thecirsch

Bit warm and sticky in the Scoob last night (ooh er missus). Car is a 97 (R) and I don't know if its ever been done. So is it a case of getting it re-gassed and what sort of price should I be looking to pay??

Cheers

Ed

sooby

As long as you've used it evry week for sometime it won't need regular regassing. I had my last Impreza just over 3 years and it never needed regassing. I'm into my next and at the start of the 3rd year - still okay.

If the air con has been through frequent periods of none use then I suspect it may need it. '97 is a while ago - assuming you had air con from the start.

NXG

Good reply, but to clarify, if you don't run it for 10 mins every week or two the seals dry out and the pressurised gas escapes. With regular running (yes, in winter as well) it should last years. If you do need a refil, most garages can do it for between £60 and £80 and it takes just less than an hour (system has to be emptied completely, then refilled to calculate pressure). Well worth it in this weather !! :-)

hades

I've heard all kinds of theorys, but IMHO, a lot of it is down to luck. I have known of some cars that have lasted for years, with very infrequent use, and kept full pressure. I've had a car where even with using it religiously every week, it needed re-gassing every summer if you wanted any useful cooling effect. If you get a good 'un, you'll go for years, if you get a bad 'un, you may have to do it every year.

So, the net answer is get it re-gassed if it doesn't seem to be cooling things properly - you should be looking at around 15-20º peak temperature drop IIRC (i.e. air as it comes out of vents on slow fan speed is 15-20º cooler than outside temperature).

Last time I got it re-gassed, I paid ~£50. Don't go to a garage as they bring in specialist aircon people but charge a massive mark up - go straight to the aircon specialist. The bloke who did my last car did the recharging for the Vauxhall dealer, who charged £170 for using the same bloke to do the same job.

thecirsch

Thanks for the replies.

Problem is the car normally gets used once a week, and the air con certainly doesn't get used all the time.

Seeing as it's less then 100.00 it might be a small price to be for a bit of comfort.

Cheers

Phil

There's plenty of hot air in your car


LOL

DMC12

When you say 'use it regularly' does that mean just having the button pressed, or does it have to be blowing cold air? I have it on most of the time in the winter because it helps de-mist when its wet but this is usually just blowing warm air.

Thanks.

Steve.

stevebt

iTrader: (8)

£100 just paid £25 to have mine regassed and worth every penny car is so cool

thecirsch

Phil,

Don't forget I KNOW where you live. Its the one with an Ambulance Only sign marked out on the front garden

Phil

LOL

Are you coming on Thursday?

thecirsch

Do you know what, I forgot it's this Thursday, they've thrown a 12 hour shift, starting at 2PM, at me so I don't know.

I'll see what I can do

Phil

Hope to see you there

sooby

DMC12,

"Using" it means having the compressor working. You'll know when that is 'cus you usually hear it. That doesn't necessarily mean you must blow cold air.

chockymonster

NXG,
no it doesn't. It is possible to regas without emptying if you have the correct equipment, for those without the necessary pressure gauges a full reclaim is the only way to do it, but only if you know the correct weight of gas to put back in.
Be aware that it is illegal to vent a/c gases into the atmosphere, they must be reclaimed and disposed of correctly.

Suresh

The ANWB (Dutch equivalent of the RAC) published an article in the national press over the weekend, which said that aircon should be charged every year. The information for the ANWB article was provided by the garage owners association!

My aircon was last charged when the car was new back in 1999 and is still ice cold. Had consensation on the outside of the windscreen this morning and had to use the wipers to clear it. Turned the aircon off and water started to condense on the inside of the windscreen too!

Suresh

Leslie

There is a pot in the system which looks like a swirl pot-it is on the passenger's side by the water reservoir(washers) on my classic. There is a small glass window in the top of it. When the air con is running and settled there should be no air bubbles visible, if there are it needs charging.

Les

thecirsch

Cheers Leslie,


I'll have a look later on today,

Ed