Have any of you out there with an older Octy with climate had it re-gassed???? As mine seems to be running warm. I always run it when I drive the car so I have noticed a difference. The only other thing I could put it down to was that it couldn't cope with the heat????? I am going to book it in at the stealers so they can have toot (hopefully it will be covered by warranty if there is a problem )

Had my Fabia regassed about a month ago. Got it done by a specialist mobile air con company who came to my house (same day!) and drained, evacuated and regassed the system for 60 quid. All in took an hour. Their recommendation is that it should be regassed every couple of years if you run it all the time.

Chris

Can't say I've noticed a problem with my Octavia (registered May 2001) - the climate control can still create sub-arctic conditions inside the car if I want it to.

Have you checked the front of the car for physical damage? IIRC, Howard (fen_l&k) needed a new radiator/condenser after an unidentified flying object (stone, lorry wheel nut?) punctured his and released all the gas.

My car's climate control can likewise drop the temperature to uncomfortably cold even when the outside air temperature is in the 80s.

We had similar symptoms in the wifes Audi about a year ago and a re-gas was required. Just out of interest can you hear the electro magnetic clutch engage on the compressor when you press Auto?

When the Audi was done the guy was telling me that on average a car a/c system will lose about 5% capacity pa. The system can only operate at about 85% capacity and above so if the levels are low the compressor won't engage and hence no ac....

In addition if the system loses 5% annually then after about 3 years or so the system will be due a re-charge just by natural wastage.

This came up before, I'm not particularly impressed with the CC on my Octy vRS on the missus's Golf PD130 when it's a warm day (ie over 18 deg C). It does cool the car down, but not much compared to my old 1999 Focus which felt like you had stepped into an industrial cold store ! I know it's possible it needs re-gassed, but I noticed the "problem" with both of these cars when they were brand new.

Not a climate control system in mine, plain old A/C........

I don't know how it was run before i bought it in 2001 ( @1 year old) but i've run it on it's coldest setting, day-in, day-out, on fan speed 2/3 usually on recirc as well to get the temps down to seeing breath vapour. Twice a day, everyday, not even a blip in operation yet.......touch wood...

OK, it has been serviced around 7 times (eager Service dept while on free servicing), but no one specifically mentioned having re-gassed the system at any point. But if the 5% p.a loss figures are correct, then technically, mine should have fallen over by now. Which it hasn't. Quite unlike my MAF ......

However, duly armed, I've put

iirc you bring up the target and actual evaporator temp on the climatronic display somehow? if so that would show if the system is low on gas.

Probably a leak on the system. Easily recitfied with a regas.

Probably a leak on the system. Easily recitfied with a regas.

:confused: If there was a leak, and you re-gassed, surely the new gas would leak just as much as the old, wouldn't it? In fact, maybe even more quickly.

Or am I missing something obvious?

The refirdgerant used is R134A, and is molecularly very small, and smaller than the old R12, which is why there are more air con leaks than previous. The chances are, that a more regular use of the air con will stop leakage, as from my conversations with the auto air con chaps, the seals around the compressor dry through lack of use and allow leakage.

Ah. Molecular stuff, huh? I stand corrected.

One thing, though, with CC how do you force the system to kick in when the ambient is less than 18deg C? Set it to LO?

Andy's correct the seals can dry out and 'pass' refrigerant. it's common practice during a re-gas to add a small amount of compressor oil to lubricate the seals.

Another point to note is alot of the fittings within the ac system are of a 'snap type' connection whereby the pipe snaps into place but internal pressure helps seal the joint. As the internal pressure reduces (over time) the seals obviously become less effective.

Mine has been back in 3 times for faulty cc. First a regas (with dye so they would be able to tell if there was a leak) even though it showed a faulty pressure switch. Worked OK for about a week, then it went again. They checked and there were no leaks, but it still came up with faulty pressure switch. They didn't have one so its back in again now as the switch has arrived.

One thing' date=' though, with CC how do you force the system to kick in when the ambient is less than 18deg C? Set it to LO? [/quote']

Setting it to 'LO' produces maximum cooling, so yes. However, my understanding of the manual is that the aircon is running all the time when not in 'ECON' mode. Can't quite get my head round how this works when it's pumping out hot air.

Zooty

Setting it to 'LO' produces maximum cooling' date=' so yes. However, my understanding of the manual is that the aircon is running [b']all[/b] the time when not in 'ECON' mode. Can't quite get my head round how this works when it's pumping out hot air.

Zooty

The manual doesn't make it clear that the aircon is ON but under manual control when the Climatronic display is blank where it would otherwise say ECON or AUTO.

My reading of the manual was that when on AUTO, the system will either heat or cool appropriately, switching the air con on or off as necessary. However, when in ECON, it never switches the air con on. :ne_nau:

Pressing ECON simply disables the compressor, ie no air-con. Advantage being less fuel consumption, disadvantage being no cooling or dehumidifying.

Setting it to 'LO' produces maximum cooling, so yes. However, my understanding of the manual is that the aircon is running all[/b'] the time when not in 'ECON' mode. Can't quite get my head round how this works when it's pumping out hot air.

Incoming air travels through the fan and is immediately passed through the evaporator, which is the air-con side of things. This cools and dehumidifies the air under the control of the climatronic, probably to somewhere between 3* and 9* at a guess depending on conditions.

Next the air is passed through a valve which directs some of the air off to the heater matrix which is hot from the water cooling the engine. Then this is mixed with the cool air under the control of the climatronic to get air at the vents at the required temperature.

By the way, it is the cars internal temp that is regulated by the climatronic, hence it could be only 15* outside but if its sunny you will still be getting a fair amount of cooling just to keep the cabin at 20* or whatever.

Hmm reading that again not entirely sure thats what you were asking....?

Well, mine is broke at the mo :(

Dealer just 'phoned and let me know the cause. Stone through the condensor Howard, what mesh did you put in and where?

Hmm reading that again not entirely sure thats what you were asking....?

It is... and you explained it perfectly, thanks

Well' date=' mine is broke at the mo :(

Dealer just 'phoned and let me know the cause. Stone through the condensor Howard, what mesh did you put in and where?[/quote']

Jon, I got mine from Halford - proper Ripspeed stuff, but I'm sure you can get cheaper. I liked it as it was quite easy to manipulate to the shape I wanted, but rigid enough to stop the stones.

The dealer quoted me the thick end of

My local car accessories shop sells 2 different types of mesh specifically for cars. One type is naff but the other looks OK. Cost is just under