Aircon Regas

[Pittsey]

First bit of sun and it has me thinking about a regas. Haven't had it done before so it definitely could do with it.

Any recommendations? Not so keen on Halfords or KwikFit

I'm in NW London but am also around Windsor a lot of the time

 

[Alex225]

In theory somewhere like Kwik Fit would be ok for a re-gas. I wouldn't trust them with much else but essentially plugging a machine into your car and letting it run an automated re-gas should be within their grasp.

If it fails to work for any technical reason, you don't have to pay anything at least.

 

[Yugguy]

Yeah, I wouldn't go to kwikfit for anything complex but I've had loads of cars regassed there and never a problem. I just keep an eye out for when there's a promotion on and get it cheap.

 

[wu56Shoozz]

Kwik Fit have been fine with me on three occasions - my Jeep, My Alhambra & My Passat all worked great and not that expensive either.. better than the stealers, who put "gold" dust in the aircon...so I'd go with Kwik Fit as the others have said..

 

[JohnDavies]

Happy to let KwikFit change a tyre but that's it. I have some very unhappy memories stamped in my head of other instances i wish i could forget. :fail



I apologise from drifting off the thread re AC Regas

 

[flowrider]

First bit of sun and it has me thinking about a regas. Haven't had it done before so it definitely could do with it.

Any recommendations? Not so keen on Halfords or KwikFit

I'm in NW London but am also around Windsor a lot of the time

We Chill Any Car.Com, Mobile air con service, London & Home Counties are a mobile service and will come to you.

 

[Alps]

Kwik fit are normally fine for a re-gas, if its leaking though id get it checked at an indi

 

[MancMike]

I went to a Merc indie, but he just used the same big machine that they all use. It pulls a vacuum to test for leaks, if no leaks, it fills it with the right amount of the oil and gas.

 

[vijilants]

KwickFit are fine for a regas.....And if you find it leaking after, they give you your money back.

They really don't have much to do apart from hooking the machine up and setting it up....the machine does all the work.

 

[Lyserman]

I had mine done at an ATS and because they couldn't lower the temperature there was no charge.

I then called in a mobile auto aircon specialist and he serviced the system.
Although he did essentially the same as the all-in-one machines do, he did it with separates and took longer.
The end result was a much colder system.

 

[texterted]

Those machines just don't do a proper job!

You need to put the system on a vacuum for at least 45 mins. To boil off any moisture in there. You need to replace the receiver/dryer canister as it'll be full of water and contaminants.

The only sure way to test for leaks, is to pressurise the system with OFN (oxygen free nitrogen).

What PAG oil does this machine dispense? Is it the correct quantity and viscosity for your car?

If you're keeping the car, or just want it doing properly then take it to a specialist with the proper skills and equipment.

 

[bob6600]

I did mine last year via Groupon. There was an offer via ATS and I got the regas and bacterial clean for £32.95, normally £55.99.

There are always offers on there from local garages so it's worth checking as you will pay a lot less for the same service.

This was the thread I posted

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/part...anti-bacterial-treatment-%A332-95-%40ats.html

 

[b1g1an]

KwickFit are fine for a regas.....And if you find it leaking after, they give you your money back.

They really don't have much to do apart from hooking the machine up and setting it up....the machine does all the work.

LOL, if it doesn't have a leak it doesn't need a regas!

 

[clk320x]

I lived in NW London, used MirageAir in Brentcross. £35 and all good, they know their stuff. When i was there they had a Viano, 5 series and a classic merc in with a full custom ac system being installed.

Give him a call

 

[CabrioDave]

LOL, if it doesn't have a leak it doesn't need a regas!

Not quite. Nearly all aircon systems will lose gas gradually. If it's only that very gradual loss, then a regas will "take", and the system will work properly again, for several years.

If there's a definite leak, caused usually by a hole or two in the condenser (which looks and acts like a radiator), then a regas is ineffective, as the new gas just leaks away.

 

[bob6600]

KwickFit are fine for a regas.....And if you find it leaking after, they give you your money back.

They really don't have much to do apart from hooking the machine up and setting it up....the machine does all the work.

Yes and I'm sue it's illegal to fill a leaking system for reasons of discharging the gas into the air.

 

[Lyserman]

When I did my refrigeration reclamation course we had many dire warnings over allowing any refrigerant gas to escape and the fines imposed were £40,000.
That was 30 years ago so they may be more now.
Regassing a leaky system is a big no no.

 

[Flyinspanner]

There is a mobile air con chap I've used a couple of times, think he is based in Eastcote NW London, 0208 866 1142. His name is Michael. Has all the gear in a van.

I wouldn't touch Kwik fit with a barge pole, recharged a Legacy as it wasn't really cold, but they overfilled it, blew the seals out of the compressor......

Micheal swapped out the compressor I got and refilled it all - perfect.
He also regased the A class.

 

[Petrol Pete]

Get it done by a Pro. I had a car done a while ago , they had it for half a day to make sure it had been vacuumed, dried, filled and tested properly.

'Re-Gas' is not quite the correct terminology, the gas when liquid also lubricates the pump, best to get it done properly.

 

[Pittsey]

The reason I'm against Kwik fit is that once i let them change a tyre on my Audi as i thought they couldn't mess that up. I found out two weeks later when it was knocking that they had torn both my CV boots. I know the weren't like it before Kwik fit as I'd been under the car looking at it and got an MOT that day too