airconditioning question

[JamesH]

Hi All

I have to get my aircon on the Defender seen to. I don't want to send it to my mechanic as he will contract it out and I will be removed from talking to the contractor.

The problem is not the compressor or gas - when it decides to work - it pumps frigid air right onto the kneecaps of the driver and passenger just fine. What happens and it seems to happen more in hot weather or when the car is warm is that when you turn it on - the fan comes on but the compressor does not hook in. When it does work you can feel it "grip" in the engine but lately it has not been coming on.

What I don't want to do is drive into an aircon specialist and have the guy just go straight into the gas system and the compressor when I know it's not that. I want to be able give some instructions to stay away from the expensive bits.

What are the other bits of an aircon system? Thanks for any advice.

[PhilipA]

James,
I think you have to accept that aircons while simple have lots of switches and safety interlocks and to tell an aircon specialist where he should look is probably counterproductive.
The most likely problems are
1 The thermostat switch is cactus ( you can test by bypassing it)
2 The low pressure switch has tripped because of a gas leak, or because its cactus ( look for bubbles in the sight glass and test by bridging)
3 the high pressure switch is cactus (bridge)
4 the air con clutch is cactus(you can check by running a 12v line to the +wire)
5 the fuse has blown
If you do not know where these are then you should take it to a specialist, and he will almost certainly look at these first. Suggest you do not tell him the solution however.
Regards Philip A

[sclarke]

Does anyone know a good Fridgy????

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/ https://www.aulro.com/afvb/ https://www.aulro.com/afvb/ https://www.aulro.com/afvb/ https://www.aulro.com/afvb/ https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

[JamesH]

thanks Phil. Will take your advice.
cheers

J

[Rovernaut]

Check you Clutch relay.
My Disco had a similar problem and I found the relay under the kick panel was faulty. wouldn't hold a current and caused the compressor to cut out for while.
It had a symptom similar to a high pressure switch failure.

[rick130]

IIRC, the relay is in the battery box in a Deafener

[disconut]

Originally posted by rick130
......................... in a Deafener

Dont mean to hijack the topic, but I have put special sound insulator matting under my seats, cubby box, up the gearbox sides, and under the floor mats.

It works a treat, the whine is almost gone, the radio sounds reasonable.

I will need to get the brand etc as my work colleague purchases it for me.

Trev.