1 hour ago, Aston_Bodger said:

Not really if your good with tools, just mark the positions of the crash panel and the headlight carriers so they go back with no problems, otherwise you will need to reset your headlights again, bumper is easy just plastic rivets and 2x hidden bolts under the 2 outer covers 1 is where the tow eye thread is, the other side is the same.

 

Any probs give me a shout,

 

Trev

Cheers for your help, is there any guides anywhere for the pipes?

I have not seen any, sorry, I think it's a suck it and see thing.

 

Just take your time don't rush a break things, look for were the A/C pipe clips are, remove as little as you can, that way you have a chance, if in any doubt, take photos, they really help.

 

Give me a shout if you get stuck,

 

Trev

14 hours ago, Aston_Bodger said:

Not really if your good with tools, just mark the positions of the crash panel and the headlight carriers so they go back with no problems, otherwise you will need to reset your headlights again, bumper is easy just plastic rivets and 2x hidden bolts under the 2 outer covers 1 is where the tow eye thread is, the other side is the same.

 

Any probs give me a shout,

 

Trev

 

i actually managed to change the rad without removing the headlight carriers. it was tight and took two of us to do it, but it is possible.
it probably would have been quicker removing it, but its possible.

Hi all 

I also have an issue with my air con on a octavia mk2 1.6 fsi engine. 

I had a cheap offer regas  Sept 2017 and it lasted about a week. So I knew there must be a leak. 

 

Last week I took it to a local specialist ac garage. 

They did a nitrogen pressure test and said they couldn't find a leak. 

So they said next step is to regas with uv dye and see how it goes. Cost was £100 to this point. 

 

At first nice and cold air.  A week later the air con has stopped. 

They have inspected it with a uv light and said it is the condenser, a hole at the back. I asked likely cause. They said leaves and bugs just get in and over time it corrodes. 

 

I did ask why didn't the pressure test find a leak, which they said they can only pressure test up to 3 bar as any higher can damage internal components. 

 

Quote for condenser replacement and regas is around £400.

Looking online, job looks straight forward but just need time and patience as whole front has to come off. 

 

I wanted to know, is it possible to extract the condenser from the top without taking the whole front off? 

 

With the car being a 1.6 fsi engine is there enough space? 

 

Any advice would be much appreciated. 

 

 

Edited 30 June, 20187 yr by raf300

3 hours ago, raf300 said:

Hi all 

I also have an issue with my air con on a octavia mk2 1.6 fsi engine. 

I had a cheap offer regas  Sept 2017 and it lasted about a week. So I knew there must be a leak. 

 

Last week I took it to a local specialist ac garage. 

They did a nitrogen pressure test and said they couldn't find a leak. 

So they said next step is to regas with uv dye and see how it goes. Cost was £100 to this point. 

 

At first nice and cold air.  A week later the air con has stopped. 

They have inspected it with a uv light and said it is the condenser, a hole at the back. I asked likely cause. They said leaves and bugs just get in and over time it corrodes. 

 

I did ask why didn't the pressure test find a leak, which they said they can only pressure test up to 3 bar as any higher can damage internal components. 

 

Quote for condenser replacement and regas is around £400.

Looking online, job looks straight forward but just need time and patience as whole front has to come off. 

 

I wanted to know, is it possible to extract the condenser from the top without taking the whole front off? 

 

With the car being a 1.6 fsi engine is there enough space? 

 

Any advice would be much appreciated. 

Unlikely.

I have a 1.9TDI, but in my O2, I'm sure I never could get the condenser of without removing the front. Since the condensor is mounted along with the radiator and the intercooler I needed some additional space to seperate them.

It's not a hard job, only takes some time (I think you can do it in 3 hours, unless you're confronted with rusted screws and nuts which are a pita to remove, like I had)

 

I highly doubt if a 1.6FSI has that much more space to do it without removing the front. 

You might try to remove coolant and try to remove the radiator, in order to replace it without having to take off the front, but if that's really that faster... I personally would prefer spending some more time than risking damaging hoses and messing around with coolant refills.

 

As for the pricing: I think a condensor costs you around 80 GBP, add in 3 hours of labor (50GBP/hour?) and a regas: I think you can get it fixed for 300 GBP in total.

However I think the quote is based on regular pricing. The quote I've received from a local garage was also a little more, since they make some profit on the condensor, and generally not use the most cheapest stuff available, so 400 GBP sounds pretty normal for a decent job. In my case, since my car is an 05 model with a nice milage (245k miles / 393k km) I decided to use the cheap stuff: I highly doubt if i still have the car in 5 year, so i'm not spending much on long-lasting parts.

 

If you don't want to spend some time, or don't have the right equipment (You need some less common tools like a Torx T45 and XZN bit), ask around to see if you can get the price off, but don't expect a 150GBP fix.

