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General >> Problems >> Aircon suddenly stopped blowing cold
(Message started by: roger_howes on Sep 2nd, 2006, 1:30pm)

Title: Aircon suddenly stopped blowing cold
Post by roger_howes on Sep 2nd, 2006, 1:30pm
Hello all,

Had the car for two and a half years with aircon working OK.  Coming back from Cambridge Thursday evening - no cold air.  I tried everything, but no go.

last night I performed the reset procedure for the aircon OK with no fault codes displayed.  But still no cold air.

Everything works, all controls work, all the correct lights are there, and the poor old fan just keeps blowing trying to get the cabin temperature down, but of course, only ambient temperature air, so it never gets there!

Any suggestions anyone.

Many thanks.

Roger.

Title: Re: Aircon suddenly stopped blowing cold
Post by craig on Sep 2nd, 2006, 3:03pm
is the compressor spinning off and on ?

Title: Re: Aircon suddenly stopped blowing cold
Post by mr._floppy on Sep 2nd, 2006, 5:55pm
If the compressor is spinning OK  check that the silver pipe leading  from  it  to  the  bulkhead  is   cold,     if not  it's time to find an  Air Con   specialist  and  be  prepared   to   spend  some  of  your  hard  earned  spondoolicks :'(

Title: Re: Aircon suddenly stopped blowing cold
Post by roger_howes on Sep 4th, 2006, 8:08am
Thanks for your responses.  However, the plot thickens (at least it does to me!),

Coming home last night there was a loud sqealing noise that seemed to come from the passenger's side of the engine compartment.  I turned the aircon off (I normally have it on all the time) and the noise stopped.  OK, I thought, it must be the compressor.

On arriving home, and with the engine idling in the driveway, I tried tuning the aircon back on.  Everytime I did, after a very short pause, the engine stalled.  I thought that clinched it, it had to be the compressor seizing.

However, this morning, on starting the car the noise retiurned, I turned the aircon off, but this time the noise continued, and I had to switch the fan control to OFF before the noise would stop!?  So now I don't even have a non-aircon blower.

Now I am really confused.

I recall now that this squealing noise first occurred shortly before going to Cambridge.  It was raining very heavily and I had just driven through a largish puddle when it happened.  It only lasted for a couple of seconds and never returned (until last night).  I thought at first that water had got somewhere briefly, but with the under-engine tray in place, this must have just been a coincidence.

If it's the compressor, why does this problem occur with the aircon off and only the fan on?

Any ideas?

Thanks.

Roger.

Title: Re: Aircon suddenly stopped blowing cold
Post by Baw_Flinger on Sep 4th, 2006, 11:32am
The aircon pump should only cycle on when the AC button is lit and there is sufficiant gas in the system. If the car is trying/has stalled when you put in on then it has to be the pump. The noises you are getting could be coincidance! I had a time when my water pump and drivbelt tensioner were on there way out at the same time as my aircon was playing up, drove me mad until I got to the bottom of it!

Title: Re: Aircon suddenly stopped blowing cold
Post by roger_howes on Sep 5th, 2006, 7:49am
Just found out.  The reason I was hearing the squeal from the compressor with aircon switched off was that I had the direction turned to screen.  This brings on the compressor even when the aircon is switched off (for de-misting).

So yes, it sounds like the belt squealing over the compressor pulley when attempting to engage the compressor.

Good news is that someone in the club has a compressor he'll sell me, so hopefully I'll be back to normal soon.

I've always kept the aircon on permanently.  Perhaps, except when I really need it, I should put it on only for a short time during every journey - just to keep the wear down.

Thanks for your help.

Roger.

Title: Re: Aircon suddenly stopped blowing cold
Post by Baw_Flinger on Sep 5th, 2006, 8:05am
Remember, during the winter you should still run it for about 30 mins a month to keep the system functional. :)



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