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Been told my air-con isn't working but how would he know?

jezzer on Wed May 20, 2009 10:01 AM User is offline

Year: 2006
Make: MG
Model: ZS
Engine Size: 2.0
Country of Origin: United Kingdom

Hi

Ive allways thought my air-con wasn't working right i thought it didn't make my car to cold,But i was to by vospers its all ok,A year later ive taken my car to a different garage and he has told me its not working,He said the motor is clicking in because you can hear it when you turn it on/off,So how did he know it wasn't working can it bee hooked up to a fault finding computer? If so well thats new to me i thought they put dye into the system to find out if there is any problems.

Thanks

Karl Hofmann on Wed May 20, 2009 6:15 PM User is offlineView users profile

I'm afraid that the old ZS isn't as advanced as that.... The only way to check your aircon is to use gauges and a thermometer..... Following your post last year I had the dubious honour of fitting a new condenser to a ZS and found that the performance was better than yours though I did note that a number of components had been cheapened from the very good Honda system originally used on the Rover 400 and the performance inferior..

What work has been done to your car? Has it been charged recently? what were the pressures? vent temperatures? From memory the ZS was fitted with the Sanden SD7V16 which can suffer from displacement control issues....

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Never knock on deaths door... Ring the doorbell and run away, death really hates that!

jezzer on Thu May 21, 2009 5:35 AM User is offline

Hi

I just had a service when i took it in i asked what the air-con is like because i didn't think it was that good,He said they are pretty good i knew he would know if they were good because he used to work for Rover/MG,Its never been charged since coming out of the showroom,I said that to vospers he told me there was no need because its a new car straight from the showroom,Wait a minute i remember them replacing the relay because i had problems with it going warm after 10minutes,But thats the only thing they have done to the air-con,As its not been charged i wouldn't know what the pressures are but last year i did buy a vent thermometer,And the vent reading was 45f.

So for him to know it wasn't working do you think he took a pressure reading?

Is a condenser expensive?

Thanks

Edited: Thu May 21, 2009 at 5:41 AM by jezzer

Karl Hofmann on Thu May 21, 2009 7:01 PM User is offlineView users profile

Why do you want a condenser if you don't know what the problem may be? perhaps it would help for you to ask your mechanic how he has established the performance of your aircon... Have you paid him to carry out a diagnosis? at the age of your car it is worth having the refrigerant weight checked as the charge weight is tiny, but obviously this will cost you.... I think that you were advised to have it checked last year too.... Exactly what is it you wish to do?

-------------------------
Never knock on deaths door... Ring the doorbell and run away, death really hates that!

jezzer on Fri May 22, 2009 2:35 AM User is offline

Hi

When i asked how much a condenser was i was just seeing how much money it would be if that was the fault,Like i said last year i was told by vospers that my air-con was working ok,Im trying to work out what the most expensive part is so i would know if i can have it looked at,Cash is low as its just had a service+m.o.t

But you have allready answered my question which was how would he know.



Edited: Fri May 22, 2009 at 2:42 AM by jezzer

Karl Hofmann on Fri May 22, 2009 6:44 AM User is offlineView users profile

Condensers are about £90 plus vat, compressors are about £240 plus vat for parts only but before you go throwing parts at it you will be best advised to visit a decent automotive aircon specialist.... Could even be that you have a water valve passing water to the heater or a blend flap not closing correctly.... I think that this was also an issue with the ZS that I worked on last summer... along with the heater resistor toasted

-------------------------
Never knock on deaths door... Ring the doorbell and run away, death really hates that!

NickD on Fri May 22, 2009 10:55 AM User is offline

Ha, I thought my 04 Cavalier AC went sour, was blowing hot air, but my wife drove the car the night before and had the blend door wide open when it was 20*F outside, next day the temperature rose to 85*F.

But all you have to do is to turn on your AC, door opened, blower at max, rev the engine at about 1,500-2,000 rpm for a couple of minutes and hand feel the evaporator inlet and outlet. Both should be the same temperature and cold. If not, then you start looking for other problems, gauges certainly help. You can also compare your vehicle to another of the same make, model, and year by chatting with other owners. If ten out of ten say it's poor, than safe to assume you have an engineering problem.

jezzer on Fri May 22, 2009 11:10 AM User is offline

Thank you all,I will be taking it to the garage next month,I just like to know how much things could cost so i can sort out my money just to make sure im not going to be really low on money for he house like food/rent etc..

NickD on Fri May 22, 2009 2:52 PM User is offline

Take it to Karl so he can use your rent money to pay his rent.

jezzer on Tue June 16, 2009 12:43 PM User is offline

Well ive been to the garage today they did a regass and it has got a bit colder but its still not making the car cold,So its going back in next week,He said the first thing he is going to check is if the cold valve is turning all the way,Sorry im not sure what he actually said the part was that could be sticking/broke,I shall keep this thread updated.

Vospers now then thats not a word i want to hear again,I kept on telling them it was not right but what could i do when they said it was running fine,They did replace the heater motor then told me its all working how it should.

Edited: Tue June 16, 2009 at 12:46 PM by jezzer

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