The ones into the bulkhead?
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Air conditioning refresh
- Thread starter Steve1986
- Start date
JamesBryan
ClioSport Club Member
Needs some dye in it to see where it's leaking, unless you can actually here it hissing.
JamesBryan
ClioSport Club Member
Foot pump and soapy water not going to do the trick then I guess
If you can connect up to the port, then yeah i don't see why not.
JamesBryan
ClioSport Club Member
They tend to pressure test with nitrogen don't they?
I suppose vacuuming the system afterwards would boil off any moisture.
Brigsy
ClioSport Club Member
T.Turbo
Yes usually nitrogen and a small amount of refrigerant. Nitrogen is dry, any moisture could potentially cause sludge mixing with the oil.
Big seal iirc
Check the cogWell I fitted an o ring and it seems to have done the job because my system is now full of refrigerant. Unfortunately no cold air is coming out
Maybe Clios just aren't supposed to have aircon after all
Clio 182
Took car to a garage to have the compressor diagnosed. Apparently there was a plug to a pressure sensor that had been unplugged. Now it's been plugged in the compressor turns on, but it's not generating any pressure in the system. Dead compressor or something else?
Martin_172
ClioSport Club Member
when you hit the AC button can you hear the AC compressor clunk into action (usually rpm raises by 100rpm or so from memory on a 172)
Clio 182
Yeah it's doing that apparently, just not doing anything else
Clio 182
Right, I've got the car back from the garage. The bloody valves were leaking! They've been replaced and the system has been leak tested and it's sealed up tighter than Fort Knox. The compressor on the other hand is fucked. It turns on, spins away merrily, and does literally nothing. A compressor that doesn't compress, literally it's only job 
Anyone know the part number for them, and any recommendations on brand etc if I can't get a decent second hand or reconditioned one?
Also probably a good idea to do the aux belt while I'm there, is there anything else that needs replacing at the same time, like pulleys etc?
Anyone know the part number for them, and any recommendations on brand etc if I can't get a decent second hand or reconditioned one?
Also probably a good idea to do the aux belt while I'm there, is there anything else that needs replacing at the same time, like pulleys etc?
VenomUK
ClioSport Club Member
Clio 172
Sorry to jump on here but are there any AC gurus on here that can help please?
Afraid it isn't a Clio but a humble MK3 Megane, I recently had a garage re-gas the system but they failed to tell me that the system wasn't sealing. At first after the re-gas it was cold and a noise of the pressurised system is the best way to describe it. If I turned the AC off the pressure sound would drop away and would leave just the fans blowing. Turn it back on again and you'd hear the system pressurise up. After a few days the sound went away and notice that the system wasn't cold again. I whipped out my DIY gas and gauge, as I removed the low side cap the shreder valve was leaking. Are these the same valves found fitted to tyre valves and is a simple replacement despite already loosing all the freon.
is the sound of the system normal as I can't say I've heard it before in previous vehicles with good working AC systems. Also I'm thinking is it worth replacing the seals now and the dryer, possibly the condenser and give the system a refresh now it seems things haven't been left in the best of shapes.
Any advice would be grateful, thanks in advance.
Afraid it isn't a Clio but a humble MK3 Megane, I recently had a garage re-gas the system but they failed to tell me that the system wasn't sealing. At first after the re-gas it was cold and a noise of the pressurised system is the best way to describe it. If I turned the AC off the pressure sound would drop away and would leave just the fans blowing. Turn it back on again and you'd hear the system pressurise up. After a few days the sound went away and notice that the system wasn't cold again. I whipped out my DIY gas and gauge, as I removed the low side cap the shreder valve was leaking. Are these the same valves found fitted to tyre valves and is a simple replacement despite already loosing all the freon.
is the sound of the system normal as I can't say I've heard it before in previous vehicles with good working AC systems. Also I'm thinking is it worth replacing the seals now and the dryer, possibly the condenser and give the system a refresh now it seems things haven't been left in the best of shapes.
Any advice would be grateful, thanks in advance.
MLB
ClioSport Club Member
I'm no expert but the system should be silent, constant hissing noise could indicate low pressure which would make sense if there's a leak.
Ideally get it tested with a dye to check if the valve is the only thing leaking and since it needs a regas now anyway I would replace both condensor and dryer if they're looking past their best, saves another regas if they need replacing in the near future.
Ideally get it tested with a dye to check if the valve is the only thing leaking and since it needs a regas now anyway I would replace both condensor and dryer if they're looking past their best, saves another regas if they need replacing in the near future.
VenomUK
ClioSport Club Member
Clio 172
Now you mention it that makes perfect sense to the sound if it is struggling to pressurise. I'll look into getting those 2 replaced as I'm an AC snob and use it all year round regardless and won't be without it. I didn't pay attention to the condenser when I had the bumper off but I'll take a look soon again and make a decision but I'm keen to get it sorted and replace all seals as a minimum.
The hissing is the refrigerant expanding/vaporising in the evaporator 'incorrectly'. Think opening a bottle of fizzy juice too quickly. Pretty much a tell tale sign of low gas/refrigerant.
As said definitely get a leak detection dye in it. Most AC regas machines will pull the system down to a vacuum before regassing and places will claim that's a good enough leak test but the difference from atmospheric pressure and a vacuum is nowhere near the pressure inside a running AC loop, especially the HP side.
As said definitely get a leak detection dye in it. Most AC regas machines will pull the system down to a vacuum before regassing and places will claim that's a good enough leak test but the difference from atmospheric pressure and a vacuum is nowhere near the pressure inside a running AC loop, especially the HP side.
JamesBryan
ClioSport Club Member
Yeah mine made the same noise when low.
Needs pressure testing as said, vacuum doesn't prove it'll hold when the system works under pressure at like 6bar.
Find a proper AC place that specialises in just that.
Needs pressure testing as said, vacuum doesn't prove it'll hold when the system works under pressure at like 6bar.
Find a proper AC place that specialises in just that.
R3k1355
ClioSport Club Member
The UV dye is pretty s**t and really hard to actually locate a leak. Besides, you know you have a leak to begin with.
Condenser and/or connectors is the most likely thing to have a leak, followed by the fill valves.
If you're doing the work yourself just lob a new condenser and drier on there and go for a fill. You should get new seals with the new condenser.
Condenser and/or connectors is the most likely thing to have a leak, followed by the fill valves.
If you're doing the work yourself just lob a new condenser and drier on there and go for a fill. You should get new seals with the new condenser.
VenomUK
ClioSport Club Member
Clio 172
I was going to replace all seals as you say the UV dye seems to get everywhere regardless when I got a light on another vehicle in the past. The tell was the lad came into the office and asked the bloke behind the desk he was struggling to get the machine to work. It didn't help that I took it to Pro Tyre as I've always used KwikFit under the impression these machines are designed for ease of use with little margin of error.
I planned on doing it myself, the fill valve is 100% and area of concern as when you remove the cap you can hear the gas leaking out past the Schrader valve.
I planned on doing it myself, the fill valve is 100% and area of concern as when you remove the cap you can hear the gas leaking out past the Schrader valve.