When searching I found for example an offer for GBP 250 http://www.mistercool.co.uk/condenser.asp (Don't know those guys... just googled)

 

Cheapest option (like I did): Ask garage to remove any refrigerant (if left), DIY, and go for a full regas (including vacuuming) afterwards. Will cost you 150-200GBP in total (regas + condenser)

 

There are plenty of manuals either here, on youtube or elsewhere with some good images how to do it yourself.

My images and descrition (in Dutch, but google translate will do): https://www.skodaforum.nl/forum/i/o2-airco-condensor-vervangen.33273/

 

 

Edited 30 June, 20187 yr by DJSmiley

It can be done without removing radiator, if you have some help to cable tie it to what's left of the slam panel at the front, I did this and saved a whole load of time.

 

Trev

OK thanks all. 

I will have a second look at how to tackle room the top and decide the best way forward. 

 

Also I don't understand how a pressure test couldn't have detected a leak and needed to spend a load f money on regas and uv dye when the leak was losing the gas in a week. 

 

Me neither, when I had mine re gassed from changing the condenser and compressor, that's the first thing they did, and left it for 10 mins, and then connected the A/C machine, I watched them do it.

 

It's illegal to knowingly charge an A/C system with a leak.

 

Trev

The aircon on my 10 yr old estate worked perfectly for about  the first 3 or 4 years (I've had it since new). Then, although I had it serviced regularly it became very iffy, sometimes working well and sometimes not at all (which was a real pain on very hot days). I had it checked by the dealer & they couldn't find out why it was so unreliable. It was due another service / regas etc last year and, because of the age of the car, I decided to not bother and now, for the last 2 years, the aircon is working perfectly, giving me nice cold air after about 5 mins and maintaining a good temperature, no matter how long the journey. B.T.W. I never switch the aircon off.

Edited 1 July, 20187 yr by BorderCollie

On 6/30/2018 at 16:53, Aston_Bodger said:

It can be done without removing radiator, if you have some help to cable tie it to what's left of the slam panel at the front, I did this and saved a whole load of time.

 

Trev

So did you not take anything off the front event the light clusters? 

You have to take the headlights and the carriers out along with the crash frame, then you hang the rad from the holes in the wings where the slam panel bolts come from, hope this is clearer?

 

Trev

@Aston_Bodger right I'll be attempting this tomorrow afternoon after my night shift tonight.

 

Seeing as the ac circuit has been open to the elements  now, having had the high pressure sensor sheared off, do I now need to replace any other parts of the system as a result? Drier pack ect?

 

Cheers 

@GizmoThor8303 Yes you will need to replace the drier pack, unfortunately you cant get the one that fits the one with the plastic nut, I tried when I did mine even the dealers don't sell them now, so I had to replace my condenser as a result, that put another 3-3.5 hours on the job cos the whole front end has to come off to replace it, see my other answers to this tread.

 

Hope this helps or not,

 

Trev

Hi everyone, I've seen a lot of talk about broken air con needing a new condensor/compressor, but these seem to be for when the air con isn't working at all. It's a 2006 Octavia 1.9 PD.

 

My air con has 2 issues mainly, one of which being it takes about 5-10 minutes to blow cold, it blows warm air at me until then. I find turning on the 'econ' then turning it off seems to help.

 

An addition is that the air con seems to smell quite bad, a musty smell comes out of the vents only when using the air con and only for a few minutes after not using the car for a bit.

 

I took it to get regassed as well as the anti bacterial treatment (which turns out they just let off some kind of canister in my car with the recirc on) which doesn't seem to have helped.

 

Anyone got any ideas what it might be?

 

Cheers

 

Pindadio

@Pindadio it depends what's gone, usually it's the N280 valve that stops working, sometimes you can get them, again depending which compressor you have.

 

The compressor maker recommends changing the drier pack, well that's all well and good if they still sold them, which they don't (one's with plastic nut), Modine I think they are, so you are forced to change it over, just in case the compressor has put shards of metal and it will, in the A/C system, if that happens, it will need a vacuum out for at least 2-3 hours.

 

Hope this helps and answers your questions?

 

Trev

On 6/30/2018 at 08:32, raf300 said:

Hi all 

I also have an issue with my air con on a octavia mk2 1.6 fsi engine. 

I had a cheap offer regas  Sept 2017 and it lasted about a week. So I knew there must be a leak. 

 

Last week I took it to a local specialist ac garage. 

They did a nitrogen pressure test and said they couldn't find a leak. 

So they said next step is to regas with uv dye and see how it goes. Cost was £100 to this point. 

 

At first nice and cold air.  A week later the air con has stopped. 

They have inspected it with a uv light and said it is the condenser, a hole at the back. I asked likely cause. They said leaves and bugs just get in and over time it corrodes. 

