Aircon packed up.

[KLM]

Hi, my aircon has packed up, had it re-gassed in early May at Horners M/cr but now it's kaput.
Has anyone got an idea about the possible culprit part most likely to have let me down.
Who is it best bussines to take the car to for sound repair?
What would the max repair cost for a an aircon system on the R75?

Kevin.

[SCP440]

Could be gas again, if the system has a leak and you just had it refilled in May the gas must have gone somewhere the last time.

I suggest you go to an A/C specialist rather than just a Hafrauds set up, they should do a complete leak test and hopefully fix it for you.

As far as cost go depends on what is wrong, a leaking O ring is a few pence but a holed condenser can be £100 plus.

The problem is topping up an A/C system is quite cheap if you go to some people but long term it is better to have the system fixed properly.

All A/C systems should be used for at least 15 mins every week all through the year, if you don't the seals dry out and that is when problems occur. Cars that have climate control that have the A/C on all the time rarely have problems, vehicles that only use it on the 10 hot days we get in this county are the ones that have leaks. A modern compressor uses about 3hp, your alternator probably uses that much so there is no excuse for it ''uses more petrol''. The few pence you are going to save will be lost when you have to have the system repaired.

[SD1too]

Originally Posted by KLM

Has anyone got an idea about the possible culprit part most likely to have let me down.

Have you been using the air conditioning regularly since the re-gas in May? As SCP440 says, if you haven't then you've probably lost your refrigerant again.

Who is it best bussines to take the car to for sound repair?

Someone who only does air conditioning. You should be able to find a mobile specialist in your area; mind you they'll be busy at the moment! They will extract your refrigerant gas and be able to tell you whether your system is undercharged. They will also be able to check for leaks (the condenser is the usual culprit) provided that dye was previously added at the last charging.
Avoid 'fast fit' outfits like Halfords and Kwik-Fit.

What would the max repair cost for a an aircon system on the R75?

As with everything, it's impossible to say until you have identified the problem. In your case, it's most likely to be either the fan resistor or motor brushes (depending upon type) or a leak due to lack of use or a corroded condenser. The more investigation you do yourself, the cheaper the repair will be.

Simon

[KLM]

Thanks for that advice gents, I'll seek out a specialist aircon company. As I'm not a regular user of the R75, I'll keep the Aircon on auto in future too.

Kev.

[T-Cut]

Originally Posted by KLM

I'll keep the Aircon on auto in future too.

Remember that this strategy will not only keep the internals lubricated, it will demand the constant running of the radiator fan. That also leads to premature wear of the motor/brushes/etc. Many early models have needed fan replacements because of leaving the aircon in Auto for years. So, there's really no best way. It should be operated regularly. Just avoid never using it at all.

TC

[Ken Lion]

Take it to Jules in Colwyn.
It may seem a long trip but he is a top man for aircon for the 75 (especially in the NW but probably in the country) and will sort you out.

Its about 75 miles from Horners, if that's your area, but all motorway - except the last single-track mile - so will cost you 3gallons of diesel.

[KLM]

Thanks for that extra imput, Jules had given me a tip to keep the aircon in ECON mode most of the time, is this a sort of an economy use of the aircon system?

Kevin.

[T-Cut]

Originally Posted by KLM

is this (Econ) a sort of an economy use of the aircon system?

No. Econ turns off the 'aircon' refrigeration side completely, so there's no chilled air or cooling fan involved. 'Econ' runs the heating/cooling system the same way as a car with no air conditioning system.

TC