AIR CON HOW LONG???

corkymills · Post by **corkymills** » 17 Apr 2003, 03:28

XANTIA 1.9TD Desire 1998. 106.000 miles.Had the air conditioning topped up last year during the footie (England v Denmark)ah yes I remember it well!![:)] I asked the guy when would it need doing again, he said it should`nt need to be topped up too often. However,used it today and it was cool but not as cold as it was before. So I popped the bonnet open and inspected the little window and it looks as if the refrigerant is low and a slight milky colour.Is it possible I have a leak? the chap who topped it up said I didnt at the time.Cost me £50......any ideas...............corky[;)]

alan s · Post by **alan s** » 17 Apr 2003, 05:00

Corky,
I have heard it said that modern gases used in car air/con, R 134a & MP52 supposedly have smaller molecules & tend to seep through the flexible hoses and deplete the gas volume; this may be correct, but if it is, it makes a mockery of using these so-called (for politically correctness purposes) "Environmentally friendly" gasses.
Assuming that story has credence, I can't believe that a system would lose a significant amount of gas over a 12 month period so much so as to render it inoperable. I have seen some of the old systems on R-12 last literally for years, but having said that, car air/con is the most leak prone of all types of refrigeration.
I can't speak for your car as we don't get it out here, but on the assumption that it's the same as a BX, check these points yourself;
Look around the compressor for oil seepage. This is the big giveaway with gas leaks. Check fittings as well as caps over service valves.
Throw an eye over the condensor (second radiator) for the same thing, also check that the fans are engaging when the compressor is turned on. If the gas gets low enough, the compressor clutch won't engage anyway.
Check the TX valve which is the weak spot on BX systems. Go to this link which I sent to a guy over there and has photos so you know where to look & for what on a BX; I presume it could be similar on your car.
http://www.btinternet.com/~weird_world/citroen.html
Also as regards the milky look in the sight glass; don't worry about it if the car has been converted from R-12. Basically the syystem holds 1KG of R-12 which when replaced with R134a would require only 900 grams. It is symptomatic of the sight glass to go milky if this has been done. Check the system yourself as per above & if no signs (as shown in photos) is found, go back to your air/con man & ask him to put a tracer dye into your system which will make it easier for him to trace with a UV light.
Alan S

JohnD · Post by **JohnD** » 18 Apr 2003, 00:33

I ran a BX with aircon from 1991 till I handed it on to my daughter in '98, and in that time it didn't require any attention what-so-ever, other than making sure it was used for an hour every week, summer and winter. Within six months of handing the car over, the aircon no longer worked. She hadn't used it!

corkymills · Post by **corkymills** » 18 Apr 2003, 03:05

thanks alan, will check the items you mention, have checked out the site you sent looks useful....thanks again.[;)].corky.

corkymills · Post by **corkymills** » 18 Apr 2003, 03:09

thanks john for your info.I have not run the air con since summer ended last year,this is the first time.I have read that it is advisable to run it at regular intervals even during winter, maybe that has`nt helped[:(]....thanks again.......corky..[;)]