A/c interminent fault

[MercM2Mb]

Hi guys.
Unfortunately my 211s air con is playing up the last two weeks.
First time it happened it did not work for 30min. into the trip then worked fine for the rest of the trip (motorway). Duo valve seems to work i.e. when the ac blows cold I can get hot or cold air from right, left in any combination.
When it fails, all air is room temp. or hot if i crank the temperature up.
Sounds like compressor fault? Or low gas?
Yesterday it did not work for the whole motorway trip. When i parked at destination, switched car off, and then later switched it on, bingo it worked! Same today, if the car is restarted after some time the a/c seems to 'fix' itself.

Tia

 

[rifiki]

Low on gas?

 

[peterws1957]

Hi guys.
Unfortunately my 211s air con is playing up the last two weeks.
First time it happened it did not work for 30min. into the trip then worked fine for the rest of the trip (motorway). Duo valve seems to work i.e. when the ac blows cold I can get hot or cold air from right, left in any combination.
When it fails, all air is room temp. or hot if i crank the temperature up.
Sounds like compressor fault? Or low gas?
Yesterday it did not work for the whole motorway trip. When i parked at destination, switched car off, and then later switched it on, bingo it worked! Same today, if the car is restarted after some time the a/c seems to 'fix' itself.

Tia

I would suspect that the ac blower motor and/or it's regulator is beginning to fail. Had the same on mine with the same symptoms, albeit not a 211. Took mine out and connected to a 12v battery direct- no life left in either!

 

[Botus]

the bit covered in salt and stones that's never cleaned, lasted for 10 yeas in the good old days or 4 years on modern cars... at 100k miles and 15 years its got more holes than a colander and 25% of any re gas is gone after 2 months

 

[MercM2Mb]

Blower motor or regulator.
Will have this in mind.
Thx

 

[MercM2Mb]

the bit covered in salt and stones that's never cleaned, lasted for 10 yeas in the good old days or 4 years on modern cars... at 100k miles and 15 years its got more holes than a colander and 25% of any re gas is gone after 2 months

Referring to the blower motor? I inspected it yesterday and looks and spins ok. Also gave it a few blasts of window cleaner, insecticide and gucci perfume (70 alcohol) in that order, hoping to get some to the evaporator. Car now smells like a perfumery. Lol. Blower still works fine and is clean (never had a problem with it! A few seasons back I was using some mainstream UK made germ killer aerosol, can't remember which, again directly at the front motor. I also use the cabin deodorants/cleaners almost annually to keep the evap. clean.
I was smelling a foul dew smell lately.
Checked the passenger side, not wet.
Will see how this turns out

 

[MercM2Mb]

The pressure switch is under the condenser right?

 

[Botus]

the bit covered in salt and stones that's never cleaned, lasted for 10 yeas in the good old days or 4 years on modern cars... at 100k miles and 15 years its got more holes than a colander and 25% of any re gas is gone after 2 months

9 out of 10 AC faults, are due to pin prick holes in worn out condensers letting the gas fall out.... by the time only a third is left the pressure isn't enough and it stops coming out, in the modern world of variable compressors (from 2005 on) they keep running long after the old clunky ones would have stopped 2 years prior on low gas (but of course variable on low gas are pretty limp on the cooling front)

 

[MercM2Mb]

Re-gas the a.c system as late in the afternoon as possible go home and and inspect in the quiet of the night. Makes one hell of a difference how you can hear even the slightest sound!! I changed the condeser 8 years ago btw with an original one (whatever that is!) that cost me an arm.
? Is there "bad quality" gas going around in the market?? Say without proper lubricants in it, that would accelerate corrosion

 

[Botus]

? Is there "bad quality" gas going around in the market?? Say without proper lubricants in it, that would accelerate corrosion

buy a Porsche, the condenser and intercoolers are lucky to make 3 years.... (and its not under warranty !) meet the modern world of designed to rip money out of your wallet and trash the planet - they use Tesco value range, rather than Bacofoil xtra strong

Merc OEM https://catalogue.nissens.com/FrontPage

 

[Blobcat]

buy a Porsche, the condenser and intercoolers are lucky to make 3 years.... (and its not under warranty !) meet the modern world of designed to rip money out of your wallet and trash the planet - they use Tesco value range, rather than Bacofoil xtra strong

Merc OEM https://catalogue.nissens.com/FrontPage

That’s because they don’t fit guards in front of them so open to every stone going and generally detritus builds up at the bottom of the condenser and corrodes it out. Both mine went, I replaced them and fitted 5mm stainless mesh in all 3 rad openings, not had an issue since

 

[MercM2Mb]

Well, i guess a pressure test will show if there is gas leak anyway. I think not as the cooling performance is very good when working.
I thought the rad and oil cooler are in front of the condeser , somehow protecting it

 

[mattkh]

I thought the rad and oil cooler are in front of the condeser

Man over machine.
You want the human preference to cool the car quickly override the requirement to cool the engine.

