3 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

You'll have the 'triangle front' compressor on a Mk2.  

It's not the same as Mk1 but does use a similar shim system.  The shims are very small and inside the clutch plate shaft.  You'll see if it's been slipping by score lines around it when you remove the front plate.

The symptoms do seem to be similar to the slipping clutch. 

The engine was reading the same temp when the AC got warmer (10c) on Sunday after the 3rd drive as it was when I got to Tesco earlier when it was still blowing nice and cold (4.5c), so I guess that reduces the chances of it being warm air leaking through the flaps to the front vents? Unless that doesn’t occur until the thermostat opens completely or something like that and it didn’t until after the 3rd drive. I’m not sure how that works regarding the HVAC flaps. 

 

3 minutes ago, Hooded said:

The symptoms do seem to be similar to the slipping clutch. 

The engine was reading the same temp when the AC got warmer (10c) on Sunday after the 3rd drive as it was when I got to Tesco earlier when it was still blowing nice and cold (4.5c), so I guess that reduces the chances of it being warm air leaking through the flaps to the front vents? Unless that doesn’t occur until the thermostat opens completely or something like that and it didn’t until after the 3rd drive. I’m not sure how that works regarding the HVAC flaps. 

Coolant always flows through the heater matrix on these, regardless of the thermostat position. 

So once the coolant temp gauge starts to move, you should be getting a warm heater matrix, with the potential to contaminate the cooled air if the flap was stuck open.

30 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Coolant always flows through the heater matrix on these, regardless of the thermostat position. 

So once the coolant temp gauge starts to move, you should be getting a warm heater matrix, with the potential to contaminate the cooled air if the flap was stuck open.

Would you agree it’s less likely a sticking flap then if it was still blowing cold on the first 2 journeys once the engine was up to its running temp (80-84c)

Trying to rule out stuff.

cheers

Just now, Hooded said:

Would you agree it’s less likely a sticking flap then if it was still blowing cold on the first 2 journeys once the engine was up to its running temp (80-84c)

Trying to rule out stuff.

cheers

Yes.