Founding Member AhsyV6 Posted August 30, 2015 Founding Member Report Share Posted August 30, 2015 Hello all, I had an AC clean and recharge at Kwik Fit yesterday as I got a free voucher for it. I haven't changed it in the 3 years I've owned it and It was still cold and when they measured the temp it read just over 10 degrees and after they finished it read at 14ish? Our CG2 didn't come up on the machine and wanted to know which Honda has the same settings as ours as I will be going back to them get it done again? Thanks Ahsanul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators hughezee Posted August 30, 2015 Administrators Report Share Posted August 30, 2015 Firstly Thick Fit don't score highly in my book and have damaged several cars A.C trying to get it as cold as they can Nevertheless its a good idea to freshen up the system as its something I will be doing to mine at some point but its so bloody cold already all A.C systems are supposed to be sealed for life but we all no what a sealed for life transmissions means, its doomed doomed I say Personally I wouldn't use your Air Conditioning until they have refilled with the correct amount of R134a refrigerant 625-650 grams (23 oz.) PAG 46 oil is 150-160 grams (5.50oz.), which is basically the same for the S2000 which has slightly less PAG 46 oil @ 140 grams Hope this helps m8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Founding Member Brett Posted August 31, 2015 Founding Member Report Share Posted August 31, 2015 As stu said Kwik fit are monkeys and would nether trust them with my car. Go to a honda dealer in future is my recommendation for air con services. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Founding Member Mazda Man Posted August 31, 2015 Founding Member Report Share Posted August 31, 2015 I'm no air-con expert although I would suspect that all they're interested in is gassing them up and taking your money. Not much point if there's a leak somewhere and I believe the a/c pipe at the front is known to cause problems. As well as Honda, there are other 'proper' specialists out there, I went to a guy last year, operating out of a normal semi but when he opened his garage, wow...he was rebuilding an old motorbike worth £10K + and he did the air-con stuff on the side. He knew his stuff, he said he'd done thousands over the years and he had all the kit including those machines that suck out the old refridgerant (apparently you need a licence?). Might be worth seeking out a local expert rather than taking your pride and joy to the moneys at Kwik Fit et al. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators hughezee Posted December 14, 2015 Administrators Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 Well I have a snake hissing at me from behind the glove-box so when I change my pollen filter I will have to be extra careful but seriously I think my A.C is getting warmer it's not done bad considering its the original refrigerant, so a system service is long overdue. I am hoping when I top it up and add some leak die I find my condenser has had it I've been meaning to replace it anyway, as I already have a new receiver drier + seals knowing my luck ATM it will be the most expensive discharge hose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Founding Member Mazda Man Posted December 14, 2015 Founding Member Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 Oh dear...was watching Wheeler Dealers last night and they had a beautiful Maserati. There was a leak somewhere and he had to remove loads of stuff just to get at it. Think he had to remove the headlight to get to the dryer and said a dealer would have charged over £1500 in labour!! Ouch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators hughezee Posted December 16, 2015 Administrators Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 I can pretty much replace all the parts that commonly fail excluding the compressor for 150 squid and I doubt it needs a major overhaul as a result of just leaving it a while and more problems arising.. Anyway booked in Friday at ATS on their new fan-dangle machine,armed with the exact spec's for my system and will add some die if not provided... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators hughezee Posted December 18, 2015 Administrators Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 Well the system vacuum was fine and refilled (pressurised) without a problem, well until the chap at ATS removed the low pressure feed hose and we had intoxicating sprinkler system so he promptly recovered the system and at least I found the problem. Honda want just over 170 squid for a replacement pipe p/n: 80321S87E01 item 4 illustrated below. I was thinking of whipping the pipe off the spares car and then thought if an seal had failed in mine an older part could be more hassle long term Anyway I have just ordered a valve kit for an eye watering £5.53 for 4 valves and "O" ring kit for £7.21 plus international postage I will follow up on a separate post once the parts arrive and I'm now off to remove the ectoplasm from my engine bay 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Founding Member Mazda Man Posted December 19, 2015 Founding Member Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 Der der der der der.....GHOST.....BUSTERS......who ya gonna call. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators hughezee Posted December 19, 2015 Administrators Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 Der der der der der.....GHOST.....BUSTERS......who ya gonna call.He-Man or maybe Honda Man would be better 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Laird_Scooby Posted December 19, 2015 Moderators Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 When there's something strange, in your engine bay............................ Good work there Stu - how did you find ATS in terms of service? Like many others i wouldn't touch Fik-Wit with your bargepole, let alone mine and haven't tried ATS for air-con yet. Last time i used a specialist that was about 4 miles from home - now they're about 16-18 miles away unlike ATS that are about 5 miles. I need to get the A/C working in at least the Rovers (maybe won't bother with the Jeep for now) but don't want to have to do serious mileage just to get a discharge/refill or pay the earth for it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators hughezee Posted December 19, 2015 Administrators Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 ATS is Burton are usually very quiet and just dealing with fleet vehicles more than retail customers but despite this they are way beyond thikfit customer service wise in my opinion. The other ATS branches I have used are reassuringly consistent apart from having more retail customers waiting on their cars, they seem to follow a script but normally in a customers favour if they make a mistake or something takes longer than expected.Area managers seem to visit branches regularly to keep things running smoothly and they even had the correct spec's on the system when I made the appointment, although when I returned for the job they picked the wrong car spec's (operator error maybe) either way they happily followed the