Air con not working

[Dazdawson]

Hi aĺl this is my first post so apologies if I'm not doing this right I've recently got a 2001 mk2 vrs dsg I noticed the air con was not working so went got it regassed everything was good nice and cold no leaks on leak test but week later it's no longer working any help much appreciated 

[pikpilot]

2001 sounds a bit early for a Mk 2 but the answer is still the same for a Mk 1 and Mk 2.

Did they do a pressure test before re-filling? Stone damage on the condenser can cause minute pin holes, as it is mounted immediately behind the grill on the Mk 2. Other air con parts can leak too with time so ask the re-gasser to do a test with dye to help spot leaks as well as a pressure test. It is illegal to just re-gas without confirming the integrity of the system.

 

A leak is more likely than a failed compressor.

[Dazdawson]

Sorry 2011 not 2001 but they did do a leak test and all was ok although the did say there was literally not gas at all in the system 

[meaty101]

It sounds exactly the same as mine. System filled working fine for a while. Not too sure how long though as this was during the winter months. Eventually system emptied and leak traced to the aircon condenser at the front. 

[pikpilot]

I strongly recommend fitting a plastic mesh on the lower part of the grill to protect the condenser from stone damage.

After reading various threads in 2014 and 2015, I saw that many many people had bought and fitted this:-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-2mx15cm-PLASTIC-NET-STRONG-BLACK-FLEXIBLE-HDPE-INSECT-FISH-MESH-SCREEN-FINE2mm/290840516115?_trksid=p2385738.c100677.m4598&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908110712%26meid%3D9e0f3e5ee29a4299a3a4207b0b16ed29%26pid%3D100677%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D7%26sd%3D380679434214

 

I used small black tie wraps to attach it the grill bars. On the vendors website you can see a picture of it fitted to an Octavia 2 grill.

 

When I was fitting mine I found pieces of concrete that had bounced off the condenser and landed on the shelf below formed by the bumper.

[meaty101]

I've fitted that mesh. Really strong but easy to cut. I actually removed the lower bumper grill to make it easier. It wasn't a stone that caused it to be leaking though. It was leaking around the dryer area probably a seal or something. My mechanic traced it.

[FIBAMAN]

Our aircon needed regas after one year. According to "dealer" you should run the aircon for a short while every month otherwise the seals dry out and leak.

Strange, my 14 year old Beemer has never been regassed and still works.

[meaty101]

Not needed as long as econ isn't pressed. The compressor runs constantly.

[NeilInExeter]

Hi all, 

I've just bought a 2012 Octavia estate, very happy with it apart from a couple of things, the first being aircon not working. The dealer I bought it off says he's going to fix it, he's going as far as to get a new compressor, but from what I read it is much more likely to be the clutch on the front of the compressor or the condenser. I should just say "hey, his problem, it's under warranty" but it's a sixty mile trip to visit him, so I'd rather get the problem identified right and solved in one trip! The condenser has quite a bit of a superficial damage, including a bit of corrosion but doesn't obviously have holes! I'd like to upload a pic but can't quite work out how yet! What do you guys think? What's most likely to be wrong do you think?

Thanks for your help

Cheers

Neil

[Anddenton]

There's no clutch on the octavia aircon and both the compressor and condenser are weak points. 

[meaty101]

Yes spot on. Any leaks or faults in the A/C is almost always due to those two parts. I've also known the pressure sensor to leak or go bad.

[NeilInExeter]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the advice - at least he's agreeing at the moment to address whatever the problem is, so that's good!

I'll let you know the outcome and thanks again for the comments.

BTW, I think I've worked out how to upload photos now - please see the attached photo of the condenser with the bits of damage to it - do you think it looks bad?

Thanks again!

Cheers

Neil

[meaty101]

That's just the fins on the condenser to aid cooling. As long as it hasn't got a hole in the core it'll be ok. The condenser on my son's Octavia is a lot worse than yours and his A/C is freezing!! Still worth cable tying some mesh to the lower bumper grill though.

[NeilInExeter]

Thanks to both Anddento and Meaty101!

That's great info as the dealer has actually said he'd do the compressor first, and then the condenser if necessary now, so hopefully it'll all get sorted.  Other than that I'm very happy with the car so I'm chuffed that this is pretty fixable!

Thanks again for your help.

Cheers

Neil

[NeilInExeter]

Quick update on this,

 

The dealer did the compressor on Fri and it was regassed at another place.  It held pressure (or whatever test they do) but the guy did say the condenser looked "a bit dinged up", but also said if it holds pressure a and works then there's no need to worry, and if it didn't the dye would show where the problem was.  Anyway, it held, and his only suggestion was that it was worth putting a mesh piece in front of the condenser where the grille holes are huge, as suggested here, so I'm going to order some of the item in pikpilot's post and give it a go!  I'll take photos!

