General Powerful A/C!!!

[griff74]

As people normally only create threads when they have a problem with their car's, I thought I would start a positive one!

Gosh the A/C in my A500 is powerful and quick to get down to temp, I was expecting it to need a regas as I always normally do when I buy a used car cos most people don't bother AND my car had been sat ast the dealers for 6 months before I bought it but no, got into the car Saturday, sun blazing down, about 4000c inside, started her up and opened the windows and sunroof to to let the heat out, stuck my seat belt on the climate had ramped the fans upto full and there was ice cold air coming out, very pleased!
Our Citroen DS4 is a bit pants, takes ages to get down to temp even when driving and settings it all to low manually, I had it regassed just after we got last June but it didn't make much difference, the only other car I know that is anywhere near as good is my brothers 09 Defender XS.

How's everyone elses in their 500's (Abarth or not)??

 

[PsFiat]

As you have a sunroof, do you ever leave the car with the sunroof in tilt mode to let the heat escape ?

 

[griff74]

As you have a sunroof, do you ever leave the car with the sunroof in tilt mode to let the heat escape ?

I open it fully if the car is really hot, like over the weekend, and the windows to let all the hot air out, tbh I mostly drove around town this weekend so had the windows down, sunroof slid back and the A/C just blowing on my sweaty feet, sod the MPG's!!
If not I just let the bulk of the heat out then close up everything and let the A/C do it's work, why do you ask??

 

[frupi]

griff74, you raise a good point about aircon servicing.

Most car owners will never bother having their aircon system looked at. For most it is just another expense they won't be bothered with. The aircon system is almost never serviced or inspected on an annual service, indeed I doubt many dealerships across all marques will even bother to check if there is the correct amount of refrigerant or pump lubricating oil in the system.

Aircon systems should be serviced at least bi-annually. I've just had my other car's aircon degassed, leak tested, moisture vacuumed and re-oiled and regassed for £50 at an aircon only specialist. On the lowest setting, it is absolutely freezing, which is just the way I like it!

 

[Mooresey]

Where did you have it done frupi?

 

[frupi]

Where did you have it done frupi?

Autokool at Barlborough near Chesterfield. Did the job quickly. Very happy with the job they did.

 

[Mooresey]

There just under an hour from me might give them a go.

How long did it take?

 

[306maxi]

Funnily enough I'm just considering getting the air con in my 500 regassed as it's lost some of its efficiency. Not sure if the loss of fins on the condenser has much to do with it though.

 

[frupi]

The time it takes very much depends on the make/model of the car and what sort of state the overall aircon system is in. Obviously some cars will require more refrigerant gas and oil than others. With my car, it took about 30 minutes altogether. The important this is Autokool will do a leak test and vacuum, oil and regas which some places won't bother doing, i.e. some high street garages will just top up your refrigerant, which will be a pointless waste of money if the system is leaking.

The problem most likely to arise, is leakage from a condenser that is a few years old. Many cars now have large air scoops, some with very little in the way of a grille protecting the condenser. If you have badly corroded fins visible through the air scoop, this can lead to a shot condenser and leakage which can also be caused by corrosion from the inside out. When I bought our new TA, I bought an additional wire mesh grilled to fit over the existing Fiat fitted grille. The reason for this was, on our old POP, the condenser fins took a lot of hammering from objects, flies, wasps and occasional jet washing and so I didn't want the same thing to happen to the new TA. So far, so good.

 

[306maxi]

Oh and the Abarth has the same air conditioning bits so it's going to be the same as 1.2's, TA's, 1.3's, 1.4's and Tjets.

 

[306maxi]

The condenser is aluminium so won't corrode as such, well it will corrode..... but only the surface of aluminium oxidises and forms a protective layer and prevents further oxidisation.


We've had someone's dealer claim the condenser was corroded but this is misleading because aluminium simply doesn't corrode like steel does..

Frupi is completely right about the condenser getting damaged though, here's a pic I tool earlier today of mine. If I get a new condenser I will definitely be putting a mesh protector over it.

 

[ahmett]

I have never serviced my AC in the 4 years of ownership. 90% of the time I use the AC at 1 or 2 out of 4, and if the car is hot, 3 out of 4. Problem is the sunroof cover is absolutely useless, so when its 35 degrees it takes a good 15 minutes of ac at 4 for the car cool down, and then from that point onwards u can keep it steady at 2-3 and it will keep the car reasonably cool. So the main issue with the Fiat 500 is not so much the ac, its sunlight on the car. I guess slightly tinting windows would help.

