Air conditioning refresh

[Louis]

Pissflaps. Still leaking from somewhere.
What other seals are there? I did the ones in the compressor and the condenser. What did I miss?

The ones into the bulkhead?

 

[Louis]

Follow the pipes 🤣

 

[Mr Squashie]

Oh. I couldn't see how they came off so I just left them 😬

 

[Brigsy]

Compressor can also leak. Get an ac specialist to put some leak dye/nitrogen in to leak test

 

[Mr Trailer Man]

Needs some dye in it to see where it's leaking, unless you can actually here it hissing.

 

[Mr Squashie]

Foot pump and soapy water not going to do the trick then I guess 🤔

 

[Mr Trailer Man]

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.

 

[Brigsy]

Compressed air is not usually dry enough, will introduce water into the system.

 

[Mr Trailer Man]

Compressed air is not usually dry enough, will introduce water into the system.

They tend to pressure test with nitrogen don't they?

I suppose vacuuming the system afterwards would boil off any moisture.

 

[Brigsy]

They tend to pressure test with nitrogen don't they?

I suppose vacuuming the system afterwards would boil off any moisture.

Yes usually nitrogen and a small amount of refrigerant. Nitrogen is dry, any moisture could potentially cause sludge mixing with the oil.

 

[Mr Squashie]

That'd probably do it, big pipe into the bulkhead with no seal. Is it supposed to be an O ring or one of the bigger seals like on the compressor?

 

[Louis]

That'd probably do it, big pipe into the bulkhead with no seal. Is it supposed to be an O ring or one of the bigger seals like on the compressor?
View attachment 1703450

Big seal iirc

 

[Mr Squashie]

Well 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 🤣

 

[Louis]

Well 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 🤣

Check the cog

 

[Mr Squashie]

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]

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)

 

[Mr Squashie]

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)

Yeah it's doing that apparently, just not doing anything else 🤔

 

[Mr Squashie]

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?

 

[VenomUK]

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.

 

[MLB]

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.

 

[VenomUK]

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.

 

[sburrell93]

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.

 

[Mr Trailer Man]

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.