Air Con Service

[carpet]

When, if ever does the air con requier any servicing and or checking? Any help would help as info on this seems a bit sparse. Thanks in advance.

[Leviathan]

I think general rule fo thumb is a check and regassing every 3 years. Someone else may confirm. Also depends on how much you use it of course.

[glynn]

the air con should be done every two years m8

[Big Dave]

My dad's 51 reg Astra AC has never had any work done on it and it still works fine.

If the AC still blows cold, demists the windscreen, etc, then don't bother fixing what isn't broken.

The only thing that needs periodic maintenance is to make sure the pollen filter is changed every 2 years and remove any dead leaves from the intake vents under the bonnet.

And make sure you use the AC on a regular basis right throughout the year (yes, including winter as it helps keep the rubber seals lubricated)

[FIL 4822]

It'll cost you about £95 at the dealers to be done so shop around.
Also VX only put enough in the system to make it feel cold instead of fully filling it!

[Big Dave]

It'll cost you about £95 at the dealers to be done so shop around.

Kwikfit = £44.95.

Also VX only put enough in the system to make it feel cold instead of fully filling it!

Obviously your dealer isn't up to the standard that mine is then.

[Nigel Ash]

I used to be an air conditioning engineer so I know this one

In real terms, the air conditioning system should never require maintenance or servicing other than the belt driving the compressor, the pollen filter and the condensate drains. The refrigerant charge should never need topping up or replacing but invariably it does for a few reasons.

1. The refrigerant leaks through the compressor shaft seal which is made of carbon and therefore needs to be wet with the compressor lubricating oil which is in the system along with the refrigerant. To keep the seal wet with the oil, thus preventing the seal from shrinking, the system should ideally be run every two weeks at minimum, even in winter time. This is a common mistake that people forget about and come the summer, when the system won't cool, a vac out and recharge is required to get things working again, the seal gets wet, expands and becomes tight again.

2. Leaks from other areas in the system, like a stone through the condenser, cracked or chaffed pipes etc etc. The system needs to be pressure tested and the leak repaired. Then vacced and recharged by weight.

3. Compressor failure. The biggest cause of which is a blocked filter (pollen filter). The refrigerant then can't 'boil' off in the evaporator as there is no airflow to take heat from and then liquid refrigerant returns to the compressor. Liquid doesn't compress too well so the compressor internals become damaged, failing that, the liquid refrigerant washes out the compressor lubricating oil and the compressor then seizes solid.

Remember, air con systems must be evacuated before charging with refrigerant, this removes any moisture. Moisture in a refrigerant system is a big problem, it freezes internally and blocks the expansion valve and also it reacts with the refrigerant to create acid, which in turn wrecks the compressor.

All in all then, if you regularly run the ac throughout the year, including winter and keep the pollen filter serviced, you would be very unlucky to have a problem

[Nigel Ash]

It'll cost you about £95 at the dealers to be done so shop around.
Also VX only put enough in the system to make it feel cold instead of fully filling it!

Most car systems have around half a kilo of refrigerant in them. Wholesale, this costs around £3.00 per kilo to buy!!!!!!

It is better to slightly undercharge a system, than it is to overcharge a system. Overcharging wrecks the compressor

[carpet]

Thanks Nigel for a clear and concise run down on A/C servicing, will run mine a little more often in future, Cheers!!!