Air conditioning

[STSCH]

First hot day driving my 5 year old Alpine. Air conditioning seems poor compared with my other cars which drop the air temperature at the vents to uncomfortably chilly. Is the Alpine noted to have poor air con or do I need it recharging?

[Dawnski]

I thought the AC on my new A110 was faulty but then I realised it's a French car and the AC is on when the little red light is off....

[Soloman Dodd]

Mine can have a spasm every now and then, suddenly blasting hot air into the cabin for no apparent reason.

[bcr5784]

STSCH said:

First hot day driving my 5 year old Alpine. Air conditioning seems poor compared with my other cars which drop the air temperature at the vents to uncomfortably chilly. Is the Alpine noted to have poor air con or do I need it recharging?

Mine isn't particularly powerful either. It's a bit slow to get going and the air from the vents is never really really cold. That said I've always found it adequate, even in really hot weather. It's a pity the central vent is fixed.

[STSCH]

As an update. The car has a damaged condenser so leaking and non functioning air conditioning. The condenser is in a very vulnerable position on the left hand side just behind the front grill with no protection from flying debris. Not a cheap, or quick replacement! Design could be improved?

[SpudLink]

STSCH said:

As an update. The car has a damaged condenser so leaking and non functioning air conditioning. The condenser is in a very vulnerable position on the left hand side just behind the front grill with no protection from flying debris. Not a cheap, or quick replacement! Design could be improved?

I thought the massive open grill looked like it would leave the radiator venerable. Apparently not just the rad.

There is an aftermarket grill that some people have fitted that seems designed to add protection. I do worry about the reduced airflow.

[Colin P]

Yep, that is why I have one of these fitted. It is a mesh so wont affect airflow at all.

https://www.zunsport.com/grille-shop/alpine-grille...

[Maxym]

Colin P said:

Yep, that is why I have one of these fitted. It is a mesh so wont affect airflow at all.

https://www.zunsport.com/grille-shop/alpine-grille...

Not sure about that. My 981 Cayman ran hotter with Zunsport grilles and I removed them.

[k_m]

For sure a grill affects the airflow less than a ton of leaves and debris glogging the radiator.
I can highly recommend to install one, either a DIY solution behind the plastic grill or a Zunsport in front. The water, engine and gearbox oil temperature wont noticable change.

[Colin P]

Definitely no difference in temps on the Alpine.

[Maxym]

k_m said:

For sure a grill affects the airflow less than a ton of leaves and debris glogging the radiator.
I can highly recommend to install one, either a DIY solution behind the plastic grill or a Zunsport in front. The water, engine and gearbox oil temperature wont noticable change.

So keep it all free of leaves etc.

[STSCH]

Now have powerful air con. Condenser arrived within a week,fitted efficiently by Martins in half a day. However getting the front bumper assembly back on proved a challenge. Fit lines are not brilliant originally but we both agreed even after a second attempt not back to the original. So a trip to their body shop is being arranged.
I have fitted a aftermarket grill, easy to fit except having to drill out two rivets on the numberplate support. Does anyone know what size these two tri wing rivets are, although they seem to add little to the attachment as it has 4 screws?

[neil-g8km6]

Use plastic push fit rivet from eBay you can get them in various sizes. Used these to attach the latest vented wheel arch liner to my PE

[k_m]

Just leave them off, they have no function