dr_g

Guys,

Hopefully the final question for a while! Regarding air con: My car's works fine for about 10 minutes, then abruptly stops working. The fan works, the compressor clutch works, but it's just intermittent. Is this a sign of low refrigerant, or some other control issue?

Cheers,

Garth.

Rob97'SH

Without checking what your pressures are its difficult to see whats going on. Guessing can get expensive.

dr_g

Rob,

Does pressure checking require special gauges?

Cheers,

Garth.

CHK4TIX

I would say you need to re-solder your hvac controls. They are a common problem, there is how to post someplace on this forum.

(shameless plug) I have an extra I can sell, it has already been soldered and has the blue led conversion done to it.

mattsnooz

to check if your refrigerant level look through the scope hole with ac running. The scope hole is by your battery, usually under your cold air filter, or beside stock air-box. If you see fluid running through it very close to top of scope hole the level is fine. If you can barely see the green liquid (and correct me if I'm wrong but the fluid is only green if you run the leak test fluid in it????) than your level is low. They sell recharge kits but DO not OVER fill. Only put enough fluid to achieve adequate cooling, and so you can see the fluid in the scope to almost top of the glass.

Your problem sounds electrical though. Or maybe compressor oil is low??..who knows.

dr_g

I think I found the How To...but isn't the aircon control just an on-off switch and perhaps a relay? Are you saying that there is some soldering in there rather than push connectors?

Cheers,

Garth.

CHK4TIX

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dr_g &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I think I found the How To...but isn't the aircon control just an on-off switch and perhaps a relay? Are you saying that there is some soldering in there rather than push connectors?

Cheers,

Garth.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

they are just on and off switches, but the connections wear out over time due what appears to be not enough solder at the time. If you just pull it apart and re-solder all the points you should be good. I had the same problem and thought it might be low on freon, then I found the how to and it fixed all the problems I had with it. Since that worked I didnt have to have my system changed over to r-134 so I still have the good old r-12 that works GREAT!

Rob97'SH

Yes there are 2 different kinds of Refrigerant 134a(newer) and R12(older, out of production and very expensive). If you have R12 pre 96 (I think) you need to take it over to a shop but if its 134 you can get a kit. I would make sure you know what your doing or you could make it worse. With regard to the electrical problem I would get a book on the electrical on the car. If its just your blower that stops working after a few minutes it could be the relay that controls blower speed. You can check the looking glass hole but just because it has fluid doesnt mean there isnt a problem. A/C can get very complicated. If you dont know how it works its best just to get a machanic to fix it. Not trying to be negative toward you. Cheers.

dr_g

Hmm I had a quick look for the sight glass but couldnt find it...i did see a small rectangular block with some kind of window in the top of it though (just in front of the radiator) could this be a sight glass for flow (can't be level since the glass is horizontal!).

by the way, its not the fan that stops, just the air coming from the vents is no longer cooled (in fact if anything it sometimes seems warmer than ambient after the a/c stops). Perhaps that is just me having got used to the cooled air then going back to normal.

Cheers,

Garth.

Rob97'SH

One thing you could do is check to see if the compressor clutch is engaging if it starts then stops (clicking) but it doesnt turn back on you have low refrigrant. But like I said a gauge would be very helpful.


What year is your lude and can you find out what refrigrant it uses.

AndyD

iTrader: (1)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CHK4TIX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I would say you need to re-solder your hvac controls. They are a common problem, there is how to post someplace on this forum.

(shameless plug) I have an extra I can sell, it has already been soldered and has the blue led conversion done to it. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Exactly what I thought when I first read his post.

Tip14

Resolderd the connections. I did it a couple months back and mine was doing the exact same thing. Im a 100% sure thats youre problem

dr_g

Ah I think the sight glass I found in front of the radiator is the right one...mine is a UK spec car (rhd), so the evaporator is on the other side of the car. The sight glass isn't therefore near the battery!

By the way - where are the heater control light bulbs located? Presumably when I remove the hvac panel the are in there somewhere...The lights themselves are intermittent as well as the air cam!

Cheers,

Garth.

prelude_h22vtec

i would say put some gauges on it and see what kind of pressures you have. chances are you are low on refrig. if you compressor comes on for a few seconds, then kicks off. you are for SURE low.

CHK4TIX

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dr_g &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
By the way - where are the heater control light bulbs located? Presumably when I remove the hvac panel the are in there somewhere...The lights themselves are intermittent as well as the air cam!

Cheers,

Garth.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Again, you need to take out the hvac and re-solder everything you have mentioned points directly to what I and others have said.

dr_g

Thanks for that - looks like this weekends entertainment is sorted out once again

dr_g

One thing I noticed about the problem tonight is that when BOTH the ac fan AND the Engine fan are on - that is when the compressor clutch disengages and the ac stops.

Could this shed any light on my problem?

Cheers,

Garth.