Bonnet lock and Air con
Discussion
I had a lovely run out yesterday and the Cerb was very well behaved even in traffic in the searing heat.
But, my bonnet locking mechanism seems to be getting jammed and I can’t lock it, with or without the bonnet down. The engine was too hot for me to have a proper look yesterday but after pulling off the top cover at the back of the engine I can’t see any reason it won’t turn, is there a common problem? I’m assuming it I remove the hex bolt on the knurled knob it all pulls out?
The air con was also hopeless, now I know they are not expected to be anywhere near modern car standards but my car is a very late one and in great shape so I was hoping it would work better than it did. I’ve used it on days not as hot as yesterday and I thought it was fine, but in yesterdays boiling temps it barely made the air as hot as it was outside.
Can an aircon specialist check the current refrigerant? Or do you just have to re-gas them regardless? I don’t want to re-gas if its not going to make any difference.
If I have to accept this is as good as it gets then can someone explain why the aircon is so bad, is it down to placement of certain components and heat soak?
Ta
Mags
But, my bonnet locking mechanism seems to be getting jammed and I can’t lock it, with or without the bonnet down. The engine was too hot for me to have a proper look yesterday but after pulling off the top cover at the back of the engine I can’t see any reason it won’t turn, is there a common problem? I’m assuming it I remove the hex bolt on the knurled knob it all pulls out?
The air con was also hopeless, now I know they are not expected to be anywhere near modern car standards but my car is a very late one and in great shape so I was hoping it would work better than it did. I’ve used it on days not as hot as yesterday and I thought it was fine, but in yesterdays boiling temps it barely made the air as hot as it was outside.
Can an aircon specialist check the current refrigerant? Or do you just have to re-gas them regardless? I don’t want to re-gas if its not going to make any difference.
If I have to accept this is as good as it gets then can someone explain why the aircon is so bad, is it down to placement of certain components and heat soak?
Ta
Mags
I find the air con in them pretty rubbish unless the car is moving. Mine has had a brand new condenser and been re gassed not long ago so in good shape just find the fans not up to the job of drawing enough cold air in might fit a over ride on both fans for this reason in my winter jobs.
Also there are not enough cold air vents in the dash the one under wheel is all you get in your face but i get sweaty hands and no vents to blow on them like a normal car so i miss that.
It's ice cold when it's working just not very good at putting the air where i want it.
Also there are not enough cold air vents in the dash the one under wheel is all you get in your face but i get sweaty hands and no vents to blow on them like a normal car so i miss that.
It's ice cold when it's working just not very good at putting the air where i want it.
I'm a refrigeration engineer and I've done absolutely everything to try to improve the air con on my car (a '97 4.2 model but that shouldn't make a difference) and it's still rubbish on a hot day.
I've done everything to get it mechanically sound from a refriegration point but there seems to be a few things that make it bad -
- the cold air fan inside the car isn't as powerful as the hot air one and therefore you can't get enough cold air through the car "quicker" than the heat builds up inside it
- the car runs so much hotter (water temp) on a warm day and the condenser (air con rad) can't get enough cool air through it to efficiently condense (cool) the gas to make it efficient
- the lack of insulation in the car means the heat gain inside the car from the engine, gearbox and the exhaust pipes is more than the air con can cope with
- the air con system appears to possibly be undersized for the car.
As for the gas I've found that 750g of R134a seems to be the correct charge for the Cerb.
I've done everything to get it mechanically sound from a refriegration point but there seems to be a few things that make it bad -
- the cold air fan inside the car isn't as powerful as the hot air one and therefore you can't get enough cold air through the car "quicker" than the heat builds up inside it
- the car runs so much hotter (water temp) on a warm day and the condenser (air con rad) can't get enough cool air through it to efficiently condense (cool) the gas to make it efficient
- the lack of insulation in the car means the heat gain inside the car from the engine, gearbox and the exhaust pipes is more than the air con can cope with
- the air con system appears to possibly be undersized for the car.
As for the gas I've found that 750g of R134a seems to be the correct charge for the Cerb.
As for the bonnet lock it is a fairly basic set up and any worn or sticking parts should be obvious enough once you get a proper look at it.
If you remove the panel between the windscreen and the bonnet you will have easy access to all the bits.
It probably just needs to be lubricated.
If you remove the panel between the windscreen and the bonnet you will have easy access to all the bits.
It probably just needs to be lubricated.
To give my A/C a boost I fitted one of these fans into the pipe under the dash, worked very well, if a little noisy.
You can just see it behind the steering column here:
There is a little more info in this old post.
You can just see it behind the steering column here:
There is a little more info in this old post.
Interesting answers on the air con, I’ll have a look for this knob down by knees (ooer missus) am I turning clockwise or anti-cw? I have seen on older cerbs they have something like this down by the lower drivers vent, I know mine doesn’t have that so did TVR just move it to be more out of site on later cars?
Is the heating/cooling/AC covered in any of the workshop manuals?
On the bonnet mechanism, that grub screw sounds exactly the problem, it was very notchy/stiff and then suddenly got worse, I’ll look for the little grub screw.
Thanks
Is the heating/cooling/AC covered in any of the workshop manuals?
On the bonnet mechanism, that grub screw sounds exactly the problem, it was very notchy/stiff and then suddenly got worse, I’ll look for the little grub screw.
