Air con not working - Advice Requested

[cpjb@btinternet.com]

Hi there - our dual climate stopped throwing out cold air this summer (great summer to go wrong ).

Took it in to VW at Wakefield (as fully booked at Sheffield) and they performed an air con service, and re-gassed it. Worked fine on the way back, but a few days later when we got in our van to head off to the Mosel - warm air only.

After the hols took it to Sheffield VW and they did some tests and said there was low pressure indicating a leakage. The California expert was on holiday, but the manager thought that the leakage was from the rear unit, and that the cabinets might all have to come out to check where the leakage is happening and the cost could be exorbitant. In fairness to the manager he said he nor his technicians were experts in the California, and it would have to wait for the California expert to get back. I haven't arranged to have it taken back in yet, but am not expecting a positive outcome.

I know nothing about how air con works, but it seems a little over the top to start taking cabinets out to pinpoint the leak. I'd appreciate it if anyone can offer any advice as how to move this forward, any direct experience of air con troubleshooting, or indeed, any recommendations to "experts" in this field. Thanks.

 

[MattBW]

My understanding is that the first point of investigation is inject a gas that will show a colour at leak points before removing anything. Have they done that?

 

[WelshGas]

Hi there - our dual climate stopped throwing out cold air this summer (great summer to go wrong ).

Took it in to VW at Wakefield (as fully booked at Sheffield) and they performed an air con service, and re-gassed it. Worked fine on the way back, but a few days later when we got in our van to head off to the Mosel - warm air only.

After the hols took it to Sheffield VW and they did some tests and said there was low pressure indicating a leakage. The California expert was on holiday, but the manager thought that the leakage was from the rear unit, and that the cabinets might all have to come out to check where the leakage is happening and the cost could be exorbitant. In fairness to the manager he said he nor his technicians were experts in the California, and it would have to wait for the California expert to get back. I haven't arranged to have it taken back in yet, but am not expecting a positive outcome.

I know nothing about how air con works, but it seems a little over the top to start taking cabinets out to pinpoint the leak. I'd appreciate it if anyone can offer any advice as how to move this forward, any direct experience of air con troubleshooting, or indeed, any recommendations to "experts" in this field. Thanks.

Where do they find some of these “ brain dead idiots”.
As far as I am aware the refrigerant pipes for the Rear AirCon exchanger travel from the underbonnet AirCon Compressor assembly to the rear UNDER the vehicle. They certainly do NOT travel behind the Habitation Units.
At most some of the underbody plastic protection has to be removed and the Rear Drivers Side Trim Panel to expose the whole of the pipe run and system.
Inject the Refrigerant with the special dye, run the engine and AirCon, front and rear and look for a leak.
Most likely cause is pipe joints and seals, especially if the system is not run regularly at least every month if not more frequently.
The Refrigerant contains a lubricant for the seals etc: and should be changed every 2 years and the system used regularly to avoid the seals drying out and leaking.

 

[cpjb@btinternet.com]

Thanks Matt and WG . Great pointers. Sounds like a competent auto air con service engineer can pinpoint this without the need for a VW bod if necessary.

BTW Air con is never switched off in my van.

 

[sidepod]

Given that the refrigerant is R134A the machine used to regas first applies a vacuum which tests for leaks before applying a recharge. In other words it’s unlikely you have a leak, if they did the job properly.

I believe it’s illegal to recharge without proving the system first?

 

[Emil Silenhag]

The aircondition in California and other T5/T6 models with a third clima zone in the back is a weak point. Endless cars have had problems I’m afraid. I have replaced every pipe and component, some twice (!). It is a big car, and my guess is that those long pipes underneath the wehicle suffer from movement in the chassi and from corroding salt splash from the road (in those countries where they put salt on the roads, like Scandinavia). There is especially one area that are more exposed and suffer corrosion, marked in red in my pictures. The long pipes runs underneath the car, and behind the right inner wheel ark in the rear, it goes up throug the floor and attaches to the vaporizer. I have had leaks here as well which can be seen in the pictures (yellow dye) marked in yellow. If they didn’t find the leak when working on the car, then recharge the system with dye (they have already done this if they are not “brain dead idiots”). Next time the air con stops they should be able to find the leak. Good luck.

 

[cpjb@btinternet.com]

Sidepod - That's exactly what they told me at Wakefield VW - that there would need to be a test for leakage before they could re-gas it.

When I questioned them on this after it had stopped working (i.e., why hadn't there test highlighted any leak) they said the leakage must have been too minor for the test to pick it up! At that point decided to take it to Sheffield for them to have a look at.

 

[Emil Silenhag]

Sidepod - That's exactly what they told me at Wakefield VW - that there would need to be a test for leakage before they could re-gas it.

When I questioned them on this after it had stopped working (i.e., why hadn't there test highlighted any leak) they said the leakage must have been too minor for the test to pick it up! At that point decided to take it to Sheffield for them to have a look at.

Sometimes they don’t find the leak during test with nitrogen gas. Maybe a very small leak or a leak that only occurs during movements (?). They then need to recharge the system with R134 and yellow dye...

 

[cpjb@btinternet.com]

Thanks Emil. Very useful information and advice, and thanks for attaching the photos.

Best Wishes,

Chris

 

[Emil Silenhag]

They use a nitrogen sniffer that can detect the gas. And special googles that makes it easier to see small amount of yellow dye...

 

[WelshGas]

What annoys me so much is that this supposed “ Manager “ can spout such a load of drivel.
AirCon is an option on all Transporter vans and the Climatronic System is available on the California, Caravelle, Shuttle and Kombi. The fact that the “ California “ technician was away should have had no bearing on the situation.
VW is supposed to be a premium brand, the Transporter a premium van and the California a premium camper and yet they treat customers with total disdain by employing such Premium Dickheads.

Rant over.

 

[VW Guru]

Hi so as has already been said the air con pipes run from the front of the vehicle at the TXV on the left side all along the underneath of the on the right side and this is the same set up as caravelle and shuttle if you spec rear A/c. Recently we have an influx of vehicles with rear A/c leaking at the pipe join three quarters of the way down the vehicle on the right side behide a plastic under shield or just in front of that at a pipe clip that seems to chaff on the aluminum pipe. I’m shocked that the dealer you went to has no idea of the basic Transporter variant and California A/C system . To put a couple of things straight F Gas rules state that if a leak is known you cannot knowingly regas the system or you will be prosecuted, leak dyes can be put in the system when carrying out an a/c service but not to determine a leak. To find a leak nitrogen must be put into the system.

Note if you work on A/c systems you must be F Gas trained or you are breaking the law. Not all technicians are trained.

A leak will not always be found on a vacuum check if the leak is a joint then when it is vacuumed the pipes will get pulled tighter together masking the leak, a vacuum check will normally only identify a big hole in the system and the real reason we carry out a vacuum of the system is to remove moisture not for any other reason.

 

[Stoneybroke]

The Caravelle has a similar dear sir con, so don't consider it is California specific.

 

[cpjb@btinternet.com]

I'm pretty sure that they said they were going to do a nitrogen test at Sheffield, but it can't have shown up where the leak was. Maybe they were looking inside the kitchen cabinets instead of under the van.

I'll re-contact them and see if they have come up with any bright ideas. Fortunate that winter's just around the corner though.

Thanks for the responses. Puts me in a good position to have a frank discussion with them now.

 

[2into1]

imagine Cali ownership without this forum!

 

[sidepod]

Blissful ignorance?

 

[jts46]

imagine Cali ownership without this forum!

We did for nearly 4 yrs

 

[MattBW]

We did for nearly 4 yrs

Then you joined and shared all your experiences with us