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Air Conditioner In Spi - It's Not Cold !


Best Answer ryomini , 24 July 2017 - 07:24 AM

A big thanks for all the input - it's always good to try and go through the system in your head to see how it functions before taking it to someone

 

- took it to my local Suzuki garage, they put it up on 2 pressure guages and said it needed a top up but had no R12, just before I was leaving the mechanic said he found a tin, (most all cars now us R14 or something) is it freon inside ?, anyhow the tin cost 35 quid so it's liquid gold, but wow it's magic stuff, 10 seconds later the AC is pumping freezing cold air - amazing,

not that the mini is much fun to drive with the AC on, but there are the odd moments when it's a life saver

 

cheers

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#1 ryomini

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Posted 18 July 2017 - 04:35 AM

Racking up over 300kms a week these days but the summer heat is kicking in, getting over 34 with very high humidity

 

only thing is on my Japanese spec '93 Spi the AC just blows air but it is NOT cold !

 

Even though I am pretty old skool in my outlook it's getting hard on longer trips - good for fuel economy though

 

before I take it to my mini specialist, who usually likes to hold on to the car for a while any tips as to what I could look at

 

I had the fluid topped up in the winter but that doesn't seem to have done the job

 

cheers for any feedback



#2 lawrence

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Posted 18 July 2017 - 06:55 AM

You need to hear if the compressor clutch is clicking when you turn the system on.
The will tell you two things
A , there is pressure in the system
B, all the wiring works.

Wiring is the biggest faff, parts are hard to get but probably easier for yourself.

Check the electro clutch is working first

#3 ryomini

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Posted 19 July 2017 - 01:48 AM

Hi

cheers for feedback, it sounds like my old one used too (which worked) and makes the right noises, and it blows out air, but it is not really cool and most definitely not cold, my mini man can't look at it for two more weeks or so, all electrics seem fine, it was supposed to have been pressured up, wouldn't know how to check on that myself though



#4 ryomini

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Posted 19 July 2017 - 02:14 AM

Update

had a really good look

everything is chugging along as per normal

the FAN switch gives me 3 fans speeds, low, medium, high

 

however

the TEMP switch doesnt make any difference, no matter how you turn it full left or full right, there is point where you can here something click but it makes no difference - is the temp switch duff, is the thermostat duff, or maybe the refill was not done correctly or the pressure is poor,

 

seems to work in general, I can feel the fan on the little cooler radiator under the bonnet, but it doesn't generate COLD air, just cool sort of ish air

cheers



#5 minimans

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Posted 19 July 2017 - 02:35 AM

If it needed refilling or "topping up" It's got a leak! The system will not switch on without some pressure in the system to start with, if your miniman can't look at it take it to an A/C shop the mini is no different in that respect than thousands of other cars with A/C they should be able to diagnose and fix without a problem



#6 buznout

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Posted 19 July 2017 - 08:53 PM

The fan dial will get the fans in the passenger foot well spinning so that is independent to the cooling side. The temp dial will engage the compressor and hold it on until the thermostat in the A/C system tells it to stop.  Start the car with both dials in the off position then listen to the A/C compressor while someone else turns them both on full. This will check if the compressor is allowed to engage. If not, the next thing I would be thinking is something gas related as mentioned in the post above.

 

If the system gas levels drop, the pressure switch on the side of the drier (above the left subframe tower bolt) can trigger and stop the compressor from engaging. When the system is suitably gassed, the switch becomes enabled again which I found out when I had to reassemble mine.

 

Many A/C Auto Elect type garages should be able to check the gas levels for you.



#7 ryomini

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Posted 20 July 2017 - 02:13 AM

Thanks for more input

no it doesn't have a leak, like another poster I stripped the car down so it lost pressure and some fluid in the take down

once reassembled I had it charged up, but I guess my mini guy tested it during the cooler days and thought, hey it works, but now it's actually hot it's clear it's not really doing it's job at all

I think my mini guy is probably cheaper than some local AC garagist, but he's a pain to get to, and he knows how to acces all the different components

will update in a few weeks as he told me he is overbooked right now



#8 ryomini

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Posted 24 July 2017 - 07:24 AM   Best Answer

A big thanks for all the input - it's always good to try and go through the system in your head to see how it functions before taking it to someone

 

- took it to my local Suzuki garage, they put it up on 2 pressure guages and said it needed a top up but had no R12, just before I was leaving the mechanic said he found a tin, (most all cars now us R14 or something) is it freon inside ?, anyhow the tin cost 35 quid so it's liquid gold, but wow it's magic stuff, 10 seconds later the AC is pumping freezing cold air - amazing,

not that the mini is much fun to drive with the AC on, but there are the odd moments when it's a life saver

 

cheers






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