spec's I provided and didn't even charge me for basically doing the job to the end and they could have easily not called me over to look at the car spitting out the fluid glued and capped the valve on and my A..C and would have continued to work for a while. Also on the subject of not charging me they have done this in several branches on checking tyres, wheel alignment MOT re-tests when taking the car away for it to be fixed ect if there's nothing wrong or they can't proceed they don't charge anything.Overall I have had good experience with ATS and they even offered me the reduced recharge service which didn't start till next month I know he wasn't telling fibs because I had a customers A.C done a week or so back at another branch which was a fiver more expensive, so I will happily keep using them when needed 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Laird_Scooby Posted December 19, 2015 Moderators Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 That's good to know Stu - thanks! Re your A/C, am i right in guessing the LP valve had let go and was just letting the gas out or was it a crack on the pipe? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators hughezee Posted December 19, 2015 Administrators Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 That's good to know Stu - thanks! Re your A/C, am i right in guessing the LP valve had let go and was just letting the gas out or was it a crack on the pipe?Yeah sorry for the long winded reply buddy but credit where credit's due and yes its the low pressure (core) valve has failed and the new kit comes with metal caps and seals. Additionally I'm still thinking of replacing the condenser as I will be replacing the receiver drier anyway and my good one could prove useful for somebody thinking of reinstating their A.C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Laird_Scooby Posted December 19, 2015 Moderators Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 No worries on the long reply m8y - good to have a decent explanation! Unusual for a vale to fail that way but it does happen, nowt you can do except recover the gas, fix it and then get it vac'd down for a good half hour before introducing fresh gas, leak sealer and detector dye. Fingers crossed that should fix it for a good while anyway! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators hughezee Posted December 20, 2015 Administrators Report Share Posted December 20, 2015 Seems to be a few youtube videos on the valves and few Honda an Toyota's seem to have this problem and my system was recovered by ATS and you can hear a hiss from the valve as a result, but safe to work on so may as well to go to town on the system and give my ageing compressor an easier life with a new condenser as the cheaper option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Laird_Scooby Posted December 20, 2015 Moderators Report Share Posted December 20, 2015 Seems to be a common problem then? Or at least common to certain A/C systems made maybe at a certain time or by a certain manufacturer?A new condenser would be good as well as the reciever-dryer, maybe even treat it to a new TXV as well? They can be troublesome with age and if you're stripping various bits from it while it's degassed, the expansion valve might be a good move. I know it's extra expense but in my experience, they tend to play up after the rest of the system has been sorted after a period of non-use. Basically they seem to attract moisture, more on the outside than inside and that obviously freezes when the gas goes through, causing the valve to shut and prevent proper cooling/drying of the incoming air.It's a gamble - do you go the whole hog and replace the TXV as well as the receiver-dryer and condensor to be on the safe side and know you're pretty much guaranteed of a working A/C or risk it and hope for the best that it doesn't play up? Obviously if it does then it's another de and re on the gas to strip the system down to replace the expansion valve and a fair bit of work to physically get to it.Sometimes you can free them up by getting the engine nice and hot (so the incoming air is as warm as it possibly can be) and cycling the A/C from coldest to hottest, coldest to hottest every 10-15 minutes or so for about an hour. You'll sweat and freeze your bits off alternately for that hour or so and use a bit of pterol but hey, you can have fun while you're at it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators hughezee Posted December 23, 2015 Administrators Report Share Posted December 23, 2015 Well just bagged a brand new genuine OEM condenser for less than £35 delivered, bit of saving on £455.56 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Laird_Scooby Posted December 23, 2015 Moderators Report Share Posted December 23, 2015 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators hughezee Posted December 23, 2015 Administrators Report Share Posted December 23, 2015 I prefer raspberry but yeah I am a still jammy sod 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Laird_Scooby Posted December 23, 2015 Moderators Report Share Posted December 23, 2015 The line of thought was "more jam than Hartleys" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators hughezee Posted January 2, 2016 Administrators Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 Just waiting on my new expansion valve and a few posts to follow soon 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Laird_Scooby Posted January 2, 2016 Moderators Report Share Posted January 2, 2016 OoooooHHhhh!!! Christmas has come early! Or late, depending on your point of view! Nice little collection there and good thinking on the TXV too! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Founding Member Mazda Man Posted January 5, 2016 Founding Member Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 Dave......TXV? Can you illuminate us thickos please what this is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Laird_Scooby Posted January 5, 2016 Moderators Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 Dave......TXV? Can you illuminate us thickos please what this is? Three answers to that Geoff, about £38, a Thermal eXpansion Valve or one of these : http://www.autoairconparts.co.uk/car-air-conditioning-expansion-valve-honda-accord-mk7-coupe-98-3-0-24v-petrol-manual-automatic-feb-1998-to-jun-2003.html In simple terms they are a variable valve that lets the refrigerant into the evaporator (the "cold" radiator for the A/C inside your heater box) in a controlled way so it doesn't overcool and freeze everything up with haw frost before cooling/conditioning the air or undercool so that it might as well not have air-con. They are known to give trouble after the system has been dormant for a while (although can give trouble in service too) because they seem to attract moisture and tend to freeze when the gas goes through them causing a malfunction (generally lack of cooling or uncontrolled cooling) so as Stu is stripping a lot down on his sytem it makes sense to renew it while it's in bits. Saves a lot of (potential) trouble later! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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