Disappearing refrigerant!!!

[MadOnVaux!]

This is a strange one....

Last October my Dad bought an 06 CDTi 150 Elite Estate, which had been stood about for a year as the owner had another car and hadnt used the Vectra, hence we got it for a very good price...

anyway, the climate control/air-con wasnt as cold as it could be so about 2 months ago he had an aircon service on it....any old refrigerant pulled out, pressure tested, and re-gassed, and all was well apart from the guy at our garage said it had the tiniest of leaks but he had put some sort of leak seal in and hopefully that would plug it.

It was blowing freezing air, so cold it had to be turned up after a short while as it was too cold to stand, but one day my Dad got in to it to drivfe home after it being stood at his work for a week, (He drives a van through the week so his car stays at the depot) and it wasnt cooling down at all, so he booked it back in.

The garage found virtually no refrigerant at all in the system, they used the U/V light to check for leaks of the fluro oil, non to be seen...used some sort of sniffer device to check for any leaks around the car, nothing showing up......and they pressure tested it to 3 times what it normally runs at and no leaks were present, so filled it back up with refrigerant and gave it us back.

again it has been running ok, blowing freezing cold air until a couple of weeks ago i noticed it not getting as cold and taking a while to get cold (as ive been running around in it while parents where away and my calibra is in bits), and now it doesnt seem to be getting cold at all, im even having to open the windows as its too hot to drive it with them open!!

One thing i have noticed though is when ive started the car up, on occasions there has been the sound of like a 'fssssssht' as if gas is getting out from somewhere!

It has got both me and Dad stumped.....and thinking of just trying a brand new condensor, as our garage said 9 times out of 10 its always the condensor that leaks....but buying a new condensor would be abit pointless if it isnt that???

Is anyone any the wiser on here?

TIA

[wayne10244]

Hello had a bit of a problem like yours had my re gas at vauxhall dealers and had the dye to see if i had any leaks they told me everything was fine a week after no cold air so i brought a new condenser and new seal when i took the old condenser of you could see where it been leaking the dye left a big patch on the back of the condenser so i would change yours to it's a easy job to do about £150 for parts and re gas

[MadOnVaux!]

Hmm yeah but my garage checked all over with the UV light for signs of leaks, which would show up with the fluro oil, and also tested with that sniffer thing.

[Big Sig]

If its losing the gas it has to be a leak. I can only suggest that if its being used regularly and its still disappearing, then get another place to look as the first one clearly missed it.

[MadOnVaux!]

Thanks Sig...It will be going back to the garage soon to let them have another look at it.

I'll report back with what the outcome is.

[MadOnVaux!]

It's the condenser, getting sorted a.s.a.p.

[MadOnVaux!]

It's going in next Tuesday/Wednesday to have the new condensor fitted....good price too we think, £270 all in.