Aircon suspected over filling with gas

johnnyb44 · 8th June 2021, 19:53

Hi again.
It's only been my third post after a long absence, and here I am asking for advice and a little insight and guidance. Last week i took my 75 in to my local garage to get the air con regassed. The poor old owner has been really ill of late suffer from cancer and has been closed for quite a while whilst fighting this awful disease. I thought i would put some business his way with an easy light job and asked if he could re gas the air con. As the car is 20 year old i went into this with an open mind. There could be any number of things wrong which I would accept, but a couple of hours later I got the call to say its all good. There was no leaks and everything was working fine.
Driving it home i did however notice it wasn't as cold as it used to be a few years back. It just didn't have that bite. I just put it down to either me kidding myself or that it was because it was exceptionally hot. Two days went by and the air con has stopped working. I can hear the pump clicking in and the engine taking the load but it's not producing any cold air. I was a bit reluctant to take it back to the garage, as he's really not very well and i don't want to burden or pester him whilst his so frail.
Incidentally the pump/compressor now sounds noisy and it's got me thinking as it did sound like this once before when the system was over filled with gas. Talking today to my next door neighbour who is a mechanic at a garage, he is sure it's been over filled by the symptoms I've told him. I've done him a few favours of late and he's going to check my car out tomorrow afternoon to see what's going on.
I thought I would ask here for you opinions here about it all. Maybe you could throw some more light on it all.
Thanks for reading and and the very best,
Johnny.

kelvo · 8th June 2021, 20:08

The gas should be put in by weight (the amount is quoted on the plate on the slam panel) so the only way you would know is to take it out and weigh how much is removed.

I have no idea what would happen if you did overfill, perhaps there would not be enough room in the system for the gas to expand sufficiently to remove the heat from the car interior?

johnnyb44 · 8th June 2021, 20:22

Thanks for the reply. When i said the compressor is noisy, i think it's more like a sound that the belts are over tight that turn it. It only sounds like this when i engage the aircon. This strange sound appeared once before when it got overfilled. Obviously I'm no expert on such matters so I certainly report back tomorrow when it's been checked over

SCP440 · 9th June 2021, 20:00

It depends on how much the system has been overfilled if it has been, I have seen vehicles that have been so overfilled that the compressor would not turn but if it was say 10 or even 15% overfilled I doubt you would notice. With the price of gas now it would surprise me if it had been.

An A/C specialist would be able to tell if it has been overfilled with some gauges, the pressures will be to high.

Are you sure it is not just a worn belt and?or pulley making a noise with the load?

It runs · 9th June 2021, 22:22

It's an odd one .if you think the compressor is tripping in .
Maybe the noises where their before and now you are listening more . Sorry don't want to patronise .
Is the fan switching on and off .
In all fairness the chances are the condenser is corroded and leaked with the pressure of the re gass . Look through the grill and see if it's corroded . I changed the lot last year after a failed re gas.
Condenser failed . . New radiator while it was in bits .

johnnyb44 · 10th June 2021, 04:48

Hi again. I did promise an update yesterday, but after having my second jab on Tuesday I ended up going straight to bed yesterday right after work feeling rough, and didn't take the car over to the neighbours garage for some investigations on the aircon issue. Still feeling under the weather with a splitting headache and aching limbs, but sure a few paracetamol will get me through the day today.
As you say it is a strange one. The system was pressure test and i can definitely still hear the compressor kicking in and the rad fan seems to be all working as it should. When the compressor kicks in, it does sound (to me) like the belt driving it is either under a great strain and sounds like it's over tensioned. The last time i had this issue it was down to the aircon system being over filled. There's obviously a lot more involved to all the workings of the aircon system and my limited knowledge maybe barking up the wrong tree. All being well the garage will have time this afternoon to take a look and give me an answer. Coming home yesterday it was like an oven in the car, and feeling the affects of the second Covid jab, i was sweating like a pig, so hopefully it will be a simple straightforward fix of (famous last words) of a simple re gas of the correct amount :=))

8th June 2021, 19:53	#1
johnnyb44 I really should get out more....... Rover 75 Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: north wales Posts: 2,705 Thanks: 1,774 Thanked 902 Times in 507 Posts	Aircon suspected over filling with gas Hi again. It's only been my third post after a long absence, and here I am asking for advice and a little insight and guidance. Last week i took my 75 in to my local garage to get the air con regassed. The poor old owner has been really ill of late suffer from cancer and has been closed for quite a while whilst fighting this awful disease. I thought i would put some business his way with an easy light job and asked if he could re gas the air con. As the car is 20 year old i went into this with an open mind. There could be any number of things wrong which I would accept, but a couple of hours later I got the call to say its all good. There was no leaks and everything was working fine. Driving it home i did however notice it wasn't as cold as it used to be a few years back. It just didn't have that bite. I just put it down to either me kidding myself or that it was because it was exceptionally hot. Two days went by and the air con has stopped working. I can hear the pump clicking in and the engine taking the load but it's not producing any cold air. I was a bit reluctant to take it back to the garage, as he's really not very well and i don't want to burden or pester him whilst his so frail. Incidentally the pump/compressor now sounds noisy and it's got me thinking as it did sound like this once before when the system was over filled with gas. Talking today to my next door neighbour who is a mechanic at a garage, he is sure it's been over filled by the symptoms I've told him. I've done him a few favours of late and he's going to check my car out tomorrow afternoon to see what's going on. I thought I would ask here for you opinions here about it all. Maybe you could throw some more light on it all. Thanks for reading and and the very best, Johnny. __________________ Replaced pcv filter, springs, plenum spy hole mod,Bonnet cable divider mod. Wax oiled.Air con recharged. Auto box oil changed , Jules plenum guard fitted .Smoked wind deflectors fitted.S/S Compensator.Club Grill Badge kindly donated by Andyg2011..

