|
Thanks you for that, do main dealers do that sort of things on air-con systems ?
|
|
They can do, but you're best off looking in your local yellow pages for a mobile auto air con engineer, who will come to you and diagnose and recharge your car at home. Often many main dealers don't have the charging equipment, and will call in the same people anyway (and charge you for it!)
|
I think you'll find most Dealership workshops will have a/c diagnostic and charging stations. Part of Franchise Standards, I recall.
|
I use a local mobile service, and he has contracts with five local main dealers, including Peugeot and Mercedes, as well as several used-car retailers - they certainly don't have the kit.
If you try to contact such a service, be prepared to be flexible and patient as they might have to put their contract customers first - and don't call when the sun's shining!
One word of warning - if you can, stick with an automotive-only service - some air-con firms are general refrigeration specialists, and aren't too fussy about re-using commercial refrigerant with the R134a needed for cars - recommendation might be the best bet.
|
Well, thanks all. On the recommendations of a local shopkeeper
(I am new round here) I've found a reliable (Vauxhall) dealer who'll service the Daewoo -£100- (Daewoo wanted £135) and do
the air-con recharge for £60. Thanks for your advice, much appreciated.
|
As has already been said, you need to use your a/c regularly. In Winter you can use it in conjunction with the heating to provide de-humidified air to the car interior. Demists a lot quicker this way. Minimum use about 10mins per week. If the system needs re-charging, it will probably also need the filter/dryer replacing which might put the cost up £20 -£30. As a guide, car a/c systems lose about 5 - 8% of their gas annually. The more you use it, the lower the loss will be. Its very much a case of the old adage "use it or lose it!!". You will notice a slight loss of power when the a/c is operating. The system fitted to your Daewoo pulls about 3 -5 horsepower from the engine when switched on. For the same reason, fuel consumption will be greater when the a/c is on.
Finally, the contractor you use this time should leak test your system using a dye which is sensitive to flourescent light. Doing this will allow him to see if there are any significant leaks. If there are, its up to you what to spend. A Daewoo of a "certain age" might not be worth spending too much on.
Good luck
|
|
Thanks a lot Busker for your detailed reply, very useful. A big thanks again to all the other posters who have really helped me a great deal on this one
|
|
I recall that HJ says, in his FAQ section, that the increased aerodynamic drag from having a window open to cool a car causes no more fuel consumption than driving with the a/c on and the window shut.
|
I recall that HJ says, in his FAQ section, that the increased aerodynamic drag from having a window open to cool a car causes no more fuel consumption than driving with the a/c on and the window shut.
I reckon he's right too. What's best though, driving along in todays heavy traffic, breathing in all the fumes and particulates or being in a/c comfort out of the smells etc? For my money, a/c's best any time. I do like a sunroof too, mind. I like to drive with that open on lovely Spring and Autumn days, particularly up here in t'Dales.
|
Yeah, know what you mean, the Peaks and the Dales in nice weather... bliss ! Used to drive there in my Mustang convertible a few years ago, sadly an uninsured pink fluffy dice jumped a light and
wrote it off... Can\'t afford one anymore.
Anyway, got a Daewoo now ! and I\'m happy with it I hasten to add.
I forgot to mention: when I put the A/C on, there\'s this annoying metallic noise coming on, could that have anything
to do with the gas seepage ?
Busker if your seepage rate is correct (5-8% a year) how come mine (car is 5 years old) wpuld already seem ready for a recharge after not even 5 years ?
|
If it's getting very low after 5 years, then it has a leak. Only by recovering the gas and weighing it, will you know for sure how much has gone. What you need to ask whoever does the work, is how much gas they recovered, that will then tell you a lot. The problem with going to a main dealer for the work, is many aren't terribly skilled at a/c work (from what I've seen), so you might be better going to a good specialist so you can watch it being done and ask plenty of questions. They also need to add dye, so if it comes out again, you can see where it went.
|
Dave N
Is a new receiver/drier really necessary at a recharge (say at 5 years)? What's the typical cost of a R/D (Nissan - Calsonic system)?
|
"when I put the A/C on, there's this annoying metallic noise coming on"
That sounds like the compressor clutch acting up, point it out the person servicing the A/C as they may be able to differentiate clutch noise and advise a course of action. You may want to be certain the compressor isn't on its way out before you pay to add gas to a system which may need to be evacuated anyway (for compressor repair/replacement)
|
Aplilia, in theory, if the system still has some pressure in it, then no air can get in and saturate the drier. But of course, the drier is there to absorb any moisture that may have been present in the original refrigerant and oil, so may be saturated anyway. In practice, it isn't generally necessary, though if it was mine and I was keeping it for a while, I'd swop it out and be done with it. Sometimes they get blocked up on what otherwise seems to be a perfect system, and that blockage then feezes as the expansion takes place in the drier rather than at the expansion valve. If you cut one open, they're full of dessicant balls that become loose as they get older as they rub against each other. If they break up completely, which they can when totally saturated, then you get all sorts of problems as the bits float around the system.
Having said that, many customers choose not to replace driers for financial reasons), even though the system has been empty for a while, and most bodyshops don't replace even though the pipes have been left disconnected for a number of weeks, and don't seem to have too many problems. So it's the usual story, if you replace it you won't get any problems, and if you don't, then you probably won't get any problems.
Cost is usually around £50, and doesn't normally take long to fit.
|
Dave N
The aircon in my Nissan seems very good - powerful and very quick to cool the car after it has been standing in the sun all day. It is five years old and I have no idea whether it has ever been recharged.
Under these circumstances would you suggest changing the R/D or not? The money is not really the issue - it is just that the system works so well I am concerned that 'breaking in' to it may cause problems; and there may be problems in getting the old R/D off (the pipe fitting nuts are alloy, if I'm not mistaken).
I would have thought that unless the system is breached, the amount of moisture in it would be the same as the day it left the factory......?
|
|
