C220 W204 2012 Air Conditioning

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Plopy

Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2020
Messages
52
Location
Norfolk
Car
S320 W221
I Purchased my Car in December last Year, and I have been slowly correcting the neglected things on it, I had it thoroughly serviced at a indie which I was recommended on here and they gave him a clean bill of health. Two weeks ago I visited another indie again recommended on here, and they charged up my Air Con. They connected their machine and vacuumed it tested oiled it recharged it, and it all came to life all working like a fridge inside. Two weeks on its still like a fridge, bearing in mind it was empty, either a leak or not touched for 7 Years. What is my next steps should I wait for it to stop, it might keep working who knows. What do I do now, and doe's any one know a aircon specialist in Norfolk/ Suffolk that could investigate do more maintenance.
Thank you for Any Advice in advance.


Alan
 
Alan, I'm not familiar with the C class but the best tool you can buy is a set of manifold gauges and learn how to use them. Second best tool would be a scanner that can read the pressure sensors for your climate control system (if your car supports that). As was suggested in post #2, leaks can occur when seals dry up because refrigerant is not circulating through the system so keep your a/c on all the time as it prevents this from happening.

If you did have a leak, it would have probably shown up in two weeks so just keep driving and enjoying your car.
 
Second best tool would be a scanner that can read the pressure sensors for your climate control system (if your car supports that).
FYI. An IcarSoft MB 2.0 can read the refrigerant pressure on my W204
 
If they did a proper job they would have used a sniffer and a UV lamp to look for a leak, if they found a leak they would have told you. Personally I would buy nothing related to a/c service, after all you say it's still ice cold after two weeks. Just drive it, run the a/c (climate) all of the time and don't sweat it (see what I did there ?) , from what you have told us it appears they have serviced your a/c correctly.

Replace cabin filter(s). :thumb:
 
Alan, I'm not familiar with the C class but the best tool you can buy is a set of manifold gauges and learn how to use them. Second best tool would be a scanner that can read the pressure sensors for your climate control system (if your car supports that). As was suggested in post #2, leaks can occur when seals dry up because refrigerant is not circulating through the system so keep your a/c on all the time as it prevents this from happening.

If you did have a leak, it would have probably shown up in two weeks so just keep driving and enjoying your car.
The only fly in the ointment is that in the UK you have to be F-Gas registered to purchase refrigerant. Although strangely not to buy the car AC top up canisters, which I think you & I don't recommend. Not only that you'll need a vacuum pump to evacuate the system & a reclaim unit & reclaim cylinder. Better off taking it to an AC specialist, not one of the drive in places that hooks up a machine, the machines don't carry out a pressure test. A specialist will pressure test the system with nitrogen.
 
I'm not sure what a top up canister is but usually refrigerant comes in either a 12-16oz can or a 30lbs cylinder. As long as it has the same stuff inside it (R134a), then it does not matter what the container looks like. You can either screw the hoses to the can or use a side can tap like the one pictured

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If the system is completely empty then certainly you should find the leak and vacuum the system before charging. If the system is slightly low due to a minor seal leak caused by someone leaving the A/C off over the winter (as we had discussed in another thread), then a can to top off the system using proper manifold gauges is the way to go as you'll need to measure the pressure on the high side and not the low side.

Furthermore, you can do a lot more with a proper manifold gauge set than add freon. You can just about diagnose every problem with an air conditioning system with them.
 
Yes you're talking about the States. Here in the UK refrigerant comes in 12 kg. cylinders (27 lbs.) or larger. The only cans are the car A/C DIY ones you get in motor accessory stores which hold about 600 grams (1.2 lbs.). They come with a fitting that goes straight on the suction port of the car AC system and also usually a little pressure gauge. I've never seen that device that pierces a can before, it looks like it works the same way as the line tap valves that get used to access the system on domestic refrigerators.
It just so happens I re-gassed the aircon on my CLS yesterday btw ;)
 

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Thank you for all your replies, it is appreciated. Update now over 3 weeks and still like a refrigerator inside in fact my wife said it was too cold, theres no satisfying some people.

Any way Thank you all again
 
Still like a fridge
 
Further update still like a fridge. I happened upon a auto car air con guy who put his gauges on it (for a drink ) the static Pressure was 115psi both gauges and when we started it it went 35 on the low and about 170ish on the high side. He said this was bang on and good He said that the system was empty because the previous owner hadn’t charged it up and when I had it regased this lubricated all the orings seals etc as some one previous said here two months later still artic like air inside job done
 

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