Hello
I had my PT Cruiser's air con recharged on Friday and it was good!
Saturday it was fantastically cool :)
Sunday it wasn't quite so cool... and no ac when stationary (this is due to the fan relays not switching on, they've been problematical - sticking on or off at random!)
Monday afternoon I roasted driving home!
There must be a leak in the system.
Has anybody used EZ Chill DIY air con recharge and leak fix from Halfords?
Or is there some other stuff I can use?
Or should I just throw money at the problem at a garage? :(
Thanks
Michael
Where did you have it recharged on friday? Any half-decent garage should first perform a leak-test to make sure the system is in good health before recharging with gas, even Kwikfit did this when I took my car there ;)
Also was it working to some extent before you had it recharged? If it's been left without gas for a while the rubber seals in the system will dry out and shrink causing refrigerant loss. Air-con systems should be used for at least 20 mins once a month even in winter as the refrigerant also contains a seal-lubricant.
Personally I wouldn't trust any leak-fix in a can, if it's leaking then it probably could do with seals replacing somewhere :thumbsup:
Paul
Hello Paul
It was recharged at Kwik Fit.
It was very feeble beore recharging.
I use all year because it speeds demisting.
Are seals DIYable? Particularly, if the gas has gone!
Thanks some more
Michael
Thanks for the advice
Grrrrr, more expense :( At Eurocarparts a condensor is £286 :(
I've had 4 non-repairable punctures in less than 6 months too :(
If it wasn't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all!
Only use that stuff if you are happy to replace the air-con system :P
As far as the leak is concerned - KwikFit may not have resealed the system properly; it is not fit for purpose. Phone them up & explain, then take it back for it to be checked out ... You should be covered under statutory rights, especially if you paid by credit card & it was above the minimum.
I had mine recharged from the 'local' branch earlier this year (had the anti-bacterial stuff done too), and it was OK; took over 2 hours instead of the quoted one though !
other possibility could be one of the hoses is starting to perish.
Thanks for all the advice - much quicker than on a motoring forum!
I've just called Kwik Fit
Started by asking them about their re-gas process.
Told they do leak test first before re-gasing.
Then I explained my problem. They've asked me to go back and they'll check it.
Ive had some very good service from Kwikfit but ive also had some shockers, i had an exhaust that instead of replacing they actually bodged with gun-gum. And then there were the seals that were always blowing depsite them "fixing it three times" in the end i did it myself and i found it was the sealant that was causing the problem. Having said that theyve also been very good when i needed my rear bearings replaced and actually went beyond what they probably needed to do. It does obviously depend on who you get!
The problem is you might get someone whose got little or no knowledge of the system so i tend to take mine to a specialist.
In terms of aircon ive been told on my Focus to leave it on most of the time as it helps the DPF regen itself.
Richard
I think its because it puts extra load on the engine which helps. Yep its a new one on me too but if buy a new 3 series it does state it in the handbook too! The trouble with Focus is it has such low gearing to do 2300 on the motorway either means doing 80 in 5th or 58 in 4th! Mind you ive been getting low 70s to gallon since i have done a few runs with it.
Richard
I took Petie back to Kwik Fit yesterday afternoon and they re-gased him for no charge.
Lots of cold air this morning :) feels colder than before - I can see my breath :)
Hope this lasts!
Thanks for all the responses
Michael
I went without aircon in the car for 5 years (imagine that in the Aussie summer... quite literally driving HELL), having been told by some supposedly car expert it would cost a fortune to get fixed.
When I went to a local auto electrician for an unrelated problem, he asked me if I knew the air on wasn't working. It was a stinking hot day, and I replied something like "you don't say"
Anyway he regassed it for $100 - about £50! Five years of suffering for £50!
Can you tell I don't know about cars? :uneasy:
Quote from: Bealman on June 25, 2014, 07:54:43 AM
Five years of suffering for £50!
