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Look on ebay get a canister for £20-25
Aircon Re-gas
- Thread starter acemastr
- Start date
Soldato
I assume you know how convection works (on skin and on an air cooled engine, for example) and how even on a hot day, travelling at even minor speeds will cool you.
I don't think it would cool down a car that's been sitting in the sun all day in a few minutes nor do I want to be blown inside out at 70mph just to get a bit of cool air. It's 2012, not 1962.
Soldato
Firstly, yes it would. I drive a black car, with black leather, which sits in the sun and it's gets roasted inside! The moment you open the windows without even moving there's a lowering in temperature, then when you do move, it's much more noticeable. (We are talking about the person sitting inside the cars feeling of temperature, right? After all that is the subject).
Also, you seem to have mistaken something, I was only simply mentioning how convection will cool a person and not saying that people(or the OP) should just open their windows.
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Soldato
I took my car last year to an AC specialist, he pressure tested it and found no leaks so he regassed it, got nice cold air out of it. The next day nothing, so took the car back and he found a leak in the condenser. He couldn't explain why the leak wasn't detected so even the experts can come a cropper.
I read that if you get into your car and its roasting hot inside, turn your aircon on full and open the windows to get rid of as much hot air as possible from in your car. Obviously close your windows again once you feel enough hot air has been expelled.
Soldato
I think the climate control is probably the only thing that works properly on my car anymore.
Soldato
In the meantime, OP. I recommend one of these: 
Associate
independents re gas form £50
It most likely wasn't detected because it wasn't there. If your system needed re-gassing then it hadn't been running properly (if it was even on) for some time and so after it passed the pressure test it was gassed and appeared to run fine however it broke soon after. Happens a lot with A/C gear, when we recommission fixed A/C units that have been out of service for a while even if they pass all the checks and appear to be working we still send somebody back a few days later to check it as per regs.
Soldato
He definitely checked the system over with a 'lamp of leaks' and said that he could see some of the dye had leaked out near the bottom right of the condenser. It better be the bloody condenser as I've just gone and order a replacement.
He definitely checked the system over with a 'lamp of leaks' and said that he could see some of the dye had leaked out near the bottom right of the condenser. It better be the bloody condenser as I've just gone and order a replacement.
If he saw the the dye under ultra violet light then hopefully that should be the leak, unless he sprayed some dye there to look like it was leaking
Is there any brackets there around there which hold the condenser in place, reason being I did my neighbours car a few years ago (Peugeot 306) and the bracket which holds the pipe down managed to rub through it!
Soldato
If he saw the the dye under ultra violet light then hopefully that should be the leak, unless he sprayed some dye there to look like it was leaking
Is there any brackets there around there which hold the condenser in place, reason being I did my neighbours car a few years ago (Peugeot 306) and the bracket which holds the pipe down managed to rub through it!
No brackets where the leak is supposed to be. It's one of those jobbies where there are 2 brackets at the top and 2 rubber grommets at the bottom of the unit. The guy spent a lot of time looking around, he was supposed to order the condenser and swap it out but the first time the wrong unit had been delivered and then the part was out of stock and then I gave up chasing. So I'm going to replace the unit myself and take the car back there for a re-gas.
Soldato
Well, I fitted the new condenser yesterday, just about caught the dry spell before it bucketed it down.
Took it to the AC guy and it failed the pressure test, so he injected a small amount of gas and then used a probe to find the leak. It was leaking at one of the joints on the condenser. Turns out you need to oil up the o-ring before fitting else the o-ring due to friction can distort. I then took it apart there and then and the AC guy decided to replace the o-ring on the joint that was leaking as he said it didn't look right.
Oiled both o-rings up, refitted and it passed the pressure test. So once again he injected a small amount of gas and then used his sniff tool which detected no leaks, so he gassed it all back up. Compressor started kicking in and cold air at last, my AC had stopped working since last year.
Time will tell but the AC guy only charged me a tenner for his time due to the extra hassle, the re-gas was free as when gassed it last year and it passed the pressure/leak test but the gas escaped a few days later.
Took it to the AC guy and it failed the pressure test, so he injected a small amount of gas and then used a probe to find the leak. It was leaking at one of the joints on the condenser. Turns out you need to oil up the o-ring before fitting else the o-ring due to friction can distort. I then took it apart there and then and the AC guy decided to replace the o-ring on the joint that was leaking as he said it didn't look right.
