Major Problems With My Air Con

[Guest Greenfaldo]

Hi guys

 

I'm on my second Galaxy, love them to bits so i got my second one it was very co9ld when i got it so i didn't really have the chance to test the air con until it got warm. I had it regassed by a local guy, as that was the logical thing to do and the bugger was flat again within a couple of weeks. Had it back to a local guy and he had a good look around it and found corrosion around one of the joints, he cleaned it and changed one of the rings and that joint didn't leak but bugger me within a couple weeks it was flat again. Guy had it back in and knows that there is a leak but cannot find it, he has tha ultra violet dye in there but still he couldn't find the leak, he can check around most of the pipes except for the pipes that go round the back of the engine but as he is finding no dye leaking he thinks that those pipes are ok. so he said he had done all that he could do, so i had to book it into a local gagrage that was a ford specialist but have since gone out on their own and not under the ford banner, good place to start i thought. booked the car in and explained that it had got a leak and that the leak needed to be found before the the system was regassed, but bugger me they regassed it and said that they couldn't find any leaks, so i had a go at them and said i had had it regassed twice and within 2 weeks the gas had gone completely, i told them i wasn't very happy and they only charged me

[Masked Marauder]

The trouble with small leaks is that they may be big enough to let the small molecules of gas out, but not big enough to let the dye out. In addition the gas may be so dilute in the air that the sniffer may not find it.

 

The only solution may be to strip the system down and pressure test the individual components but that is a last gasp measure.

 

Some Indies now use a sealing product that will seal anything, but again, as your leak is so small it may not work.

[Alhambra]

My wifes Alhambra was leaking & I found this pipe to be the cause:

 

http://www.serviceengineer.utvinternet.com/images/leaking-pipe2.jpg

 

Is the lo pressure return line that connects onto the compressor.

 

Another fault was the cylinder thingy, in from of the condensor was leaking at its top seal

[angusuk]

if i was you next time get new valves fitted in the high and low conectors these are prone for leaking.

[seatkid]

If your car is a MkII (please include vehicle details in posts!) then its common to get a leak on the dryer, which is attached to the condensor. You can get to it by removing a large plastic cap at the end of the condensor. Try a search and you will find details of this and pictures.