uneducated air con question

[bigfatnick]

Hi

So I bought a Lexus LS400 a couple of months ago and the air con doesn't work. No cold comes out at all, the air coming out is just intake temperature.

I mentioned it to a mate of a mate who does regassing and he said to try release some of the pressure from the system, just to see if its holding gas, as aside from that they don't usually go wrong, if its holding pressure, top up the gas, if not, its fked. Well I tested it and it holds pressure.

Now should I throw money at this guy to see if he's right or should i do other checks first?

thanks

nick

[Mikey G]

You need to find out if the compressor pump is running, it may be that low on pressure though that it wont run, with the bonnet open and engine running locate the pump and check to see if the front of the pump is engaged or not while turning the system up and down. If so you need to fire the system up on max cold and check the pressure on the low side with a gauge, cooling fans should also cut in.
Other things to stop the system working is temperature sensors and cooling fan controllers, also worth checking any fuses.
But its a Lexus, they never go wrong

[andyiley]

Another thing may be worth looking at is the manual.

This may well sound silly but several years ago I bought a Vx Senator with aircon that I was told didn't work.

Sure enough the compressor clutch wasn't engaging when you switch it on.

After reading the section of the user manual it turned out that there was another mode that the ventilation had to be in to engage the AC, can't remember what it was off the top of my head.

Clutching at straws, I know!

As I was told many years ago on a computer course..... If all else fails, read the manual!

[Evoluzione]

andyiley said:

Another thing may be worth looking at is the manual.

This may well sound silly but several years ago I bought a Vx Senator with aircon that I was told didn't work.

Sure enough the compressor clutch wasn't engaging when you switch it on.

After reading the section of the user manual it turned out that there was another mode that the ventilation had to be in to engage the AC, can't remember what it was off the top of my head.

Clutching at straws, I know!

As I was told many years ago on a computer course..... If all else fails, read the manual!

Or switch it on and off, if that doesn't work bash it on the side.

[N7GTX]

Go to Kwik Fit and have the system regassed. If it works then you pay £45 ish and if it does not then you get it for free. All you lose is 40 mins while the machine does its stuff.

[Farmerpalmer]

get it checked out - they usually put dye in the gas, and can look for leaks. sometimes the pressure switches can leak. any drop in pressure stops the compressor from kicking in. i am having a similar issue, and hopefully it has been diagnosed.

[Farmerpalmer]

problem solved - leaking pressure switch now replaced, regassed and very cool indeed.