Citroen C5 Air Con Pump

[cowang]

Hi all, I am looking for some advice with regards to an 08 model Citroen C5 air con system. The air con was not working so I took it to an independent garage to have it checked and re-gassed. On checking the system they told me that a pipe coming from the condenser had split and had to be replaced but this was aluminum and had welded itself to the condenser and couldn't be removed, the condenser therefore also had to be replaced. I got this work done for £430 picked the car up on Thursday evening, everything was working okay and on Friday morning the car was parked in my drive and I heard a pop from the engine area and all the gas then escaped from the air con system. I returned to the garage and they checked it again and told me that the air con pump was producing too-much pressure and popped the hose again. They have now quoted me £700 for replacing the air con pump. I have queried with them why the system could not be pressure tested or something before hand and was informed it is trial and error and they would not have known about the problem with the pump until the condenser was fixed in the first place. I Have checked with a local Citroen dealer and they told me they never heard of a pump creating too much pressure and causing this problem. I have booked it in with the Citroen dealer for diagnostics test before deciding whether or not to replace the pump as they don't think that is causing the problem.

If anyone has any experience of this any help or advice would me very much appreciated. If I had known the cost to begin with i would have just put the window down but I am out £430 and nothing has been fixed.

Thanks

[citronut]

pm. sent

[cowang]

I'm in N Ireland but thanks for the PM anyway

[DickieG]

I might be mistaken but generally speaking A/C systems only over pressurise when the gas charge is too high (as in overfilled). There is also a pressure sensor which cuts out the compressor should the system start to over pressurise so I'm with the dealer thoughts on this one. What engine is your car fitted with as the 2.2 requires less gas than 2.0 models.

FYI a common failure point on these C5's is the large pipe which runs into the compressor, the one that's covered with an asbestos sleeve.

[cowang]

Thanks for this.It may be something that i have to take back to the garage that repaired it as they may have messed up. Anyone I have spoken to has said that it would not be the air con pump. It was a new pipe they fitted, not sure which one but said it comes from the bottom of the condenser and along the chassis. It's the 1.6hdi engine. thanks again.

[bobins]

I may be mistaken on this, but don't aircon systems have a tendancy to go bang if they've not been properly vacuumed and/or purged of moisture before refilling ? Don't some places recommend a purge with Nitrogen before vacuuming and refilling with gas on a system that's had bits replaced ? I'm not suggersting all systems should be purged with Nitrogen - just that some places recommend it !

[DickieG]

I may be mistaken on this, but don't aircon systems have a tendancy to go bang if they've not been properly vacuumed and/or purged of moisture before refilling ? Don't some places recommend a purge with Nitrogen before vacuuming and refilling with gas on a system that's had bits replaced ? I'm not suggersting all systems should be purged with Nitrogen - just that some places recommend it !

The purpose of charging with nitrogen is to check for leaks so not necessarily an essential task missed out in this instance as the source of leaks was known. Yes the system should be vacuumed to draw out moisture especially after the system has been opened.

[MJM]

The compressor should have been cut off by the high pressure switch long before any other part of the system "let go", especially a new fitting. Even if the system had been overcharged. If a system has been open to atmosphere, ie a leak, then it is good practice to bleed some nitrogen through it before finally sealing it and pressure testing it. The nitrogen helps to remove any moisture and air in it.