Thanks
Edited by Mags on Monday 27th June 12:02
The bonnet mechanism is very simple and not much can go wrong. Check that the end pieces are not catching as they pass through the locators. Try operating the mechanism from inside the bay pushing and pulling the bars.
If you do remove the knurled knob be careful as there is a small ball bearing that sits on a spring it will probably fall to the floor so be ready to catch it. This BB is what causes the 'click' and locks the bars in place. This BB could be the cause of your jamming if its become dislodged a touch of oil may help.
As For the Air con mine blows out colder air than my ex's Focus of the same year. The trouble is the Cerb is a 'pass through' system so is always cooling hot air where as modern cars recycle the air so cools air thats already cool and makes it cooler still.
If you do remove the knurled knob be careful as there is a small ball bearing that sits on a spring it will probably fall to the floor so be ready to catch it. This BB is what causes the 'click' and locks the bars in place. This BB could be the cause of your jamming if its become dislodged a touch of oil may help.
As For the Air con mine blows out colder air than my ex's Focus of the same year. The trouble is the Cerb is a 'pass through' system so is always cooling hot air where as modern cars recycle the air so cools air thats already cool and makes it cooler still.
C3BER said:
My 2001 only has the metal prowl that the knob would fasten to. I'm guessing they where not put on to stop us techno phobes from playing with it once it's set. Which way to turn....have a play with your knob and see what happens (I claim first knob joke).
Yep, I've seen this on other Cerbs but mine doesn't have this, or its been relocated I suspect, need to have a probe about and see.If the 2 locking pins aren't adjusted correctly the knob will be difficult to turn. Easy to check, open the bonnet and see if the knob turns freely, if it does, then it's the pins that need adjusting.
The A/C isn't brilliant, but on a hot day it should be able to 'OK'ish, but nothing like as efficient as a modern system. If it is blowing out nice cold air, then it's working.
If no cold air is coming out, or the Blue light isn't coming on, you need a re-gas, BUT it might be needing a re-gas because the Conndesor is corroded.
You should always use your A/C at least once a week to keep the system lubricasted internally.
The A/C isn't brilliant, but on a hot day it should be able to 'OK'ish, but nothing like as efficient as a modern system. If it is blowing out nice cold air, then it's working.
If no cold air is coming out, or the Blue light isn't coming on, you need a re-gas, BUT it might be needing a re-gas because the Conndesor is corroded.
You should always use your A/C at least once a week to keep the system lubricasted internally.
JensenA said:
If the 2 locking pins aren't adjusted correctly the knob will be difficult to turn. Easy to check, open the bonnet and see if the knob turns freely, if it does, then it's the pins that need adjusting.
The A/C isn't brilliant, but on a hot day it should be able to 'OK'ish, but nothing like as efficient as a modern system. If it is blowing out nice cold air, then it's working.
If no cold air is coming out, or the Blue light isn't coming on, you need a re-gas, BUT it might be needing a re-gas because the Conndesor is corroded.
You should always use your A/C at least once a week to keep the system lubricasted internally.
I said in the first post it doesn't turn with the bonnet open or closed, so its not the pin location.The A/C isn't brilliant, but on a hot day it should be able to 'OK'ish, but nothing like as efficient as a modern system. If it is blowing out nice cold air, then it's working.
If no cold air is coming out, or the Blue light isn't coming on, you need a re-gas, BUT it might be needing a re-gas because the Conndesor is corroded.
You should always use your A/C at least once a week to keep the system lubricasted internally.
The AC does work, blue light is on, and air is cooler than without it being on but not sufficient. I have run the A/C from time to time just to ensure it works and it has put out cold air, just not yesterday due to the outside temp I assume.
Mags said:
I said in the first post it doesn't turn with the bonnet open or closed, so its not the pin location.
Mine sometimes jams (was going to put my knob sometimes jams but just knew it'd get picked up), there seems to be some sort of stop on the back of it that somehow works over the bracket holding it behind. A good twist usually fixes it.Sorry Mags didn't read it properly.
Get the system re-gassed by someone who knows what they are doing. The amount of refrigarant varies, so a decent place will just keep adding/taking it out untill it is at the optimum efficiency. Also adjust the little knob hidden behind the carpet, not too much though or the system will freeze up.
You'll never get a nice cold cabin - even a Kia Picanto has a better A/C system
Get the system re-gassed by someone who knows what they are doing. The amount of refrigarant varies, so a decent place will just keep adding/taking it out untill it is at the optimum efficiency. Also adjust the little knob hidden behind the carpet, not too much though or the system will freeze up.
You'll never get a nice cold cabin - even a Kia Picanto has a better A/C system
JensenA said:
Sorry Mags didn't read it properly.
Get the system re-gassed by someone who knows what they are doing. The amount of refrigarant varies, so a decent place will just keep adding/taking it out untill it is at the optimum efficiency. Also adjust the little knob hidden behind the carpet, not too much though or the system will freeze up.
You'll never get a nice cold cabin - even a Kia Picanto has a better A/C system
No probs. When you say the knob behind the carpet, are we talking the same one that others have by the hot air vent? whereabouts behind the carpet?Get the system re-gassed by someone who knows what they are doing. The amount of refrigarant varies, so a decent place will just keep adding/taking it out untill it is at the optimum efficiency. Also adjust the little knob hidden behind the carpet, not too much though or the system will freeze up.
You'll never get a nice cold cabin - even a Kia Picanto has a better A/C system
I'll try a local air con specialist, see what they say.
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