8th June 2021, 20:22	#3
johnnyb44 I really should get out more....... Rover 75 Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: north wales Posts: 2,705 Thanks: 1,774 Thanked 902 Times in 507 Posts	Thanks for the reply. When i said the compressor is noisy, i think it's more like a sound that the belts are over tight that turn it. It only sounds like this when i engage the aircon. This strange sound appeared once before when it got overfilled. Obviously I'm no expert on such matters so I certainly report back tomorrow when it's been checked over __________________ Replaced pcv filter, springs, plenum spy hole mod,Bonnet cable divider mod. Wax oiled.Air con recharged. Auto box oil changed , Jules plenum guard fitted .Smoked wind deflectors fitted.S/S Compensator.Club Grill Badge kindly donated by Andyg2011..

9th June 2021, 22:22	#5
It runs Avid contributor Rover 75 saloon Join Date: Aug 2020 Location: Skelmersdale Posts: 181 Thanks: 15 Thanked 49 Times in 42 Posts	It's an odd one .if you think the compressor is tripping in . Maybe the noises where their before and now you are listening more . Sorry don't want to patronise . Is the fan switching on and off . In all fairness the chances are the condenser is corroded and leaked with the pressure of the re gass . Look through the grill and see if it's corroded . I changed the lot last year after a failed re gas. Condenser failed . . New radiator while it was in bits . __________________ Changed everything that needs changing and everything that didn't . It's called preventive maintenance. Last edited by It runs; 9th June 2021 at 22:26..

10th June 2021, 04:48	#6
johnnyb44 I really should get out more....... Rover 75 Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: north wales Posts: 2,705 Thanks: 1,774 Thanked 902 Times in 507 Posts	Hi again. I did promise an update yesterday, but after having my second jab on Tuesday I ended up going straight to bed yesterday right after work feeling rough, and didn't take the car over to the neighbours garage for some investigations on the aircon issue. Still feeling under the weather with a splitting headache and aching limbs, but sure a few paracetamol will get me through the day today. As you say it is a strange one. The system was pressure test and i can definitely still hear the compressor kicking in and the rad fan seems to be all working as it should. When the compressor kicks in, it does sound (to me) like the belt driving it is either under a great strain and sounds like it's over tensioned. The last time i had this issue it was down to the aircon system being over filled. There's obviously a lot more involved to all the workings of the aircon system and my limited knowledge maybe barking up the wrong tree. All being well the garage will have time this afternoon to take a look and give me an answer. Coming home yesterday it was like an oven in the car, and feeling the affects of the second Covid jab, i was sweating like a pig, so hopefully it will be a simple straightforward fix of (famous last words) of a simple re gas of the correct amount :=)) __________________ Replaced pcv filter, springs, plenum spy hole mod,Bonnet cable divider mod. Wax oiled.Air con recharged. Auto box oil changed , Jules plenum guard fitted .Smoked wind deflectors fitted.S/S Compensator.Club Grill Badge kindly donated by Andyg2011..

8th June 2021, 20:08	#2
kelvo Gets stuck in MG ZT 190 SE Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Chatham, Kent Posts: 569 Thanks: 22 Thanked 163 Times in 135 Posts	The gas should be put in by weight (the amount is quoted on the plate on the slam panel) so the only way you would know is to take it out and weigh how much is removed. I have no idea what would happen if you did overfill, perhaps there would not be enough room in the system for the gas to expand sufficiently to remove the heat from the car interior?

9th June 2021, 20:00	#4
SCP440 I really should get out more....... MG ZT-T 260 Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Witney Posts: 2,504 Thanks: 6 Thanked 910 Times in 571 Posts	It depends on how much the system has been overfilled if it has been, I have seen vehicles that have been so overfilled that the compressor would not turn but if it was say 10 or even 15% overfilled I doubt you would notice. With the price of gas now it would surprise me if it had been. An A/C specialist would be able to tell if it has been overfilled with some gauges, the pressures will be to high. Are you sure it is not just a worn belt and?or pulley making a noise with the load?