 

[ahmett]

The time it takes very much depends on the make/model of the car and what sort of state the overall aircon system is in. Obviously some cars will require more refrigerant gas and oil than others. With my car, it took about 30 minutes altogether. The important this is Autokool will do a leak test and vacuum, oil and regas which some places won't bother doing, i.e. some high street garages will just top up your refrigerant, which will be a pointless waste of money if the system is leaking.

The problem most likely to arise, is leakage from a condenser that is a few years old. Many cars now have large air scoops, some with very little in the way of a grille protecting the condenser. If you have badly corroded fins visible through the air scoop, this can lead to a shot condenser and leakage which can also be caused by corrosion from the inside out. When I bought our new TA, I bought an additional wire mesh grilled to fit over the existing Fiat fitted grille. The reason for this was, on our old POP, the condenser fins took a lot of hammering from objects, flies, wasps and occasional jet washing and so I didn't want the same thing to happen to the new TA. So far, so good.

Does jetwashing ruin the condenser? Should I avoid jetwashing the lower part of the front bonnet?

 

[frupi]

Does jetwashing ruin the condenser? Should I avoid jetwashing the lower part of the front bonnet?

Sadly, some people who clean cars aren't too fussy with the way they jetwash. Jetwashing is fine, spraying it directly through the plastic mesh covering the condenser when cleaning the lower part of the car, is definitely not good! Jetwashing the condenser will bend/knock out the fins and ultimately cause unnecessary damage. I bought a grille from the company in the following link:

http://www.zunsport.com/500-r108

ahmett, if you haven't had your aircon serviced in the four years you've owned it, I can absolutely guarantee it won't be working to its original factory condition. You probably think it is fine, but I suspect if you do have it serviced, you will notice a difference.

 

[306maxi]

Ah I thought you meant a grille over the condenser directly. Not a fan of that one myself

 

[ahmett]

Sadly, some people who clean cars aren't too fussy with the way they jetwash. Jetwashing is fine, spraying it directly through the plastic mesh covering the condenser when cleaning the lower part of the car, is definitely not good! Jetwashing the condenser will bend/knock out the fins and ultimately cause unnecessary damage. I bought a grille from the company in the following link:

http://www.zunsport.com/500-r108

ahmett, if you haven't had your aircon serviced in the four years you've owned it, I can absolutely guarantee it won't be working to its original factory condition. You probably think it is fine, but I suspect if you do have it serviced, you will notice a difference.

You are probably right, but it cools the car fine for now so I wont do anything about it = )
I remember my mom's polo was 11 years old and never serviced for the AC and was working ok!

Thanks for the grille tip though, that definitely makes sense and I will be very careful when jetwashing the car near the grill.

 

[frupi]

Ah I thought you meant a grille over the condenser directly. Not a fan of that one myself

Trust me, the grille Zunsport make is absolutely spot on. It looks absolutely great on the car, much better than the Fiat grille it is affixed to and stops a lot of the road crap from going through and hitting the condenser itself. Obviously though, each to their own tastes and if it isn't for you, then clearly, I respect that

 

[frupi]

You are probably right, but it cools the car fine for now so I wont do anything about it = )
I remember my mom's polo was 11 years old and never serviced for the AC and was working ok!

Lol! What you really mean ahmett, is that you have no intention of spending any money!

Oh, and something for you to read:

http://www.motoringassist.com/motor...ventilation/guide-servicing-air-conditioning/

 

[306maxi]

Trust me, the grille Zunsport make is absolutely spot on. It looks absolutely great on the car, much better than the Fiat grille it is affixed to and stops a lot of the road crap from going through and hitting the condenser itself. Obviously though, each to their own tastes and if it isn't for you, then clearly, I respect that

It's purely the looks I don't like but I definitely want to put something in there to stop rocks going through.

 

[frupi]

The condenser is aluminium so won't corrode as such, well it will corrode..... but only the surface of aluminium oxidises and forms a protective layer and prevents further oxidisation. We've had someone's dealer claim the condenser was corroded but this is misleading because aluminium simply doesn't corrode like steel does.

I take your point. Interestingly, I found this next article on car washes. Not sure if it is equally applicable to the UK, but still interesting:

http://www.sapagroup.com/en/newswall/2009/automatic-car-wash-facilities---a-corrosion-hazard/