Anyone tried it?

http://www.halfords.com/motoring/engine-oils-fluids/air-con/ez-chill-auto-air-conditioning-recharge

Basically the AC compressor isn't kicking in on the ST, I can't see any visible holes or leaking dye anywhere so guess it's just out of gas...  Problem is, all the regas' I've seen this week are like £45-£50, including my mates garage.  Sure it was £30 a few weeks back, too late in the year I guess.    Both the Focus and Dad's Mondeo could also do with a top up, but both are still working currently just not icy.

I was wondering if the above actually works?  I know I'll need the hose adapter thing as well, but with FOC discount at Halfords and the refund of the spent can(s - one for the Fez and one between the Foc and Mondy?) it doesn't work out nearly as much as 3 regasses!

how have you checked for leaks?

Just a visual check on the accessible parts for holes or dye.  Couldn't see any, the system looks pretty good but obviously I can't see the entire condenser or where the pipes go round the back, though if I can't see it, I kinda assume a stone won't be able to get to it either.  Unless there are any common weak points I should be checking for? 

you wont see leaks even with dye unless you are using ultraviolet light and glasses, normal place dfor leaks are where pipes fit to condensor, and condensor its self.

air con gas can be nasty stuff, esp if it escapes, i use special gloves, goggles and apron when connecting/disconnecting.

also when using profesional equipment your drawing moisture out first and checking for leaks before putting the correct amount in.

too little or to much affects the performance

3 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

Anyone tried it?

http://www.halfords.com/motoring/engine-oils-fluids/air-con/ez-chill-auto-air-conditioning-recharge

Basically the AC compressor isn't kicking in on the ST, I can't see any visible holes or leaking dye anywhere so guess it's just out of gas...  Problem is, all the regas' I've seen this week are like £45-£50, including my mates garage.  Sure it was £30 a few weeks back, too late in the year I guess.    Both the Focus and Dad's Mondeo could also do with a top up, but both are still working currently just not icy.

I was wondering if the above actually works?  I know I'll need the hose adapter thing as well, but with FOC discount at Halfords and the refund of the spent can(s - one for the Fez and one between the Foc and Mondy?) it doesn't work out nearly as much as 3 regasses!

ATS currently have an offer on if you go through Groupon for a recharge and bacterial clean, oh and a check to make sure you have no leaks :) 

A proper regas involves applying a vacuum to draw off old refrigerant and check for any leaks which would be identified by the machine not being able to create a vacuum, flushing through UV dye with nitrogen to locate the leaks if no vacuum forms and then re-gassing the system to manufacturer specs whilst adding PAG oil to lubricate the compressor and condition the seals if recommended by the manufacturer.

Using a home kit is fine for top-up's but a waste of time if the system is in need of maintenance.

It is also illegal to knowingly allow refrigerant to vent to atmosphere and anyone drawing off gas needs to be licenced to do so.

Sent from my SM-G930F

Cheers guys.  

Is the dye no longer that green stuff that's impossible to get out of jeans or concrete lol?  On the 306s the pipes running along the radiator crossmember always break and leave dye dribbling out.

Its not immediately deadly...as I found out disconnecting a system I thought was empty....sssssssssssss...ah crap, run...  

I knew about the vac test but didn't realise it took moisture out, I didn't know the refrigerant 'went off', thought it was just sucked out, vac tested and the same put back in with a bit extra.  That does make sense though so looks like its best left to the pro's then.  Seems odd though, I'm not getting the Hotpoint refrigerant changed every couple of years, whats different about the car systems lol?

Ryan - I only use TCB so hadn't seen the Groupon one, will have a look now.  I like the 'combined anti bac treatment'...its literally a spray can you leave in the car 10 minutes lol.

So the Groupon one costs £32.95 at ATS...where I had an argument with the tech about which way was toe out when he was doing my tracking...   So I'll give that a miss I think.

Can get it done at F1 which I've used a few times for £38 with discount code and TCB.  So I'll probably do that...might let them do a 'free' 10 point check as well, might as well get some free screenwash out of them lol.

Refrigerator cooling systems are hermetically sealed, all joints welded or soldered usually. The electric motor runs inside the sealed circuit, and the copper wires go in via good seals, maybe metal to glass which is 100% leakproof, used on CRTs etc. They should never leak unless something has failed badly.

A car aircon has several service joints, with gaskets of some kind, screwed in pressure sensors, at least two fill points with non-return valves, rubber flexible hoses, etc. Worst of all, the compressor has a "sealed" rotating shaft from the external pulley. Car aircon systems are guaranteed to leak at some time, or perhaps all the time, slightly.

I bought a kit off an Ebay seller, my system only needed a little bit (about 1/10th of the tin), and has worked ok since (9 months). If the system pressure has remained reasonably well above ambient, then water ingress is not a problem, just make sure everything is clean & dry, then flush out the hose & the fill fitting first with a squirt of gas. It all went very smoothly.

My kit  (Auto Freeze 18oz) cost £45 with the hose, but as I have only used a fraction of it, it still looks good value.

If the system is empty, or very low pressure, then it will need evacuating. Air will spoil its performance. Water, I have heard, forms an acid with the refrigerant or oil, and rots the compressor, and other bits. As Ian & Clive say, then it is a job for the the aircon man with the machine.

Do not overfill the system, pressure is a very poor indicator once it is in the correct range, so just add enough to get it working. I found the pressure gauge first rose a bit, then dropped as the gas went in, reasonable as the system then started to cool, so more liquid refrigerant would form inside the system. Weight of the cylinder is a good indication of the amount going in. Too little usually just means a warm car, too much may mean a wrecked compressor if it draws in liquid.

Since practically all car aircon systems leak, and it all goes into the atmosphere anyway, small losses like flushing out a hose are not a significant worry. It would be irresponsible, and maybe illegal, to deliberately dump whole systems full of gas, though I bet lots of garages do this, behind closed doors. And accidents must be common, servicing type accidents, as Tom found, and even a slight collision may damage the condenser enough to make it leak.

Yes, I did wear gloves & glasses, just in case.

 

 

 

So I completely ignored all of your advice and did it anyway...  

But seriously, I've been driving round trying to find a regas at a decent price and on a decent timescale and couldn't find any!  Its the height of hayfever season and I'm fed up having the window down tbh.

So bought a can and the adapter at Halfords, £45 on trade altogether.  Adapter is reusable and the can cost £30 but I'll go halves with Dad so Fiesta regas for £15...  Was willing to risk it not working tbh! 

Mk6 low pressure port is under the headlight to be awkward

There are instructions all over the place so won't bore you with those.  There was pressure in my system but not enough to kick the compressor on.  So basically I just kept adding a little at a time until the compressor kicked in.  It did, yay! But then a few seconds later kicked off, and cycled like this...the pressure fluctuated with it...hmm...  So knowing there was sufficient pressure and some lube in there at least, I bridged the pressure switch to keep the compressor running to take note of the gas pressure, this allowed me to fill to the correct level as seen below (21c ish, so 35psi'ish). then plugged the pressure sensor back in to make sure was still all good.

And now it's cold inside and working fantastically!   How long for...who knows??  But I've been surprised how easy and effective it is, but was also very careful with it, gloves, goggles etc.  Then let off an AC bomb in there and managed to lung full of that instead haha.   Topped off with a blue Jelly Belly (currently on offer in Tesco).