TD5 Aircon - Is this normal?

[Yorkshire_Jon]

All,
On a hot day the aircon pipes in the engine bay on my TD5 ice up after about an hour of running (see pictures).

Knowing nothing about air-con systems (appart from Defender ones are rubbish), is this normal? Does it signify some air-con maintenance needs doing? Should the dryer ever be replaced - mine is the original? The system is gassed and does cool as good as any other defender.

I frequently return to the car after its been running a while and think the radiator has fallen appart due to the large volume of melt water under the engine bay!

Thx
J

[harro]

The first thing to look at is the condenser.
It it is very dirty or blocked the pipes will start to freeze up like your pics.
And no, it is not normal.

Cheers,
Paul.

[Blknight.aus]

clean the evaporator and check the position of the TX valve sensor and the temp sensor. what you're experiencing is one of 2 things.

If you have lots of moisture forming on the thin line from the receiver to the tx valve then you have a blocked receiver or are starting to get low on gas and its starting to do its cooling expansion thing before the TX valve.

If its forming on the suction line then the evaporator is not transferring enough heat to the refrigerant. IF the AC pump is cylcing on and off, the evaporator is clean, not icing and getting good airflow over it then this is nothing to worry about, it just means that you're not making maximum use of the cooling ability that the system has available at the time that you're checking it.

[Yorkshire_Jon]

The first thing to look at is the condenser.
It it is very dirty or blocked the pipes will start to freeze up like your pics.
And no, it is not normal.

Cheers,
Paul.

Condenser fins / air path is clean. Certainly not blocked with mud and other crud.

Thx
J

[Yorkshire_Jon]

clean the evaporator...

What and where is it Dave?




...check the position of the TX valve sensor and the temp sensor...

What and where are they Dave?




...If you have lots of moisture forming on the thin line from the receiver to the tx valve then you have a blocked receiver or are starting to get low on gas and its starting to do its cooling expansion thing before the TX valve.

If its forming on the suction line then the evaporator is not transferring enough heat to the refrigerant. IF the AC pump is cylcing on and off, the evaporator is clean, not icing and getting good airflow over it then this is nothing to worry about, it just means that you're not making maximum use of the cooling ability that the system has available at the time that you're checking it.


Oh I feel so dense this morning!!!!

What and where is the receiver????

I recently had to put a new raditaor thingy (condenser??) for the air-con up the front end (cos the original had a big hole in it:() and then had it re-gassed. Its still does cool, so Im assuming theres still gas in it.

Like I say, sorry for the basic questions but this is one subject (coming from the UK) that I have never had to learn:D

Thx
J

[Yorkshire_Jon]

One other thing, that maybe related...

Whenever the air-con is in use for a prolonged period of time (1hr or more'ish), I get a puddle of water in the passenger footwell.

J

[hans]

if you just had the unit regassed possible that it was overcharged

[dennisS1]

Land rovers have flat floors and no seals so water can run out.
Another advantage over Jap crap.
Dennis

[goingbush]

heres an idea, why not plumb that icy cold pipe thru the insides of your intercooler,

do they have airconditioned intercoolers ???, surely thats gotta give more power than the compressor takes away.



Och aye the drier/reciever is the thing that looks like a beer can under your washer bottle,

heres another option
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/projects-tutorials/159715-aftermarket-c-td5-110-wagon.html

My pipes used to ice up too, in the post is a picture of how dirty your evaporator is likely to be, its in the place where your passengers feet should normally go.

[Yorkshire_Jon]

...the drier/reciever is the thing that looks like a beer can under your washer bottle...

Thats my kind'a description! I now know exactly what it is and where it is! Thanks. At the risk of asking another stupid question, what does it do?




...heres another option
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/projects-tutorials/159715-aftermarket-c-td5-110-wagon.html

My pipes used to ice up too, in the post is a picture of how dirty your evaporator is likely to be, its in the place where your passengers feet should normally go.

Thanks for this... The mod is probably a bit more than I bargined for at the beginning of the thread:) however, I now know what and where the evaporator is... BUT... How do I get to it without pulling the whole unit out of the car and loosing all that valuable gas??

Im assuming its too much to ask that I can get the Dyson in and suck all the crud out?

Thx
J

[Allan]

Some of this may be of help.

Allan

[goingbush]

Thanks for this... The mod is probably a bit more than I bargined for at the beginning of the thread:) however, I now know what and where the evaporator is... BUT... How do I get to it without pulling the whole unit out of the car and loosing all that valuable gas??

Im assuming its too much to ask that I can get the Dyson in and suck all the crud out?

Thx
J

It might pay to get a snakescope or Borescope and have a good look at the evaporator before pulling it right out, but yes you will have to go to an a/c place and get the gas sucked out, then pull the whole unit across under the dash out to clean it..

think you'll need a bit more than a dyson I used 2 cans of degreaser on mine and ended up chucking it down the tip.