 

I did ask why didn't the pressure test find a leak, which they said they can only pressure test up to 3 bar as any higher can damage internal components. 

 

Quote for condenser replacement and regas is around £400.

Looking online, job looks straight forward but just need time and patience as whole front has to come off. 

 

I wanted to know, is it possible to extract the condenser from the top without taking the whole front off? 

 

With the car being a 1.6 fsi engine is there enough space? 

 

Any advice would be much appreciated. 

 

 

Hi all 

I like to double check the diagnosis of the condenser leaking at the bottom rear. So I bought a uv torch and had a look this evening. 

 

I can't seem to see green fluorescent dye anywhere. Also I wonder how could they have seen the back of the condenser without taking the tray off and maybe the water radiator. 

I could be wrong and just worrying, but is it the condenser or is it the most likely thing to leak and they just say it is that to change. 

 

I took some pictures hopefully they attached. These are the front of the condenser through the grill with a uv torch. 

 

14 hours ago, raf300 said:

Hi all 

I like to double check the diagnosis of the condenser leaking at the bottom rear. So I bought a uv torch and had a look this evening. 

 

I can't seem to see green fluorescent dye anywhere. Also I wonder how could they have seen the back of the condenser without taking the tray off and maybe the water radiator. 

I could be wrong and just worrying, but is it the condenser or is it the most likely thing to leak and they just say it is that to change. 

 

I took some pictures hopefully they attached. These are the front of the condenser through the grill with a uv torch. 

 

Although your condensor shows some damage from debris, I don't see any dye.

 

did you check the top of the dryer as well? The plastic nut is a known issue (Mine was leaking there as well)

 

On my (2005) LHD its located at the top, right side of the condenser (Check from above)

15 hours ago, raf300 said:

Hi all 

I like to double check the diagnosis of the condenser leaking at the bottom rear. So I bought a uv torch and had a look this evening. 

 

I can't seem to see green fluorescent dye anywhere. Also I wonder how could they have seen the back of the condenser without taking the tray off and maybe the water radiator. 

I could be wrong and just worrying, but is it the condenser or is it the most likely thing to leak and they just say it is that to change. 

 

I took some pictures hopefully they attached. These are the front of the condenser through the grill with a uv torch. 

 

Have you checked the connections at the bottom left corner as you look at it?, it may be there, they would see it there without taking anything off.

 

 

Trev

I will check tonight and report back. I did have a good look and couldn't see any dye but will check again.  Cheers

 

 

 

16 hours ago, raf300 said:

I will check tonight and report back. I did have a good look and couldn't see any dye but will check again.  Cheers

 

 

 

I had another look, checking the connectors on the left and the white plastic nut (top right). 

Couldn't see any dye. Photos attached below. 

 

To check the compressor do I need to take undertray off? Everything visible from top I haven't seen any dye. 

 

 

I forgot to add when I had it regassed it was working. By day 4 you could here the system gargle (howling wind) which suggested air in the system. 

By day 7 air con not working, so assume most of the gas gone. 

 

@raf300 Looks like to me you have dye around the top of the plug for the pressure switch, only a little, but it might be enough?

 

I could be wrong?

 

You don't need to take the under tray off to see the compressor connection, they are on top.

 

 

Trev

Edited 7 July, 20187 yr by Aston_Bodger

1 hour ago, Aston_Bodger said:

@raf300 Looks like to me you have dye around the top of the plug for the pressure switch, only a little, but it might be enough?

 

I could be wrong?

 

You don't need to take the under tray off to see the compressor connection, they are on top.

 

 

Trev

 

Trev, that might be a good spot. I assume you mean picture 1 in my post above? 

I will check again tonight. If your right I owe you a drink. 

 

What will annoy me is I told the garage when they took the car back in, check around the pressure switch and trv as these are common areas to fail according to briskoda forum. I also wrote that on paper and gave it to them. 

 

I am hoping it could be that as may be a cheap fix, and if it works I better also make a mesh grill to protect that condenser too. 

Edited 7 July, 20187 yr by raf300

@raf300 Yeah, that's the one, perhaps they just had a quick look around with the UV light, I don't know.

 

It means taking the pressure switch out, just be aware someone on this tread is changing the pipe that it fits due to corrosion in the switch and he snapped it off, hence the new pipe.

You will need a 17mm crowfoot and a longish extension, its got a car tyre type valve in so you wont loose any pressure if any in there.

 

Have you seen my photos of my mesh?

 

Where about's are you in the UK?, I'm in Milton Keynes.

 

Trev

Edited 7 July, 20187 yr by Aston_Bodger

Yes I saw your mesh that's why I thought it is a must to have one if my air con is working to minimise the condenser breaking. 

Don't understand why car manufacturers do it as standard. 

 

I am based in the south east Essex.