W211 AC Top up?

[matthew k]

My ac feels a bit warm at times, I've had the car for two years, I don't think it's been regassed for at least 5.

I bought a cheap DIY kit on Ebay, I was about to get stuck in when I started having second thoughts. I'm not going to add much, but do you think that the canisters could contain impurities, metal swarf etc, or am I being paranoid? The seller will refund my £50 if I return it. The kit has two of these canisters, and a hose with a pressure guage. Thanks

 

[Wighty]

My ac feels a bit warm at times, I've had the car for two years, I don't think it's been regassed for at least 5.

I bought a cheap DIY kit on Ebay, I was about to get stuck in when I started having second thoughts. I'm not going to add much, but do you think that the canisters could contain impurities, metal swarf etc, or am I being paranoid? The seller will refund my £50 if I return it. The kit has two of these canisters, and a hose with a pressure guage. Thanks

I just paid £75 for a professional to come to my drive , extract everything , check everything and top up correctly .

 

[onefortheroad]

Ats just had an offer on for i think 40 quid. Your car takes a lot of gas to fill it completely. And if you have a leak you'll of wasted 50 squid.

 

[MJJ]

I used DIY cans to refill my 211 after purchasing a car with zero refrigerant in, and diagnosing leaky condenser inlet O-rings. I used a site called aircontopup.com. My system refilled easily, and worked perfectly. This was 4 months ago, so I am happy with the DIY cans working as promised.

However, low pressure refrigerant pressure in the 211 will trigger a fault code (a/c dashboard light flashes 4 times on my '09 facelift) and the aircon will be permanently off. Mine became intermittent after working perfectly for 4 months, and I have diagnosed the electronic solenoid on the variable displacement a/c compressor itself - a part that Mercedes don't sell separately. In my case, the aircon works perfectly for a bit, then the compressor stops for a bit (ambient air only), then starts working again. I don't think a lack of refrigerant would give intermittent symptoms.

I found this thread from a US forum very helpful - https://www.benzworld.org/threads/w...oid-valve-change-diy-intermittent-ac.2617418/

Martin.

 

[EmilysDad]

... And if you have a leak you'll of wasted 50 squid.

I wasted £60 at Citroen 4 weeks ago when I had them re-gas EmilysMum's C3 .... we're already back to square 1 and as the system was deemed to be gas tight at the time they're not now interested.

 

[onefortheroad]

I wasted £60 at Citroen 4 weeks ago when I had them re-gas EmilysMum's C3 .... we're already back to square 1 and as the system was deemed to be gas tight at the time they're not now interested.

Gas tight on the test . Once its running thats when your leaks occur. It did with my w219 anyways . Condenser I thought . I just left it. Sold the car in the winter

 

[EmilysDad]

Gas tight on the test . Once its running thats when your leaks occur. It did with my w219 anyways . Condenser I thought . I just left it. Sold the car in the winter

EmilysMum isn't bothered about the lack of air con and as she doesn't go far in it she can probably make do with opening the window ... though a condenser is only cheap if that's the fault.

 

[Wighty]

EmilysMum isn't bothered about the lack of air con and as she doesn't go far in it she can probably make do with opening the window ... though a condenser is only cheap if that's the fault.

The guy that did my aircon on the CLK the other week for £75 was telling me Citroen’s can be notorious leakers very early in in their life . He also said that the new leak fixing additives have come along leaps and bounds and aren’t like the condenser blocking liquids of a few years ago , now the just circulate until they find the leak and block it .

 

[EmilysDad]

The guy that did my aircon on the CLK the other week for £75 was telling me Citroen’s can be notorious leakers very early in in their life . He also said that the new leak fixing additives have come along leaps and bounds and aren’t like the condenser blocking liquids of a few years ago , now the just circulate until they find the leak and block it .

Her car is a 61 plate C3 so not exactly in it's early life

 

[Wighty]

Her car is a 61 plate C3 so not exactly in it's early life

True , it was more to let you know about the leak sealing improvements

 

[EmilysDad]

True , it was more to let you know about the leak sealing improvements

I know!
I've yet to find the time to have a proper look around her car. In the past, I've been able to see where the leak in a condenser is due to the oily/damp patch but without removing all the bumper/grille you can see SFA. But have seen reference to gas sniffers on youtube videos

 

[robin.large]

Comment on A/C.....I had a Bentley GTC once. The air conditioning was definitely not good so I asked Bentley to check it out.
They discovered that leak detection fluid had previously been used. Which apparently you can't do because of some arcane design issue.
New condenser / drier/ compressor and 3 rounds of vacuum drying later (£2700) they were then thinking they would have to strip the dashboard out to get at the matrix.... quoted 'anything up to £9000 and a return to Bentley' for that one.
Luckily a 4th round of vacuum drying fixed it. Although I do most spanner work myself
I leave A/C checks and regas to the professionals

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5010 using Tapatalk

 

[matthew k]

I've sent it back, the AC works so I'm not too worried the systems about to shut down, or should I be?

 

[Wighty]

I've sent it back, the AC works so I'm not too worried the systems about to shut down, or should I be?

What do you mean it’s about to shut down ?

 

[matthew k]

What do you mean it’s about to shut down ?

I was referring to MMJ's posting, his was empty.

 

[onefortheroad]

I was referring to MMJ's posting, his was empty.

It shuts down when the refrigerant gets low. The refrigerant contains a lubricant for the compressor . It doesn't shut down because the gas is low specifically, its the lubricant side of things is more the reason why it shuts down. You can cause more damage with those cans if you connect to the wrong side . There's a high pressure side and a low pressure side . Your best off going to a garage and have it done properly.

Also when it does decide to shut down your red light will flash . This will need a scanner to re enable the system after a refill. Something ats and a local aircon guy knew nothing about. Infact most of them know nothing about cars, to them its just a job filling pipes with a gas.

 

[matthew k]

Thanks guys, I think I'll get it done properly. Cheers

 

[matthew k]

I decided to get a better kit in the end made by STP. I've just hooked it up to test the pressure, it looks fine, in the middle. So I presume my compressors probably tired? Thanks

 

[matthew k]

Just to add, it's probably lucky I didn't pay for a regas in the end. All they would have done is evacuate the old gas and refill it, at least I've not wasted any gas?

 

[matthew k]

Excuse me banging on, but I noticed the other day that the ac pipes get very cold quickly, lots of condensation. Could it be possible that the heater is partially on, giving the impression of failing ac?

I've also noticed since I've had the car the directional controls for the climate control are a bit delayed and hit and miss. Cheers