 

Thanks everyone!

 

Neil

[zar]

Compressor capacity valve also is a common issue in 02FL ,which is controlling by knobs on the A/C control panel.Very often compressor itself is OK,but ditto goes stuck.Condenser also could be affected by mechanical damage,in case missing plastic mesh(protector) is missing.

[NeilInExeter]

Thanks Zar,

Well, so far, the replacement compressor is working and the AC is working great - it is ice cold, gets cold within about 30 seconds even at tick over, so I think it's all good!  I've just ordered the mesh discussed above to save the condenser from any future damage and hopefully that'll be it for life (or at least for a long while).  I've got the old compressor here  - does anyone have any suggestions as to what I should do with it?  Is it worth reconditioning / keeping in case I need to get one reconditioned in the future?

 

Thanks everyone,

 

Neil

[zar]

That's a good news,Neil

I wish you trouble free usage of your A/C!About the old one ,just make a research if there is any workshop,dealing with compressors overhauling.

[NeilInExeter]

Hi all,

 

So my compressor was changed a couple of weeks back and so far all is good in air-con land!

 

Following the recommendation from pikpilot and meaty101 I have purchase and fitted the mesh to my front grill. I don't know if it'll help anyone, but I took some photos and this is basically what I did:

 

First, I prised out the side bit of the grill as it looked like they went in last and would hold the middle section in.  I took out both sides.

 

Next I took out the middle grill section using the same technique, plus a bit of prising along the top of it. It came out pretty easily.

 

 

I took it into the workshop, gave the back side a wipe down along the spars and offered up my mesh (from the eBay supplier above in this thread).  (Please excuse the mess in my workshop!)

 

With a hot glue gun I laid a bead of glue along the four spars on the left hand quarter and the vertical bar at the edge and 1 in.  I then laid the mesh into this and pushed it down before continuing to do the same on the second quarter and so on.  I punched a little hole through the mesh on the second from bottom spar and put a cable tie through.  I did this at both ends (belt and braces really, the glue will hold not least because it squishes through the mesh and gives a good mechanical interlock). I put a bit more glue at either end having trimmed up the overhanging length of the mesh.  Finally I trimmed up the overhanging mesh top and bottom with a knife:

 

The finished result was pretty tidy: (Back side)

 

(Front side)

 

 

 

I popped it back into the front of the car and added the side bits.  They needed a gentle thump as to get the little clips in, but it wasn't hard.

 

 

The mesh looks good from the outside, it'll stop stuff flying in easily and I don't think it's going to reduce the airflow much.  (View looking out)

 

View looking in:

 

Tidy job!

 

Thanks again for the the advice to do this.  It took all of half an hour and I reckon it'll save me getting the condenser replaced for a while.  It's a big gap without the mesh!

 

Cheers

 

Neil

Edited 17 July, 2017 by NeilInExeter
pic still in wrong place

[meaty101]

Lovely job done. I just cable tied mine. I thought about bonding it on but then wondered about removal if it gets damaged. I must remember to Hoover all the leaves out of it when I Hoover the car as the mesh traps a lot!!

[kkwales]

Hi NeilInExeter. Great pics and info for fitting mesh to front grill. I've been having aircon problems over the last two years. Won't go into full details of what, where, how, but pressure testing and nitrogen test couldn't find anything. Finally narrowed down to condenser which was replaced 4 Sep 2017 at a cost of £611 (ouch).

 

I removed my front grill and found that my panel is slightly different from yours (mine - 2008 L&K 2.0 TDI PD Octavia Estate) so for others I attach pics of my version. My grill opening has 5 suporting uprights (4 shown in Pic) that the grill clips onto.

 

 

This threw up the problem that the mesh couldn't just be fitted over the grill panel but had to be pressed into the recesses of the supports.

 

Solution: cut the mesh about 4-5 cm longer than the grill and using a piece of stiff card press the middle of the mesh into the central support. Flatten out the mesh along the grill and using more stiff card push the mesh into each support until all done. Important point: keep the mesh at the same height as the grill in order to retain the coverage when re-fitted. At each end just fold the mesh into the gap, but along the other uprights you will need to cut out a space (top & bottom) for the "press clips" to enable them to "clip" into their recesses when re-fitted. I did the same as you with a hot glue gun and mine seems to have held without the additional cable ties.

 

    

 

The only problem I have is that, once the grill is re-fitted, there is an additional gap below the grill with no mesh, it being part of the bodywork. Having said that, the car managed with the full gaps for 7 years without any problems so I'm hoping the much reduced gap will be a benefit. Car now on 121,600 miles and still on original front disc pads - really pleased.