Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[grifter]

You can, but you'll need to remove the radiator and condenser in order to remove the fans...

 

Not just the 2 fans behind grill, they have to come out backways towards engine? There is one fan in front of rad, 2 at grill side. I take it air con fans don't come out front ways?

[Doctor Gollum]

Like I said

[grifter]

Had a look through rads with torch and can clearly see right through fins. Not really convinced they are blocked bad enough to cause it not too cool. While my pressure gauge is showing into the green, compressor kicks in and fans running when an on, any other thoughts what it could be. I measured temp of compressor and pipes with infra red temp reader, getting 40 oC on LP pipes, 70  odd on comp and associated pipes. Condenser was about 38 on passenger side, 32 on driver side

[Doctor Gollum]

Get it regassed professionally 

[LC0112G]

The coldest part of the A/C system is the expansion/oriface valve. If the system is left without gas in it for any length of time then it can fill with air. Air contains water vapour.

If any water/water vapour isn't properly purged (vacuumed) from the system before being refilled, then the water/water vapour can freeze in the expansion valve and effectively bung the whole system up. This causes the pump to work hard pressurising the coolant into the HP side, but if there is no flow of gas around the system, then all that happens is the gas gets hotter and hotter. The pump has an overpressure cut out, so it may well deactivate itself if this happens, till the ice in the expansion valve melts again. I think the expansion valve is in the cabin behind the dash on an Omega B?

There is a dryer in the system too - it's part of the A/C rad on an Omega - that bottle shaped canister on the front nearside of it. This contains a sort of silica gel, and it's job is to try and capture any moisture in the system. This should not be left exposed to atmosphere for too long before re-gassing because it will capture moisture from the environment. I assume your new rad came fitted with a new dryer? Mine did.

The pipework down the passenger side of the engine on my car (3.0 24V RHD saloon) is ice cold within 10 seconds of starting the engine - too cold to hold onto for very long.

ETA : Just remembered - I've got a digital thermocouple widget in the boot . The LP pipework (where the LP valve is) measured +5 DegC. The HP pipework (out of the compressor near the HP valve) measures 55+ degC.  Ambient here is around 20 DegC today.

[Kevin Wood]

In addition, the expansion valve in an Omega is temperature controlled to prevent the evaporator from icing up and to provide variable cooling to suit the ambient temperature. They have been known to fail.

But: Until you know that the system is dry, gas tight and has the correct mass of refrigerant in it, all bets are off. The only way to achieve this is to get it vacuumed out and refilled.

[grifter]

Found a place in Glasgow who does diagnostics, only 25 bucks for a diagnosis test, most garages round here are saying they can just top gas up.

[Nick W]

Found a place in Glasgow who does diagnostics, only 25 bucks for a diagnosis test, most garages round here are saying they can just top gas up.

They're not going to diagnose anything until the system is gassed and any obvious leaks sorted

[grifter]

Found a place in Glasgow who does diagnostics, only 25 bucks for a diagnosis test, most garages round here are saying they can just top gas up.

They're not going to diagnose anything until the system is gassed and any obvious leaks sorted

That's what I'll be getting them to do. Check for leaks first, vac test.

Also found out what the little button is on centre too of dash, a sun sensor, something to do with climate control as well.