Air Con Leak

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franciebanjo

New Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2020
Messages
3
Location
Castlederg
Car
Viano
Air con Leak
Have this since purchase 5 years ago on 2013 2.2cdi Viano.
Live in Northern Ireland where it’s cold all the F’n time
Can anyone tell me if there is a shorter belt to replace the fan/alternator/air con belt to bypass air con pump?
I should’ve been entitled to the 10k grant from the government to keep this cu.t of a thing going.
the mechanic sees more of it than me!!
Wish I’d bought a fiat panda with a roof rack
 
Air con Leak
Have this since purchase 5 years ago on 2013 2.2cdi Viano.
Live in Northern Ireland where it’s cold all the F’n time
Can anyone tell me if there is a shorter belt to replace the fan/alternator/air con belt to bypass air con pump?
I should’ve been entitled to the 10k grant from the government to keep this cu.t of a thing going.
the mechanic sees more of it than me!!
Wish I’d bought a fiat panda with a roof rack
Hi.

No there is only one belt for everything.
I have the same problem with my Viano.
Had it for 3 months now and my air con also don't work, it works for 5 days and then stops - leak somewhere where I can not find.
I've spend nearly £3k on this thing and it looks like I won't get my money back from this.
I don't know if you still have yours because your post is from October 2020 but if you do could you share if you fixed that air con ? I notice there's not much of a help from members here.

Good luck
 
I notice there's not much of a help from members here.


Wow!

Well, I've seen and rsponded to loads of aircon threads on here, but it's certainly likely that I haven't seen or been able to get to all the posts in my free time.

But the generic guidance would be the same.
Condenser most likely culprit.
The van engines are a tight squeeze, so often hard to work on (but if it's the condenser it's at the front so shouldn't be too bad).

Best bet is to take it to an aircon specialist. They will do a vacuum AND a pressure test if they know what they are doing. A vac test can pull a leak closed, so if only a vac test is dine and no leak found it is not professional fault finding.

If they can't find a leak with vac and pressure test, they will regas plus add UV dye, and arrange with you to return in an appropriate amount of time (based on how long you think it typically takes for aircon to stop working). If it stops working in 5 days, you could go back in a couple of days for example.

They will then be able to identify the leak source with UV lamp so you know where the problem is. Thr fix can then be priced up.

👍
 
Wow!

Well, I've seen and rsponded to loads of aircon threads on here, but it's certainly likely that I haven't seen or been able to get to all the posts in my free time.

But the generic guidance would be the same.
Condenser most likely culprit.
The van engines are a tight squeeze, so often hard to work on (but if it's the condenser it's at the front so shouldn't be too bad).

Best bet is to take it to an aircon specialist. They will do a vacuum AND a pressure test if they know what they are doing. A vac test can pull a leak closed, so if only a vac test is dine and no leak found it is not professional fault finding.

If they can't find a leak with vac and pressure test, they will regas plus add UV dye, and arrange with you to return in an appropriate amount of time (based on how long you think it typically takes for aircon to stop working). If it stops working in 5 days, you could go back in a couple of days for example.

They will then be able to identify the leak source with UV lamp so you know where the problem is. Thr fix can then be priced up.

👍

Responded to air con leak on different cars yes - but Viano is a specific type of vehicle - I had over 70 cars in my ownership and worked on many of them, I have never experienced that many problems with any of them compare to this Viano. (Funny enough the only Merc I didn't have problems with was 1980 W123).

Air con has been re-gassed 4 times now at 4 different places, at all of them the machine had done the vacuum test and at one they've filled in the system with Azot up to 10 bars and after 3hrs under constant pressure, the 10 bars were still showing.

Yesterday I've asked them to add more UV fluid, I've checked under the bonnet and no leaks there.
Condenser is new, I have all the seals ready waiting to be replaced if needed.
I am not sure if any of the pipes that goes to the back of the van goes under the car or inside to the rear air con unit.
Tomorrow I will take the interior apart and follow the pipes with the UV light. I am not shy with tools and I worked on all my motorcycles and cars but this car is pushing my patients to the limits - not only with the air con problem.


Many thanks

Mario
 
Well McGreedy is right,the air con is the one thing that owners entrust to all sorts of cowboy garages,you need a car air con specialist they are about they only do air con they do not repair cars or sell tyres,they can save you a fortune,my one repairs compressors ,if you take it to a garage they will just fit a £300 new one,they replaced my condenser far cheaper than MB would have done.
 
