air con problem

[postie]

i have a 130 tdi mk4 with manuel air con. problem is when i turn the air con on the light comes on but the revs stay the same as on all my other cars i have had the revs would drop when on tick over.
should the revs drop, plus i cant hear anything like the compressor turn on.
or should i take it some where to have it checked.
thanks for the help

[Wayne]

Get a specialist to check it over but sounds like it has no gas in it.

[Len]

Probably has a leak somewhere so worth taking it to an aircon specialist as they will find and fix the leak.
Some of them do Home/Work visits so you may not have to take it to them.

[clipperjay]

Just don't let an idiot gass it up without a full leak test no point if it comes back after a month due to the leak! The compressor should be ok as its a mechanical pump (Belt driven).
If you decide to gass it up yourself becarefull and make sure you know which valve you are gassing from as there is a low side and high side to air con systems.!!!

[postie]

i called a couple of air con places on saturday and i asked about a air con test was told by both places that they would just refill the air con up and if it if stops working after a month they would refund me my money. so i will phone some one else to see if they can just test it.

[Wayne]

i called a couple of air con places on saturday and i asked about a air con test was told by both places that they would just refill the air con up and if it if stops working after a month they would refund me my money. so i will phone some one else to see if they can just test it.

Would be better to get it tested 1st.

[dubdub69]

The system  needs to be pressure tested with nitrogen to find the leak most likely to be on the condensor at the front near radiator

[bodga]

The system  needs to be pressure tested with nitrogen to find the leak most likely to be on the condensor at the front near radiator

Needs some gauges connecting to it to see whats happening. Lack of use will also cause it to leak. Oil in the system needs to move around to lubrcate the o rings on the different joints. Its recommended to operate your A/C at least once a month to keep the seals lubricated . but as above, the condenser is the first rad for debris to hit off the road. so there is a good chance its punctured

you can get A/C top up cans with leak seal from motor factors.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Super-Seal-A-C-Leak-Sealer-MRL3-/160469303397?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item255cb74065

this one is quite expensive, shop around. but this stuff is only any good for systems working after a regas for about 6 months then stopping.

[clipperjay]

The system  needs to be pressure tested with nitrogen to find the leak most likely to be on the condensor at the front near radiator

Yeah oxygen free Nitrogen as long as the system is moisture free and gets a good Vacum before regassing then it should be fine. The problems start once the system is broken into and lets water or dirt in the system which can freeze and kancker the pump.
 

[rio_gti]

check the fuses on the top of the batt, the 3 green ones.... 

think it was the middle one cos on mine it had not burnt out but the contacts had gone grimey

give them a wigglt first with it all on and you may find it comes on.. this is what i did and it worked a couple of times but then just cleaned it up the contacts... good as new

(also prior to this i had it re-gassed cos i thought it was this but when they took the gas out first it was full - so no charge!!!)