 

[Botus]

the condenser is about the same height and width as the engine rad but about half the depth, always with condenser out front....

sometimes a PAS or Trans cooler is in front of the condenser, but often they are tiny things. PAS just a few crinkly black pipes to add surface area, The trans cooler can be 3" of the top of the condenser and or built in the engine rad.

The only one that doesn't stop the car running is the condenser....

 

[Botus]

That’s because they don’t fit guards in front of them so open to every stone going and generally detritus builds up at the bottom of the condenser and corrodes it out. Both mine went, I replaced them and fitted 5mm stainless mesh in all 3 rad openings, not had an issue since

good idea. is really is a bad show they go so easily, can you imagine its so obvious, a bit of leaf litter + road filth to hold the salt in place and to ensure its nice and wet against the bare aluminium....

on the bikes they now say only cold wash.... most types of car bubble bath with a warm bucket of water encourage corrosion

 

[Blobcat]

good idea. is really is a bad show they go so easily, can you imagine its so obvious, a bit of leaf litter + road filth to hold the salt in place and to ensure its nice and wet against the bare aluminium....

on the bikes they now say only cold wash.... most types of car bubble bath with a warm bucket of water encourage corrosion

I’ve also fitted radiator protectors to the R1250GSA - I made one for the R1200GSA

 

[Botus]

It was the BMW bubble bath the sales guy specifically told me NOT to use hot.... I think that's a response to the K1600 and others where it corrodes more than it should.

but I think at least as big a part is the lease it idea. they keep it looking presentable, but its not your bike and they don't wash off the salt every night and then there's not much left of the bolts, fastenings and the front of the engine cover after a few weeks

fitted that dongle yet.... I hear the newer one get more riding modes and for 2021 an eco mode.... might work on a long euro trip? How do you find the seat? Its feels strange and basic but it seemed to work far better. I didn't keep my LC for long enough to find out, the air-cooled ones do me in. 20 mins stock, 70 mins on the adventure one and all day with an air hawk whoopee cushion.

Ztechnik do screens (but big money) you at least need the brackets to stop it wobbling about https://www.nippynormans.com/r1250g...able-screen-strengthening-brackets-pair-black … UK website now dead great http://www.nationalcycle.com/vstream-zt.html got one on my GS brilliant, had one for the K1300 its was disappointing, better but not the utter transformation the GS one was.

 

[Blobcat]

It was the BMW bubble bath the sales guy specifically told me NOT to use hot.... I think that's a response to the K1600 and others where it corrodes more than it should.

but I think at least as big a part is the lease it idea. they keep it looking presentable, but its not your bike and they don't wash off the salt every night and then there's not much left of the bolts, fastenings and the front of the engine cover after a few weeks

fitted that dongle yet.... I hear the newer one get more riding modes and for 2021 an eco mode.... might work on a long euro trip? How do you find the seat? Its feels strange and basic but it seemed to work far better. I didn't keep my LC for long enough to find out, the air-cooled ones do me in. 20 mins stock, 70 mins on the adventure one and all day with an air hawk whoopee cushion.

Ztechnik do screens (but big money) you at least need the brackets to stop it wobbling about https://www.nippynormans.com/r1250g...able-screen-strengthening-brackets-pair-black … UK website now dead great http://www.nationalcycle.com/vstream-zt.html got one on my GS brilliant, had one for the K1300 its was disappointing, better but not the utter transformation the GS one was.

Seat is much more comfortable for me than the R1200GSA, I did a 290 mile 10 hr day without issues. Yes, ECO and Rain modes as well as road, Dynamic and Dynamic plus. It’s in on Wednesday for first service and extra modes unlock

 

[MercM2Mb]

Today I Switched on the car and the ac. Nothing-warm air. Switched off, on, ac off on, to wake it up, nothing. Pipe also warm. Battery voltage seems to be ok (via dash menue). Idling about 5 minutes.

Had lunch, went back...switched car on...nice cool air this time!! Pipe in engine bay now cold as ice!

 

[mattkh]

Had lunch, went back...switched car on...nice cool air this time!! Pipe in engine bay now cold as ice!

On your car, can you see the compressor pulley easily.
If you can then check if the compressor is turning when the a/c is not responding.