Well McGreedy is right,the air con is the one thing that owners entrust to all sorts of cowboy garages,you need a car air con specialist they are about they only do air con they do not repair cars or sell tyres,they can save you a fortune,my one repairs compressors ,if you take it to a garage they will just fit a £300 new one,they replaced my condenser far cheaper than MB would have done.
I agree too. But when you have a air con machine they just connect it to the card and machine does everything, the person doesn't do anything. I've replaced the condenser myself - easy job just time consuming - No leaks there. I will see tomorrow if there are any leaks from the joint pipes seals. If no success I will take it to the air con specialist - I am trying to spend as little money on it as possible because I've already changed: Prop shaft, steering rack, power steering pump, condenser, radiator, all pulleys and tentioner, aux belt, alternator wheel, sub frame bolts. So...... I don't want to sell this with any faults ( I probably won't be able to get the eberspacher aux heating to work ) so the air con need to be fixed. Already loosing money on this.
 
Ok Mario, thanks for the extra info, that's helpful.

The principle is the same with the UV and if the vac and pressure test aren't finding the leak, UV is the way forward.

The second most common leak point is the seal on the compressor shaft.

I can't imagine the aircon system on the vans is any diffenrt to cars, so I'm working on that basis.

If you can't see with a UV lamp the leak within the engine bay pipework seals, in and out valves or around the compressor or the condenser, then the last port of call is the evaporator in the dash.

The aircon systems have a drain point for condensation under the evaporator in the dash, and for the auto cars, this exits under the dash above the auto box via a little pipe. UV would be seen here and dribbling down the gearbox.

Do you have a lift available to get under the van and see if you can see the leak here? You might be able to find the drain more easily by finding out where to pour s little water into the top of the aircon cabin unit so it comes out of the drain in the bottom. Rather than strip the dash to get to the evaporator (if you're not sure if it's evaporator). Often you can access the aircon heater matrix and associated ducting by stripping away carpet in on the the footwells next to the centre console area in the cars, and empty a large syringe of water directly into the heater matrix lower box drain point. Not sure of the exact set up on the vans, but maybe looking on 7zap with your VIN and exploring the parts of the aircon system to get an idea of what the parts look like and location?

Handy that you'll be able to have a crack at this yourself to identify the UV leak, as that will be a big labour saving right there. Good luck
 
I would ask ATS to carry out a nitrogen pressure test.
I was lucky in that we could hear a hissing from the condensor. The machine didn't find issue.
 
Ok Mario, thanks for the extra info, that's helpful.

The principle is the same with the UV and if the vac and pressure test aren't finding the leak, UV is the way forward.

The second most common leak point is the seal on the compressor shaft.

I can't imagine the aircon system on the vans is any diffenrt to cars, so I'm working on that basis.

If you can't see with a UV lamp the leak within the engine bay pipework seals, in and out valves or around the compressor or the condenser, then the last port of call is the evaporator in the dash.

The aircon systems have a drain point for condensation under the evaporator in the dash, and for the auto cars, this exits under the dash above the auto box via a little pipe. UV would be seen here and dribbling down the gearbox.

Do you have a lift available to get under the van and see if you can see the leak here? You might be able to find the drain more easily by finding out where to pour s little water into the top of the aircon cabin unit so it comes out of the drain in the bottom. Rather than strip the dash to get to the evaporator (if you're not sure if it's evaporator). Often you can access the aircon heater matrix and associated ducting by stripping away carpet in on the the footwells next to the centre console area in the cars, and empty a large syringe of water directly into the heater matrix lower box drain point. Not sure of the exact set up on the vans, but maybe looking on 7zap with your VIN and exploring the parts of the aircon system to get an idea of what the parts look like and location?

Handy that you'll be able to have a crack at this yourself to identify the UV leak, as that will be a big labour saving right there. Good luck
My first port of call on this would be the gland seal on the compressor shaft.
Technique would be to drop the belt, and wrap the compressor end with a female shower cap making sure you don't rupture it, clamp it down with a zip tie .
With less than a full charge, leave it overnight ,then poke the A/C leak detector into the bag. If it howls you have the villain in all this.
Tuercas Viejas
 

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