Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: jonny2112 on 28 June 2013, 16:25:22

Title: Aircon woe
Post by: jonny2112 on 28 June 2013, 16:25:22
Thought I'd finally got the aircon sorted at the start of the month with full recharge and new pressure valve fitted. It was running brilliantly ever since ..... until today  :'(

The blower engages, etc but the air is warm ish. Certainly not cold. The ECO button is cooler. This is the same as it was before it was 'fixed' but surely it can't be the valve or gas so soon?
I'll take it back to Vx next week but is there anything that I can physically check myself in the meantime?
Title: Re: Aircon woe
Post by: dbdb on 28 June 2013, 16:49:39
do the revs drop on idle when pressing the eco button to switch on the ac?  If not, not enough gas most likely
Does the bottle shaped alloy unit and alloy pipework (front of image) get cold?
(http://www.gaspoweruk.co.uk/v3/lpgconversions/vauxhall_omega-cdx_2.6_1999/295x201/vauxhall_omega-cdx_2.6_1999_005_295x201.jpg) If not, not enough gas most likely
Title: Re: Aircon woe
Post by: jonny2112 on 28 June 2013, 16:58:05
Surely when Eco is illuminated aircon is off? When its turned on (ie not visible) the revs rise slightly before settling down. I'll check the evaporator when I get home  :y
Title: Re: Aircon woe
Post by: dbdb on 28 June 2013, 17:10:45
yes sorry for confusion  eco word  lit up is ac off.  Pressing the eco button switches ac on and off. Can't remember TBH  if revs rise or fall when ac on but they noticeably change if it is all working and no change if not enough gas..
Title: Re: Aircon woe
Post by: jonny2112 on 28 June 2013, 17:12:54
Cheers bud  ;)
I'm just arriving home. Once I'm fed I'll nip out and test the evaporator. should it take long to go cold from startup?
Title: Re: Aircon woe
Post by: dbdb on 28 June 2013, 17:14:12
you'll know straight away if it is working, with ac on within 30 seconds it will be noticeably cold assuming you have the temp set down low. Noticeably cold as in very.
Title: Re: Aircon woe
Post by: jonny2112 on 28 June 2013, 17:16:12
Much appreciated pal  :y
Should be interesting!
Title: Re: Aircon woe
Post by: jonny2112 on 28 June 2013, 17:38:25
Well the pipe work isn't cold  :-\
Ran it for a couple of minutes but it still felt warm to the touch. The lower pipe, where the pressure valve sits, was extremely hot.
Title: Re: Aircon woe
Post by: RobG on 28 June 2013, 17:39:37
Check if compressor spins when AC is activated
Title: Re: Aircon woe
Post by: albitz on 28 June 2013, 17:44:42
If the gas is gone I don't think it will spin anyway ?
Title: Re: Aircon woe
Post by: jonny2112 on 28 June 2013, 17:46:18
Check if compressor spins when AC is activated

Sorry rob, how do I do that?
Title: Re: Aircon woe
Post by: RobG on 28 June 2013, 17:47:57
According to Jonny
Quote
When its turned on (ie not visible) the revs rise slightly before settling down.
so that implies comp should be spinning, but agree with you Albs, no gas, no spin.
Would have thought dye would have been used with the re-gas though ???
Title: Re: Aircon woe
Post by: RobG on 28 June 2013, 17:49:21
Check if compressor spins when AC is activated

Sorry rob, how do I do that?
Engine idling with AC off, the front part of the compressor will be static, AC on will spin if gas pressure is sufficient
Title: Re: Aircon woe
Post by: jonny2112 on 28 June 2013, 18:02:33
It's spinning as suggested  :-\
Title: Re: Aircon woe
Post by: Mr.OmegaMan on 28 June 2013, 18:05:01
Sorry to hijack  :-[ .. But when i turn the air con on the 3.2 i hear a click and revs go down and then level off again .. 2.2 doesn't do this and i know there's a fast leak somewhere on the 2.2 never bothered to get it fixed..
Title: Re: Aircon woe
Post by: dbdb on 28 June 2013, 19:32:04
Well the pipe work isn't cold  :-\
Ran it for a couple of minutes but it still felt warm to the touch. The lower pipe, where the pressure valve sits, was extremely hot.
Sorry I think your gas has gone then.
Title: Re: Aircon woe
Post by: ted_one on 28 June 2013, 19:49:07
I've got three that don't hold gas for more than a couple of weeks,I'm starting with three new condensers as the old ones are all 12/13 years old,all compressors working,so I'm going for the most  vunerable part of the a/c system first ::)
Title: Re: Aircon woe
Post by: jonny2112 on 28 June 2013, 20:06:14
Would have thought it should have lasted more than a couple of weeks  :-\
I think I'll take it back to Vx and complain. I've already had a go at them for not accepting my Masterfit voucher so I guess I won't be welcome!
Title: Re: Aircon woe
Post by: ted_one on 28 June 2013, 20:17:12
Has the condenser been pressure checked,because you would only need a very small hole in it for a slow leak,also if the dye was put in at the time of the regas it will be visibe under a U.V light,and if the leak is bad then the dye will probably much more evident and can be seen without the light as it tends to stain the nearest surface...based on my own experiences ::)
Title: Re: Aircon woe
Post by: henryd on 28 June 2013, 20:24:37
yes sorry for confusion  eco word  lit up is ac off.  Pressing the eco button switches ac on and off. Can't remember TBH  if revs rise or fall when ac on but they noticeably change if it is all working and no change if not enough gas..

From memory switching on aircon on my Omega raised the idle speed by a couple of hundred rpm.
Title: Re: Aircon woe
Post by: jonny2112 on 28 June 2013, 20:28:32
It was previously pressure tested when a recharge failed to work, which resulted in the new valve being fitted on 3rd June. It's been great up until now, but that's only three weeks!
Title: Re: Aircon woe
Post by: ted_one on 28 June 2013, 20:36:52
Then you are right to ask VX to explain the gas loss,but in all  honesty you would be better to find a pukka A/C repairer as I did,they don't do anything but A/C and you'll get a proper appraisal about the overall condition of your system. :y
Title: Re: Aircon woe
Post by: jonny2112 on 28 June 2013, 20:40:42
You're exactly right. There was another place mentioned quite local to me, but I had kept the Masterfit voucher purely for this purpose. In the end it wasn't accepted and I had to pay anyway  >:( otherwise I'd have gone somewhere else. Think I'll try for a refund first then take it elsewhere. Can't see them doing that, so they'll have to fix it instead  ::)
Title: Re: Aircon woe
Post by: ted_one on 28 June 2013, 21:21:40
In all honesty I don't trust my local V/X dealer,Kwik Crap or Halfrauds,just call me PARANOID!! :o :o
Title: Re: Aircon woe
Post by: dbug on 28 June 2013, 23:09:23
You need an air con specialist for a proper diagnostic ;)  As you appear to have lost your gas in about 3 weeks, thats quite a bad leak, and I would suspect leaking condensor (they rot out at the bottom).
Title: Re: Aircon woe
Post by: jonny2112 on 28 June 2013, 23:32:11
Oh dear. Expensive too.
I just wish that had been discovered initially. Would have saved a lot of hassle and annoyance.
Title: Re: Aircon woe
Post by: dbug on 28 June 2013, 23:43:09
Oh dear. Expensive too.
I just wish that had been discovered initially. Would have saved a lot of hassle and annoyance.

Should have been - they should have leak tested (n2 under pressure) prior to regassing ;)
Title: Re: Aircon woe
Post by: jonny2112 on 28 June 2013, 23:47:34
Well if there's no gas present on testing, they'll have a case to answer then.