bit awkward to get at.

The tool comes in a set of 4 about £15 or so I am told.

I've got a friendly garage who has the tools to do mine, they are changing the antifreeze at the same time. £100 all in so reasonable result

As for the schematic, do you ever go on the VOC forum site. There are loads of aircon related threads and I think someone posted a schematic recently.

[NugentS]

I was told that its worth changing the reciever / dryer every few years as good maintenance that no-one ever does....

Sean

[Mrsmopp]

Well I haven't been able to check it again today cos its snot very warm here so I am not sure if I am getting and unpleasant smells.......Do you think if I just switch the air con off and pretend I dont have it the problem will go away LOL

x

[meffs]

I hope you aint got an old "fusty" "damp" smell coming through aswell. Thats the same symptoms as mine had. Cost me buckets of labour and a new evaporator Apparently all 850 evaps go sooner or later, it's one of their Achilles Heels.

Oh dear! Mine has the "fusty" smell too, thought it was my friends sweaty feet first time round, but got it again when he was elsewhere. How much does this cost then and is it possible to do it myself?

[debug]

Mine also has had similar problems since I bought it last year.

Only seems to happen on hot days and especially town traffic. Seems to work for 2-3 minutes then cut out (long enough for the test drive...grrr). It will occasionally decide to come back to life if you toggle the A/C switch after a while. Must admit the musty/humid air when it shuts off is annoying but driving with leather seats through Spain last summer was quite an experience.

I bypassed the over-temperature sensor on the bottom of the compressor (as this is known to become faulty over time, causing the compressor to switch off when nothing is wrong). However, this didn't solve the problem and I suspected the clutch on the compressor has worn.

After both mobile A/C guy and a local garage couldn't figure it out I took it to the main dealer who've confirmed the compressor as faulty but certainly not cheap to get them to fix it. And I've heard stories of "it's the compressor.......oh no, it's the evaporator....oh no...." and these get v. expensive.

Group buy/install on compressors anyone?

[Mrsmopp]

Time to ring Salvo and talk nicey to Mark I think!! LOL

x

[meffs]

Time to ring Salvo and talk nicey to Mark I think!! LOL

x

Maybe a group buy Mrs M! A day at the Seaside fixing A/C!

[Matt30462]

Oh dear! Mine has the "fusty" smell too, thought it was my friends sweaty feet first time round, but got it again when he was elsewhere. How much does this cost then and is it possible to do it myself?

Cost............ how long is a piece of string. Mine cost £600 done at the local dealership, gassed up for nothing. Best independant was £450.00. The entire dash has to come out then of course go back in again with every cable, bulb, tube, screw, nut and bolt back where it came from . The dash in the 850 should be lifted, pulled, pushed and prodded in a particular way on withdrawal and replacement or you can suffer infernal squeeks, creaks, clunks and bumps for the rest of the cars natural . If every clip, bracket, socket and screw are not in correctly you may also suffer trim parts coming adrift, requiring lashings of bluetac and superglue to hold them back in place .
CAN YOU DO IT YOURSELF....................................

[meffs]

Cost............ how long is a piece of string. Mine cost £600 done at the local dealership, gassed up for nothing. Best independant was £450.00. The entire dash has to come out then of course go back in again with every cable, bulb, tube, screw, nut and bolt back where it came from . The dash in the 850 should be lifted, pulled, pushed and prodded in a particular way on withdrawal and replacement or you can suffer infernal squeeks, creaks, clunks and bumps for the rest of the cars natural . If every clip, bracket, socket and screw are not in correctly you may also suffer trim parts coming adrift, requiring lashings of bluetac and superglue to hold them back in place .
CAN YOU DO IT YOURSELF....................................

ARE YOU SURE MATT!!??

[redbrickr]

Copy on my post on VOC site

Having read the thread a few days ago on this subject beloved of 850 owners I thought I'd beat Bobcat to it and took my car to the fast becoming legendary SW Autos for a re-gas and sealant today.

As we all know if ya a/c is defective it's the evap, condensor or just the gas!
OK, ok there's probably another 1000 reasons starting with a failure to work out the switch!)

Nothing is ever simple and Stuart quickly found a very large hole in the condensor. Gas went in . gas came out very spectacular!
He dissapeared in to the upstairs inner sanctum and emerged bearing the very same condensor once fitted to his 500 bhp monster.
One hour later and at an extremly reasonably my car was recording a temp of 2.5 degrees C (ambient in the workshop at the time was 27!

I don't know what had managed to get through the gap in the front spolier, possibly a large Kentish Bee/ Brick or Wasp but it sure as hell accounted for MY a/c problem.

So before you get gassing, sealing whatever it might be worth a quick look at the condensor.

Now my car also goes faster and has gone up in value because I can claim it has a part one fitted to "THE 850R" (That's lie, but at least it's cold!)

[bish789]

Had to have a new receiver drier put on mine. Bottom had just blown out of it altogether.
One of the symptoms of low gas pressure is after you have had it gassed up, you can hear the compressor coming in about every 30 seconds or so.
When you start losing pressure it will start coming in every 20, then 15, you get the idea.
One of the points at which the system can leak is where there is two quick release couplings going into the bulkhead at the right of the engine bay looking from the front.There is two seals in there which look like o rings but are apparently special rubber.
I have spent about £200 getting it gassed up, new receiver drier etc etc.
Go to Halfords and they have a product that supposedly rejuvenates your seals, adds oil, which the sytem needs, and stops small leaks.
Can't vouch if it works, but got to be worth a try.

[Redbrick]

I bypassed the over-temperature sensor on the bottom of the compressor (as this is known to become faulty over time, causing the compressor to switch off when nothing is wrong).

YES!!!!!

This is exactly what mine is doing. I had it regassed no problem and it runs ice cold. Once its been running for a while it will switch itself off for 5 mins and then restart ice cold. can you elaborate on the 'over-temperature sensor' is that its real name? Any idea on cost? How do you bypass it?

Many thanks