D9 Air con problem

[Doggy]

Hope somebody can help.... ( continuation of thread from welcome section a week or two back).
Recently bought a D9 and believe the air con doesn't work.
If you turn it on manually, or let the climate control do it, the A/C symbol on the MFD lights up, but no cooling.
I've proved the compressor clutch doesn't operate. (It does if connected directly to the battery, but I've only tried this with engine stopped).
Checked, (I think), the pressure switch after seeing Puggy's leaky one - mine shows no sign of leakage, but it's only got 3 pins unlike the 4-pin example in Puggy's pic. Not sure if this is indeed the pressure switch, it's mounted vertically, (connections upwards), on a block on the driver's side of the condenser.
I've examined the condenser, compressor, pipework & hoses and found no sign of leakage.
Having studied most of the relevant posts on this site, I'm thinking two possible causes:
1. No gas / faulty low pressure switch so system wont let it run.
2. Faulty BSI relay, therefore no power to compressor clutch.
Now I don't mind paying for a recharge, or pulling the BSI out & swapping the relay, but I'd rather not do the former more than once or attempt the latter without proving conclusively it should be disturbed.

So I'm hoping someone can has a circuit diagram for the aircon, can tell me how to (briefly) bypass the LP switch, or knows which relay / output terminal should be powered when the BSI enables the compressor. (Haynes useless for this).

Any other suggestions gratefully received.

Apologies for lengthy post, thanks for reading it all!

Eric

[steve_earwig]

Do you know if there's pressure in the system? They do loose pressure over time, two years ago my D8's stopped working, all it needed was a recharged and it's been fine since.

[Welly]

I'd say it's out of gas, possibly due to a damaged condenser (either corrosion or stone damage).

If you want to be cheeky whip off one of the "valve caps" near the battery and give it a squirt (at arms length away from your face) if you get an almighty blast then it could show decent gas levels - a fart/nothing will be a giveaway.

I haven't done this myself at all so can't really help any further but you might feel you've nothing to loose by tryng? I'll look out for a green mushroom cloud in the skies

I'd say 9 times out of 10 it's a gas problem rather than electrical.

Failing all this, speak nicely to an air con repair garage and ask them to bang their gauges on the pipework to test the pressure, then enquire as to the cost so you can consider the work being done etc.. a mobile man is unlikey to help without charging you IMO.

[Doggy]

If you want to be cheeky whip off one of the "valve caps" near the battery and give it a squirt (at arms length away from your face) if you get an almighty blast then it could show decent gas levels - a fart/nothing will be a giveaway.

I haven't done this myself at all so can't really help any further but you might feel you've nothing to loose by tryng? I'll look out for a green mushroom cloud in the skies .

Can you really see it from 12 miles away?

Guess I wouldn't need the boot liner.....
Could flog the towbar before it gets all scorched and twisted

Thanks for the tip gents - I'll find out if it's got any gas.

[Doggy]

an almighty blast then it could show decent gas levels - a fart/nothing will be a giveaway.

Has at least partly solved the problem of creating a loft access when I convert the garage into a kitchen

No, seriously not even a suggestion of any gas.

Guess it's refill time.

Anyone able to recommend an air con specialist in Northants / Leics / Cambs?

[Doggy]

Pug's gone in to have the air con looked at this afternoon.

I feel like an expectant father

Know it's going to be a wallet lightening experience

Just don't know how bad yet

Wish me luck.......

[Welly]

Be afraid, be very afraid.........




Hope this helps

[puggy]

We are in the middle of a credit crunch and a recession and you are going
to tackle the infamous a/c of a D9 you and your wallet will be in my
prayers

[Welly]

Mines crapped out fully now with it's swiss cheese effect condenser

Question is - will I still own it come spring time????????

[steve_earwig]

Can't you just ask them to inspect and report, rather than give them white trolley to do as they please? Good luck anyways

Speaking of splashing out wildly, the D8's booked in for Friday for a cam belt. 250 quids, all in. Enough paranoid driving for me!

[Doggy]

Well, | got some good news & some bad news.......
It didn't cost me
However It's got a major leak, (not too surprising).
But no idea where from
'Can't get a reading on the machine'
S'pose it'll have to wait 'til Iget back to work, then see if I can attach an air line somehow....

All suggestions gratefully received, (he said anticipating a few entailing cliffs & pushing), please refrain from these as said barge weighs 1600 kg plus & I weigh less than Welly

[steve_earwig]

Isn't there something about pressurizing refrigerant with compressed air and explosions? Hopefully someone'll come along and call me an idiot but I thought I better say something, just in case.

Why couldn't they put some refrigerant in it with the die so they could see where it's leaking from? Or is that too easy

[Doggy]

Said something to the effect of 'no point, the machine can't pressurise it cos it leaks too much'.

Guess I need to try someone else, thanks for the warning BTW.

[steve_earwig]

DANGER: Do not use Oxygen (O2) or
compressed air for leak testing. An
explosion may occur.

From this cheerful little document: http://www.intl-comp.com/serviceMan_pdf ... ection.pdf

[Welly]

My money's on the condenser

Fitted = anything from £150.00 to £300.00

I had mine done on a 50/50 cost basis under a used car Warrenty and that cost ME £150.00 but I think I was scanked off with cheapo condenser (it only lasted 2.5 years).