Can you tell I don't know about cars? :uneasy:
"you don't say"
:smiley-laughing: :smiley-laughing: :smiley-laughing:
Well my excitement of the air con working was short lived :(
By the time I left work yesterday no cold air at all :(
More festering expense :( plus MOT is due next month and all four discs and pads need replacing along with a caliper :(
If only I could get a job with a shiny new company car!
Best regards
Michael
Back it goes, then ?
If they're doing their job properly, it should either remain OK or they should warn you of a leak that needs a repair ...
I'm thinking I need to find a specialist for this now
Hopefully summer is over now...
Quote from: Bealman on June 25, 2014, 07:54:43 AM
I went without aircon in the car for 5 years (imagine that in the Aussie summer... quite literally driving HELL), having been told by some supposedly car expert it would cost a fortune to get fixed.
When I went to a local auto electrician for an unrelated problem, he asked me if I knew the air on wasn't working. It was a stinking hot day, and I replied something like "you don't say"
Anyway he regassed it for $100 - about £50! Five years of suffering for £50!
Can you tell I don't know about cars? :uneasy:
No one seems to know anything about cars. When I bought the focus the salesman was quite surprised to see that the first thing I looked for when looking under the bonnet was where the oil filter was and due to fact they have squeezed a quart into a pint pot what needs to come off/out to do the job. I will attempt most jobs on a car (general servicing, brakes etc, but I leave cambelts and clutches to a local specialist Ford place who do a good job.
It shocked me to learn that nearly 80% of the driving population cant change a tyre or could identify most of the things they need to under the bonnet! :goggleeyes:
Richard
Richard
Hi
My wife's car doesn't have a spare tyre and she got a puncture. No problem I thought I'll take the wheel off and drop it in to the tyre place on my way to work. No jack or wheel brace. This meant she had to call out the AA who took the wheel off and then took the wheel and my wife to the tyre place then brought both back and put the wheel back on the car. Completely ridiculous, 2 hours for something I can usually do in 10 minutes.
Cheers
Paul
One reason why instead of the silly little bike spare that the Focus did have its now got a £189 full size alloy wheel (which fits perfectly you understand) in the boot. Some breakdown companies now charge a surcharge for this now. Of note was the bike spare that came out of the car weighed in at 13 kilos, the alloy that wet back in weighed 13 kilos! So much for weight!
A lot of cars don't come with spare wheel/jack/wheelbrace now - just a can of Tyreweld or similar. Fine for a small tread-puncture, useless for anything major or a sidewall puncture. Even if it DOES work just wait until you take that wheel for the tyre to be replaced and see what the tyre man has to say about the mess! ::)
As for being surprised at you looking under the bonnet Richard that's all too common now, more and more people have no idea or inclination that they have to make periodic checks on simple fluids. As an example a mechanic friend of mine had a young lady bring her four-year-old Fiesta in that she'd had from new as it was "running funny". When he asked her when it was last serviced she looked blankly and eventually said "you have to have it serviced?". In four years the bonnet had never been opened or the car been near a dealers! :smackedface: She's lucky it was still going!
Paul
Runflats are not popular though as they make for a rougher ride, stiffer sidewalls ;)
Paul
Been there, seen it and got the t shirt. Motorbility ones are the worst as they get servicing paid for but many dont bother, thankfully most of them dont get many miles on them. I change my engine oil every 6250 miles which is half what is recommended. Might cost alot as it runs on synthetic oil but regular oil changes never do an engine halm!
Richard
hello
The air con problem was diagnosed (with a leak detector fluid) as a leaking pipe.
Kwik Fit were shocked at the price from Chrysler but I authorised the repair anyway.
Took Petie back to have the pipe fitted and a MOT retest. MOT passed with a Watts linkage I supplied - Kwik Fit fitted this free of charge. Pipe from Chrysler was wrong!
They got another pipe and I dropped in to check it was correct, it was, so yesterday afternoon it was fitted. I've driven for 4 hours today and its lovely and cool :)
Hopefully this will last!
Best regards
Michael