Aston Martins are cool - eventually!
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This is a tail of woe re. my 2006 V8 Vantage’s air conditioning, albeit with a happy ending.
It all started two years ago when I bought the car from McGurks. On the 130-mile drive home I realised the aircon wasn’t working. Not a problem - I contacted an aircon specialist who diagnosed a faulty condenser and a new one was ordered from Scuderia parts. McGurk agreed to cover the cost so all was well - or so I thought.
The condenser arrived and was fitted by the aircon specialist with my help. After regassing the aircon was cold, end of story.
Except that it wasn’t. The aircon only lasted two days before giving up the ghost - bugger!
Fast forward two months and I took it to my local garage who diagnosed a faulty pipe. Another £400 later, including a regas with a fluorescent dye, and away I went.
And yep, a week later it went again - bugger!
I bought a UV light to check for leaks but couldn’t find one. Perhaps it is the compressor?
After putting the car back on the road this spring I took it to the local Norfolk AM specialist for a service and explained the aircon problem too. “No problem, we’ll take a look sir,” they said.
So after a £2,000 bill for a service, rear diff oil change, and work on the aircon it seems they couldn’t find a leak either, so they recharged it - again.
Guess what - it failed after two days!
So, mightily p*ssed off I thought I’d try and sort it myself. A friend checked it and agreed that no obvious leak could be found, but suggested that the Schrader input valve on the low side might be leaking. Tests with soapy water were inconclusive, but then again there was no pressure left in the system. But he did think he detected a slight hiss when he took the plastic cover off the valve.
So off to Amazon and an aircon recharging kit, a can of gas and a valve removal tool were soon on their way. The valve was replaced in five minutes and I regassed the car and checked the pressure - all OK. And cold air came through the vents. A few days later - all still OK. Success!
So I now have working aircon again, but why did no one check the input valve in the first place? Two years of hell for the sake of a £1 part. Geez!
It all started two years ago when I bought the car from McGurks. On the 130-mile drive home I realised the aircon wasn’t working. Not a problem - I contacted an aircon specialist who diagnosed a faulty condenser and a new one was ordered from Scuderia parts. McGurk agreed to cover the cost so all was well - or so I thought.
The condenser arrived and was fitted by the aircon specialist with my help. After regassing the aircon was cold, end of story.
Except that it wasn’t. The aircon only lasted two days before giving up the ghost - bugger!
Fast forward two months and I took it to my local garage who diagnosed a faulty pipe. Another £400 later, including a regas with a fluorescent dye, and away I went.
And yep, a week later it went again - bugger!
I bought a UV light to check for leaks but couldn’t find one. Perhaps it is the compressor?
After putting the car back on the road this spring I took it to the local Norfolk AM specialist for a service and explained the aircon problem too. “No problem, we’ll take a look sir,” they said.
So after a £2,000 bill for a service, rear diff oil change, and work on the aircon it seems they couldn’t find a leak either, so they recharged it - again.
Guess what - it failed after two days!
So, mightily p*ssed off I thought I’d try and sort it myself. A friend checked it and agreed that no obvious leak could be found, but suggested that the Schrader input valve on the low side might be leaking. Tests with soapy water were inconclusive, but then again there was no pressure left in the system. But he did think he detected a slight hiss when he took the plastic cover off the valve.
So off to Amazon and an aircon recharging kit, a can of gas and a valve removal tool were soon on their way. The valve was replaced in five minutes and I regassed the car and checked the pressure - all OK. And cold air came through the vents. A few days later - all still OK. Success!
So I now have working aircon again, but why did no one check the input valve in the first place? Two years of hell for the sake of a £1 part. Geez!
I have been doing a lot of the work myself - repaired the headlight washers, replaced the strakes, replaced the washer bottle, painted the front valance, repaired the indicator repeater, replaced the PPF on the rear wheel arches, replaced the air and cabin filters. It's all part of the "fun" and has saved a fortune. As long as you take your time and have the right tools it isn't so hard and you learn a lot as you go. Re. the paintwork, if I have been been unhappy with the result I've removed the paint and done it again (cellulose).
I am fed up with paying dealer prices for shoddy, rushed work that doesn't resolve the problem. Having said that, I'm not about to pull the engine apart!
I am fed up with paying dealer prices for shoddy, rushed work that doesn't resolve the problem. Having said that, I'm not about to pull the engine apart!
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