Air not conning....

Air not conning....

Author
Discussion

davidd

Original Poster:

6,531 posts

291 months

Friday 27th June 2003
quotequote all
The aircon in my cerbera has packed up. It was last regassed about a year ago.
Lookming in the handbook I cannot find a fuse for it (damm) however when I press the aircon button I can hear a relay switching from somewhere in the passenger footwell.

Any ideas where to look? (of course it worked fine all through the winter!!!!)

Please help it is going to be hot later..

D.

gixxer1000

786 posts

259 months

Friday 27th June 2003
quotequote all
davidd, it could well be a fuse/relay problem, but equally could likely be that you've lost your gas again. My Cerb has had to be regassed twice, and I've only had it 3 months.

I questioned my dealer on this and he said that TVR have done a crap job of designing the aircon on the Cerbera (and perhaps other Tivs too), and the components are not great either. It sounds like it was not so much designed in, but just whacked into an available gap as an afterthought.

I then asked him realistically how often I should expect the aircon to fail, and he replied twice a year.

The worst thing you can do with TVR aircon is to not use it. Some owners keep it on all the time (with the fan turned low when you don't really need it) - not sure how that affects mpg however. Leaving it off for months through the winter will pretty likely mean it will not work when you need it coming into summer.



davidd

Original Poster:

6,531 posts

291 months

Friday 27th June 2003
quotequote all
Thanks for the reply, it does get used through the winter and I had thought it might need a recharge. Do I have to go to a dealer or can I just call 'regas r us' ?

D.

jj99

43 posts

259 months

Friday 27th June 2003
quotequote all
it may not be the best system in the world but regassing twice a year seems extreme to me especially when its used regularly. As for regassing wouldnt go near a dealer anyone can do it probably for a third of the dealer price. Get them to put a dye in with the gas, That will show up any possible leaks.

jonny tvr

4,541 posts

288 months

Friday 27th June 2003
quotequote all
I've just had a mobile aircon co look at mine and it does need regassing due to a leak at one of the couplings (the one attached to the radiator). Sounds simple but it isn't as the way TVR have designed it renders it impossible to reach the coupling bolt to undo it and replace the washer! It means that I've got to have the whole radiator taken out and the system emptied! Anyway I decided not to have the work done......can anyone suggest how you could get to the nut!

stag

469 posts

272 months

Friday 27th June 2003
quotequote all
Aircon on a tvr is no differant than any other car and if it needs regassing then you have a leak. Normally from a split hose, leaking compressor seal or holed condenser. The system should be pressure tested with dry nitrogen to 400psi and then when found the leak can be repaired, although maybe access could be difficult.

To get to hard to reach nuts etc, then a ring flare spanner normally works and a lot of patience.

anonymous-user

61 months

Saturday 28th June 2003
quotequote all
Had my Chim regassed last year, and it has packed up working over the last month.

I use it sparingly, so there must be a leak somewhere

davidd

Original Poster:

6,531 posts

291 months

Monday 30th June 2003
quotequote all
I think I have found a small hole in one of the pipes, I'll get round to getting it regassed at soume point and get them to shove some dye in it for me.

Thanks

D.

GCerbera

5,161 posts

258 months

Monday 30th June 2003
quotequote all
One thing I wanted to check at PF was another 'hot'
Cerbera's air con, as mine blows cool at night, but
in yesterday's heat, just blew hot air even with air con on.

I guess I either need a regas or have a problem there,
but want to know how cool it should feel on a summer's day?

With the windows down, it wasn't needed, but it would have been nice while in the traffic.

I'll check the setting, but how cool is cool for the notorious Cerbera air con?

davidd

Original Poster:

6,531 posts

291 months

Monday 30th June 2003
quotequote all
Mabe that is my problem, I thought it was broken on a really hot day...I'll try it this evening on the way home.

D.

gixxer1000

786 posts

259 months

Monday 30th June 2003
quotequote all
If it's working properly (i.e. full capacity), you will notice a difference on very hot days. Mine has recently been sorted and it was nice and cool on all the sweltering days we have had this summer so far. Even stuck in a traffic jam in London it stayed cool.

That said, it's not Mercedes climate control we're talking about here, so the air is not icy cold, but it will cool the car down in UK heat.

jock-tt

5,037 posts

280 months

Monday 30th June 2003
quotequote all
If it's blowing warm during the day then it's probably not working.
Mine has been cold in evening but warm during the day and I know for definate that mine isn't working.
However, the two centre vents do have a lot of hot air coming thru even when the blowers are off!!!!

Try getting it regassed first, my Alfa needed redone every couple of months when I got back from the rigs. Used to just take it round the local backstreet garage and get it done for a few quid.

GCerbera

5,161 posts

258 months

Monday 30th June 2003
quotequote all
jock-tt said:
Try getting it regassed first,
Can most garages regas it, or do most people use a TVR specialist?

gazzab

21,232 posts

289 months

Monday 30th June 2003
quotequote all
Gus - the cold vents will blow cold air with air con on but the hot vents will still blow hot even with the fan turned off especially noticable at high speed as air is forced through. There are some mods avail to stop it doing this. I know Andy at APM can do it.

Julian64

14,317 posts

261 months

Tuesday 1st July 2003
quotequote all
I've been regassing my cars for years now. Startup costs not that expensive. I have a little sniffer bought from RS components I think. No need for dye (it didn't work that well when I tried it anyway). The sniffer spots the gas escaping very easily. One word of warning if you are going to get it regassed. Make sure you have oil in it and they don't just stick in gas, and make sure its the right gas. Cos it all changed about 1995. From one gas to the next and the old type seals will not take the new type gas.

Julian

madasahatter

374 posts

274 months

Tuesday 1st July 2003
quotequote all
I am sure everybody knows about this, but regarding the A/C on my Cerbera......

It works well to start with, and then slowly starts to be unable to deal with the heat soak. On mine ('96 4.2) the passenger vent warms up first, followed by the centre vents (which aim down on my car). The drivers vent generally stays cold for some time.

Switching the A/C off for a bit, and then back on restores its effectiveness.

It is possible to alter the temperature of the A/C via a potentiometer, but if you turn it down to low things start to freeze, and the A/C becomes gradually less efficient.

Dunno whether that helps anyone though

gazzab

21,232 posts

289 months

Tuesday 1st July 2003
quotequote all
I cant hear the relay coming on on my air con no more.
Is this likely to be a fuse (as first port of call at least)? Are the fuses in the footwell. Where is the air con relay?
ta
Gary

madasahatter

374 posts

274 months

Wednesday 2nd July 2003
quotequote all
Are the A/C fuses/Relays not in the boot, on the right hand side behind a panel? I think that is where most of them are?