Technical 2006 Multipla aircon issue

[ceeemdee]

Aircon wasn't working on my 2006 1.9 multijet and testing revealed a new condenser was required. Just had it fitted but gas is still leaking from somewhere. Chap at the garage has done a dye test but issue is not resolved. Apparently the compressor is working fine and all pipework seems in good fettle. Car back in on Wednesday so he can check with wash up liquid for bubbles around joints etc. Surely it's just a leak. Any ideas what the problem could be anyone ?

 

[widemouthfrog]

Do you know how quickly it’s losing refrigerant? I had a leak on mine many years ago. It was in one of the high-side aluminium pipes that runs from front to back of the engine bay. It had been rubbing against something (I’m trying to remember what ), by the look of it for quite a while. Fortunately the guy I’d gone to to find the leak could also weld aluminium and he made a very nice job of fixing the pipe.

 

[widemouthfrog]

I can't find any photos of the repair that was done on mine, but I remember it was a pipe on the nearside of the engine bay. Looking at this shot from ePER, I reckon it was the pipe, Item 1. At the time, I recall thinking "I'm going to have to rip half the car apart to get that out", but was amazed to find that it was actually very easy. Airbox and battery tray off, a few clips removed, a small ratchet to get at the fiddly bolt (3, at top centre of shot) on the firewall bulkhead, and out it came. The whole repair, including leaving it to purge and pull down on an evacuator pump after it was put back together, was done inside an afternoon.

For reference, the mod codes shown in the ePER screenshot are:
C4655 - New air condirtioner pipe and dehydrator filter, from 05/2001
D4655 - Ditto
C7958 - Adoption of new condensator with built-in dehydrator filter (no date given)
D7958 - Ditto

The '51....' part numbers often signify that it's for a squarenose, but the 46804648 part number hints that the built-in hydrator mod may have happened on some roundnoses too. Mine was built April 2004 and it has the separate dehydrator canister.

 

[ceeemdee]

Thanks for the helful info. She goes back in tomorrow so i will see what the garage comes up with after i give him these details.

 

[Tubthumper73]

I had mine regassed a few years ago, by a so called reputable garage, who told me the leak test was completed with no issues. Less than two days later all the gas had fallen out.
Having unsuccessfully chased the leak for a while I ended up carrying out an aircon delete, which amounted to fitting a shorter aux belt, bypassing the aircon pump with a net result of a 1.5 bhp power increase ( unverified!!).
Shame really, especially during this past few weeks of hot weather, as a Multi is like a mobile greenhouse.

 

[ceeemdee]

I can't find any photos of the repair that was done on mine, but I remember it was a pipe on the nearside of the engine bay. Looking at this shot from ePER, I reckon it was the pipe, Item 1. At the time, I recall thinking "I'm going to have to rip half the car apart to get that out", but was amazed to find that it was actually very easy. Airbox and battery tray off, a few clips removed, a small ratchet to get at the fiddly bolt (3, at top centre of shot) on the firewall bulkhead, and out it came. The whole repair, including leaving it to purge and pull down on an evacuator pump after it was put back together, was done inside an afternoon.

For reference, the mod codes shown in the ePER screenshot are:
C4655 - New air condirtioner pipe and dehydrator filter, from 05/2001
D4655 - Ditto
C7958 - Adoption of new condensator with built-in dehydrator filter (no date given)
D7958 - Ditto

The '51....' part numbers often signify that it's for a squarenose, but the 46804648 part number hints that the built-in hydrator mod may have happened on some roundnoses too. Mine was built April 2004 and it has the separate dehydrator canister.

View attachment 410995

 

[ceeemdee]

Well, took her in again today to find the damn leak and after stripping down as you decribed widemouth, bingo !! It appears to be the same pipe, the main one that goes into the bulkhead that was causing the problem. Pipe looked fine on first inspection but where it rests on the sound insulation, thats where the corrosion was ! Obviously over 16 years condensation has caused the slow degredation. I have attached a couple of pics. Can anyone tell me if this is the part number and will this be expensive as it appears to be the main pipe that actually branches oit into two sections as i can see.

 

[widemouthfrog]

No chance of getting the current one welded? How bad is the corrosion?

 

[widemouthfrog]

The screenshot I posted from ePER is around 2005 I think so it could still be relevant to your car. ‘GS’ is left hand drive. ‘GD’ is right hand drive ( sinistre and destre, or something like that). I doubt very much you’ll be able to either order a new one from Fiat, or find a dealer with one on the shelf now. They were told to clear their stocks of parts for Multiplas in around 2017, unfortunately.

 

[MultipleMultis]

No help but good to know this is a maintenance inspection and rust/ coating point to have a go at. Aly soldering rods with stainless wire brush are supposed to be pretty good these days?

 

[ceeemdee]

Okay. As you said widemouthfrog, there are no A/C pipes at the stealers. They wanted around 150 quid when available ! Looks like an online scrap yard will have to do fingers crossed.