refilling evaporator with gas & coolant bleeding

[Driver+Passengers]

Just a question would it be advisable to put a little bit of Vaseline on the holes or the connector pipes just before the O rings

Just make sure the "mating area" is clean & free from any debris before fitting the new O rings that's what i did when fitting a compressor pump... Same plumbing..! There is a sensor in the system, if no gas is present the pump wont engage... 61-503 http://lushprojects.com/bongopartsmk2/c ... 1of02.html

Does this mean rad fans won't come on either?

[mikeWalsall]

Having no gas in the A/C system will not stop the engine fans from working ..

But the A/C clutch will (should) not engage to drive the compressor, the oil in the refrigerant gas lubes it .. and the internals bearings seals etc would be damaged .. or like running an engine without oil ...seize up ..!!

[Driver+Passengers]

Thanks, Mike.

I have another problem then. I usually knock A/C on when I stop when hot to drop the temp some before stopping. I'm pretty sure it's dry as the a/c itself doesn't work for ***. The fans don't always come and the revs don't always rise, so perhaps a loose connection instead. Sorry to hijack.

Matt

[Edit: I did mean fans coming on with A/C, rather than fans coming on with temp - is that what you meant, too?]

[mikeWalsall]

Not really with you on that one ... unless you leave your dogs in the car ..why would you put the air con on to lower the interiors temperature before leaving ..??

If you mean putting the air con on .. to lower engine temperature, then the the opposite may happen, as driving the compresses makes the engine work harder .. harder working = more engine heat.

[Driver+Passengers]

Not really with you on that one ... unless you leave your dogs in the car ..why would you put the air con on to lower the interiors temperature before leaving ..??

If you mean putting the air con on .. to lower engine temperature, then the the opposite may happen, as driving the compresses makes the engine work harder .. harder working = more engine heat.

Engine temp, not internal temp. Faster revs = increased coolant flow rate, fans on = increased air flow, a/c engaged = greater load. It's a balance, I admit. It's not so much of a habit, more that I've tried it a couple of times to see what difference it makes and then noticed that it didn't work every time, which brings me to now. Just wondered if the compressor clutch is not engaging, whether the fans are held back, too...

[jaylee]

Just a question would it be advisable to put a little bit of Vaseline on the holes or the connector pipes just before the O rings

Just make sure the "mating area" is clean & free from any debris before fitting the new O rings that's what i did when fitting a compressor pump... Same plumbing..! There is a sensor in the system, if no gas is present the pump wont engage... 61-503 http://lushprojects.com/bongopartsmk2/c ... 1of02.html

Does this mean rad fans won't come on either?

OK, i didn't want to speak out of turn....

Having no gas in the A/C system will not stop the engine fans from working ..

But the A/C clutch will (should) not engage to drive the compressor, the oil in the refrigerant gas lubes it .. and the internals bearings seals etc would be damaged .. or like running an engine without oil ...seize up ..!!

But i suspected the contrary to Mike... Sorry!

Just been out & put the AC on then pulled the plug on the sensor... (As if no refrigerant or no pressure.) The fans stop.

[mikeWalsall]

I have not checked 'pulling the plug' myself but I assume that is with a cold engine .. ??

When I get in my cold car, put on the front screen demister the A/C automatically comes on and so does the engine fan ..

But the engines temperature sensor / sender will still put the engines cooling fans on when needed even if the compressor is not engaged .. ie: as in it needs re gassing..

Going back to the query about leaving the A/C on to lower the engine temperature when parking .. mine is a petrol .. but if you want the engine to keep running after 'switch off' it makes scene to fit a turbo timer on a diesel ..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbo_timer

[Simon Jones]

There are a few legality & insurance issues around fitting a turbo timer, so that's a whole other can of worms:

http://www.mdocuk.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=13182

[Driver+Passengers]

Thanks, folks. Rad fans do come on with heat (top of a big hill, etc...) but not with A/C. Will go check connection to sensor, but pretty sure A/C is low/dud at the moment.

Will need to get the rear unit out to fix a crack in the housing, and will fit new seals and get it regassed thereafter.

[mikeWalsall]

There are a few legality & insurance issues around fitting a turbo timer, so that's a whole other can of worms:

http://www.mdocuk.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=13182

Similar to the remote starter functions on some 'anti theft' devices ..!!

[Colin H F]

just been out and got me some antifreeze universal mixes with everything winter summer mix, so rather than make a bucket full and not using it all I decided to add it neat and then see how much water I needed in the header tank, took the radiator cap off and it was full to the brim, then took the cap off the header tank and dipped it as you cant see through the dirty brown plastic and I thought blimey theres not much need so I poured in about 3/4 of a pint and started the engine ran it for about 15 mins so all the hoses were hot checked the header tank again and it was on the full mark, switched off and let it cool hardly any difference in the header tank, so my method of removing the hoses on the matrix was pretty good only loosing 3/4 pint coolant,

[jaylee]

I have not checked 'pulling the plug' myself but I assume that is with a cold engine .. ??

When I get in my cold car, put on the front screen demister the A/C automatically comes on and so does the engine fan ..

But the engines temperature sensor / sender will still put the engines cooling fans on when needed even if the compressor is not engaged .. ie: as in it needs re gassing..

Going back to the query about leaving the A/C on to lower the engine temperature when parking .. mine is a petrol .. but if you want the engine to keep running after 'switch off' it makes scene to fit a turbo timer on a diesel ..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbo_timer

Yarp, the engine was cold.. The fans aid to cool the condenser when the AC is on.... & possibly only when the vehicle is stationary? I haven't run fast enough with the AC on to find out....

Bridging the contacts on the connector would fool the compressor clutch to engage with little or no refrigerant gas & the fans would kick in too... But i wouldn't recommend it!!

[Colin H F]

UPDATE, called in at Halfords yesterday, and enquired about re-gassing was quoted £50, but would have to make an appointment as the fitter was busy fitting radios. so when I got home I rang quick-fit to ask the same he said yes bring it down tomorrow, so I did showed him the van on the car park and gave him the piece of paper that I had printed off with the type and amount s of gas and oil, I had also pencilled on the paper FORD FREDA/MAZDA BONGO 2 litre petrol, he said it would be about 80 minutes so away I went for a walk, got back about half an hour later and the guy said, cant do it mate I said why he said put the info in the computer and its not listed is it an import or something, I said yes, he said well we need the data so that we can enter it into the machine, i said thats why I downloaded it and printed it out, he scurried out the back to retrieve the piece of paper, red faced saying OH I didn't look at that i thought you had just wrote on a scrap piece of paper, so of he went again to take my van back into the work shop and he fed in the data and returned saying sorry about that it will be about 80 minutes, so I set about reading my paper, one and a quarter hours later he called me out to the van with the engine running and the air con switched on to the coldest setting with the fan on maximum, saying it should be colder than than this, holding his hand against the vent beckoning for me to do the same repeating himself again, well it felt pretty cold to me, he said Iv'e done the full check , vacuum>>> empty, pressure>>>> no leaks, full gas and oil>>>normal to my amazement he then said,, I wont charge you for this as its not blowing as cold as it should be in my estimation. I shook his hand and said many thanks got in my van and left, I'm happy with that

[Driver+Passengers]

What a result!