Oiled both o-rings up, refitted and it passed the pressure test. So once again he injected a small amount of gas and then used his sniff tool which detected no leaks, so he gassed it all back up. Compressor started kicking in and cold air at last, my AC had stopped working since last year.
Time will tell but the AC guy only charged me a tenner for his time due to the extra hassle, the re-gas was free as when gassed it last year and it passed the pressure/leak test but the gas escaped a few days later.
Soldato
Took mine to Kwik fit last friday. They regassed but still didnt work! They didnt charge me. Phoned a local dealer who said to pop it over for a look. Took it straight over and they said something was overheating and not to turn fan up too high. They got it working. No charge.
Today, it is not working again!! Are they expensive to fix / replace?
Today, it is not working again!! Are they expensive to fix / replace?
Soldato
Had a aircon guy fix my Prelude's A/C with a leak test etc.
A couple of weeks later it stopped working again, took it to quickfit who re-gassed it (think they were doing a £25 offer so thought what the hell). 6months later the A/C was still working when i sold it.
They did my GTO's as well and that's still working a year later, though i gained a belt squeal.
I dont get the hate towards Kwik fit, they use the same machinery as every other A/C service providers. Your simply at the mercy of whoever operates the machine.
Bearing in mind your gonna get the tea boy wherever you go as the process is automated.
Check the local paper though, you usually find some garage offering discounts on Aircon re-gassing, just get the cheapest
A couple of weeks later it stopped working again, took it to quickfit who re-gassed it (think they were doing a £25 offer so thought what the hell). 6months later the A/C was still working when i sold it.
They did my GTO's as well and that's still working a year later, though i gained a belt squeal.
I dont get the hate towards Kwik fit, they use the same machinery as every other A/C service providers. Your simply at the mercy of whoever operates the machine.
Bearing in mind your gonna get the tea boy wherever you go as the process is automated.
Check the local paper though, you usually find some garage offering discounts on Aircon re-gassing, just get the cheapest
Soldato
I can recommend a company called AC/DC in Derby. They sorted out a faulty compressor on my Passat last year. The compressor had developed a faulty switch that was taking longer and longer to turn on until it gave up.
Had it regassed before replacing the compressor (before the cause of the fault was discovered) and they were kind enough to bottle up the fresh gas and put it back in my system after the compressor was replaced so I didn't have to pay for another regassing.
Soldato
Looks like my problems are back, passenger side is blowing colder air than the drivers side which according to some Honda forums mean low refrigerant, so either some has leaked out or it wasn't re-gassed properly
Feel a bit awkward contacting the AC guy yet again but I'm going to take it back to him to see what he says.
Feel a bit awkward contacting the AC guy yet again but I'm going to take it back to him to see what he says.
You're. And that's the point really, Kwik fit tend to have 'technicians' that can just about hook up the machine and press the button. A specialist actually know what they are doing, understand how the system works and are able to diagnose problems when it doesn't. They are probably fine if your system only needs a re-gas and there are no other issues.
To be fair, Kwik Fit are also very good at diagnosing dangerously worn brakes and dampers that require immediate replacement, and usually they don't even need to give them more than a quick glance to get this diagnosis...
Soldato
they all use the same type of machine Cooltech AC650
turn it on, enter the amount of gas needed for the car and let it do its thing
it creates a vacuum in the pipe work for 20mins, then waits for 5 mins to see if the vacuum drops if not then no leaks - not sure how rock solid this test is though.
had my car booked in with a mobile specialist but out of desperation had to get it done at local indie garage, turns out the mobile guy had the same machine so wouldn't of benefited much to be honest and indie garage was cheaper - win win for now! lol
turn it on, enter the amount of gas needed for the car and let it do its thing
it creates a vacuum in the pipe work for 20mins, then waits for 5 mins to see if the vacuum drops if not then no leaks - not sure how rock solid this test is though.
had my car booked in with a mobile specialist but out of desperation had to get it done at local indie garage, turns out the mobile guy had the same machine so wouldn't of benefited much to be honest and indie garage was cheaper - win win for now! lol