V5 air con issues

[ifb-online]

Recently had the controller board for the heating and aircon system replaced (under a parts and labour warranty we invested in - amazingly the claim was honoured) because system was only pumping hot air in to the car (flaps stuck in the wrong position).

Prior to that KwiK Fit re-gassed the aircon unit for free (they will do it for free if the air con doesn't improve).

So all was well, but just a few weeks later the air con now only cools the car at above 2000RPM when driving (assuming it's an engine speed relationship).

The car has just returned from having the clutch master cylinder replaced - could there be a link?

Ian

 

[Slimy]

I wonder whether the clutch mechanism is failing? I'm basically thinking of the snake accessory belt and where it runs round the air con pump. With the engine running but air con switched off, you can see the centre of the pulley completely still and the accessory belt appears to 'slip' round it. When the air con is switched on, the centre can be seen to start turning.

Get someone to switch the air con on while it is idling, and see if you can see it kick in. If it doesn't, then give it a few revs and see if it starts turning.

By the way, while it is a clutch mechanism, I'm not referring to THE clutch, so you having the master cylinder replaced shouldn't have made any difference.

 

[ifb-online]

I wonder whether the clutch mechanism is failing? I'm basically thinking of the snake accessory belt and where it runs round the air con pump. With the engine running but air con switched off, you can see the centre of the pulley completely still and the accessory belt appears to 'slip' round it. When the air con is switched on, the centre can be seen to start turning.

Get someone to switch the air con on while it is idling, and see if you can see it kick in. If it doesn't, then give it a few revs and see if it starts turning.

By the way, while it is a clutch mechanism, I'm not referring to THE clutch, so you having the master cylinder replaced shouldn't have made any difference.

Thanks for this. Other opinion points to this as well. Apparently it's adjustable? I do hope so as that would point to an inexpensive fix as we have spent so much to keep this car on the road!

Ian

 

[Slimy]

I don't really know about it being adjustable, but a quick search on Ebay suggests anywhere between £75 and £300 for a replacement pump with clutch, up to £400 for brand new from Eurocarparts. I can't see the clutch on it's own unfortunately.

If through some miracle I get my Elsawin working again I'll see what options are available for adjustment.

 

[ifb-online]

I read that others have ended up with bits of the clutch falling off. At least things haven't reach that state yet with me as the cooling comes on nicely above 2000 revs so I guess it is slipping or not engagaing at the lower speed. The garage I have booked the car into for next week which specialises in this kind of work did mention there was a chance it just needed adjusting. I've read about shims being used for this purpose. Unfortunately, there isn't much point in throwing much more money at this car, so fingers crossed that it's only an adjustment required as we're taking it on holiday to France next week!

Ian

 

[Slimy]

I agree, the fact that it just comes on late rather than not at all means that it's not quite dead, although it can't be far off. Fingers crossed it can be shimmed, although I thought the clutch was electronically operated?

Keep us updated, I'm sure this won't be the last compressor that is potentially saved from the brink of replacement...

 

[ifb-online]

This link is interesting:

trustmymechanic.com/ac_troubleshooting.htm

We had the aircon regassed by Kwik Fit (for free because their deal is that if the re-gas doesn't improve things then it's free) before we realised the control board was dud. The info in the link does point to low gas levels, but we can discount that, so the finger points mainly to fan cooling at low vehicle and engine speeds.

I'm more optimistic that it isn't a compresso clutch issue. Why would this not work at low engine speed? I'd have thought it's more likely to slip the faster it goes. Anyway we should have a better idea by Monday afternoon!

Incidentally, if anyone else is having the heating/cooling system control board changed like we did (it controls the flaps in the vent system) while the board change is simple, the board needs to be programmed by a main dealer (and VW dealers can't do it needs to be Seat service computer) and this costs half an hour of dealer labour (around £50).

Ian