P38 Aircon

[Meeja]

Went to have a look at a P38 this evening.... nice car, and pretty sorted - but one or two things cropped up. (Don't they always?!)

Main concern is the aircon.

Not blowing remotely cold. Display shows an exclamation mark and a "refer to manual" - but no other detail really. According to the seller, a LR specialist has tested the blend motors which apparantly are fine.

I realise that this is like asking how long a peice of string is, but is there anything I can check to see if we are looking at an expensive fix? (I'm kind of hoping it is a leak in an easy accessible pipe - which means cheap and quick pipe repair, and a re-gas!)

I'd like to go back and have a second look at the car (taking my spanner man with me!)

[agent006]

If you can get both sides to go from hot to cold and back again a few times then it's safe to say the blend motors are OK. Could just be the aircon out of gas. Does it go cold when on the move (40+mph), if so the electric rad fans could be broken. Could also be the interior temperature sensor (in the vent by the clock).

[agent006]

Also check that the distribution flap motor is working, i.e. can change from feet to face to screen and back. If it's stuck it'll throw an error on startup. Is a very cheap fix though.

[Meeja]

agent006 said:

If you can get both sides to go from hot to cold and back again a few times then it's safe to say the blend motors are OK. Could just be the aircon out of gas. Does it go cold when on the move (40+mph), if so the electric rad fans could be broken. Could also be the interior temperature sensor (in the vent by the clock).

Tested whilst on the move (40-50mph)

Never got cold - just as cold as outside temp - ie cool rather than cold if that makes sense.

Would a faulty temp sensor cause a fault to register on the display?

[agent006]

Temp sensor wouldn't cause a fault to show unless it was way out. Mine just reads hotter than reality so i have the opposite symptoms to you.

[GKP]

If the blend motors are ok (which I doubt if the chequebook symbol has appeared) then the next thing to have a look at would be the correct engagement of the clutch on the air con compressor.
The clutch goes weak after a while and fails to operate the compressor, but it's possible to do a simple fix by removing one of the washers/spacers from the pulley wheel.

Have a look here

[BLUETHUNDER]

GKP said:

If the blend motors are ok (which I doubt if the chequebook symbol has appeared) then the next thing to have a look at would be the correct engagement of the clutch on the air con compressor.
The clutch goes weak after a while and fails to operate the compressor, but it's possible to do a simple fix by removing one of the washers/spacers from the pulley wheel.

Have a look here

Seconded.The clutch on the compressor should engage roughly every 25-30 seconds.A simple way to know if the clutch is stick is to tap the clutch with a spanner.If this throws it then it will need some of the shims removed.

[Meeja]

BLUETHUNDER said:

GKP said:

If the blend motors are ok (which I doubt if the chequebook symbol has appeared) then the next thing to have a look at would be the correct engagement of the clutch on the air con compressor.
The clutch goes weak after a while and fails to operate the compressor, but it's possible to do a simple fix by removing one of the washers/spacers from the pulley wheel.

Have a look here

Seconded.The clutch on the compressor should engage roughly every 25-30 seconds.A simple way to know if the clutch is stick is to tap the clutch with a spanner.If this throws it then it will need some of the shims removed.

Thanks both... although that Wiki article is saying "blowing HOT air into the cabin" as I mentioned before, the temperature was controllable (you select 23 and warm air blows out, you then select 18 and cool air starts blowing out), but it is only cool - never cold - which led me to think "in need of a recharge"

Again, I realise that e-diagnosis is tricky at best, but need to be as informed as possible when i go back for a second look.

[Steve_D]

Contact an A/C specialist and ask what could be the worst bill and have the seller deduct that amount from the sale price.

Steve

[P38James]

Hi Meeja.

I believe its my P38 you came to see. Good to see a few theories about the aircon being bantered about. All good ideas.

I've just taken the add of pistonheads becuase it has been sold (provisionally of course) via ebay.

I'm having one of those Kwik-fit regasses done on Monday anyway to see if that will sort it.

If the sale drops through I'll be in touch. Sorry to post here but I couldn't find your number.

James

[YamR1V64motion]

i never saw the book symbol come up but with one i have driven the A/C worked but didnt seem to very well, sounds more like it needs a re gas to tell the truth.