Aircon Regas

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Martin Mc
480 Rookie
Posts: 457
Joined: Tue May 29, 2012 11:57 am

Aircon Regas

Post by Martin Mc » Wed Jun 30, 2021 7:02 pm

Hello folks, had a run out in the wedge this week, in sweltering conditions. Tried the aircon to no avail, and am guessing it needs a regas. Is this something we can trust to a Kwikfit or Halfords or backstreet garage, or is it another DIYable thing with a kit from Amazon or the like?

No doubt there are gremlins to account for in the process. My car is a late low miles 2 litre Celebration with the yellow gubbins (tech term) on the aircon tackle.

Has anyone got any experience getting this done? :wall:

Martin
1991 ES White / 1995 ES Red / 1995 ES Red / 1994 S Black / 1995 Celebration Red / 1994 S Paris Blue / 1995 Celebration (again!) Red - Currently free of all extramarital cars, wrench-loose and fancy free :)

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jamescarruthers
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 2501
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 3:19 pm
Location: Cambridge

Re: Aircon Regas

Post by jamescarruthers » Wed Jun 30, 2021 7:15 pm

I don’t have air-con experience with the 480, but my previous experience on two older cars with non-modern connections was that you are really limited by the limited intellect of chain garage workers if they can even connect to it.

I had success on the XM with an independent who was very good and specialised in just air con. He could connect to older connections and obviously knew what he was doing.

If the 480 has modern connections, you may be in luck with chain garages but I’d still be wary.

I took the C6 for a re-gas at a chain recently. It passed the leak test apparently but lost all the gas within about 2 days. This has also put me off from them—- zero fucks given in most cases.
1987 Volvo 480 ES, 507274, 217 - Red (Ness)
2006 Citroen C6 Exclusive 3.0 petrol/LPG
2008 Mini Cooper convertible (Mau)

Previous 480's:
J123 CFU -- ES
J449 MNL -- ES auto
D864 CPV -- ES
L691 JFC -- Turbo
F70 MNR -- ES
H858 FGV -- Turbo auto
E981 KHM -- ES (509849)

Martin Mc
480 Rookie
Posts: 457
Joined: Tue May 29, 2012 11:57 am

Re: Aircon Regas

Post by Martin Mc » Wed Jun 30, 2021 7:28 pm

Thanks James, I guess as wedgie enthusiasts we get used to the low standards generally found with national chain outfits. I think I will have a word with my local garage, who know the car and actually do appreciate my custom.

Good advice! Thanks 😊
M
1991 ES White / 1995 ES Red / 1995 ES Red / 1994 S Black / 1995 Celebration Red / 1994 S Paris Blue / 1995 Celebration (again!) Red - Currently free of all extramarital cars, wrench-loose and fancy free :)

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dcwalker
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1522
Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2012 12:30 pm
Location: York

Re: Aircon Regas

Post by dcwalker » Wed Jun 30, 2021 8:12 pm

I'd be wary of letting a Kwik Fit type chain getting their hands on the aircon, Martin.

Better to start with your trusted garage or a recommendation from them.

I had Hutton Brothers do Lily a few years back and will be getting them to do Pud soon - I know they do it properly and aren't at all fazed by older cars! Most of the guys there broke their teeth on them!

David
Current: 1994 480 GT, 1996 460 CD & 1997 440 LE with lots of optional extras & 2007 V50 SE Sport
Previous: Celebration 331 (re-homed with Richard S), Celebration 467 (returned to Martin Mc); Celebration 346 (re-homed with Alan480); Celebration 269 (scrapped abandoned project), Celebration 73 (sold on after 6 years), 1992 ES, 1988 ES - and numerous other non-480 Volvos!

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brinkie
480 Connoisseur
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Re: Aircon Regas

Post by brinkie » Thu Jul 01, 2021 7:14 am

After having my aircon regassed twice, I've decided it had to be fixed, because R134a refrigerant is a very powerful greenhouse gas.
So I took it to my trusted Volvo specialist, who managed to find a second hand (but like new) aircon condensor.
We had to work on the car for a day, every pipe, every connection was stuck and the condensor turned out to be for R12 so we had to have the fittings adapted. I've heard there are also universal condensors available.
Eventually the bill was 750 € (so almost 700 quid) but it is still holding 3 years after!
https://goo.gl/maps/ht6KJqnWhwFjUG898
Robert.

Present cars: 1994 Volvo 480 GT 2.0i, 1999 Volvo S70 2.5 Europa, 2010 Volvo V70 2.0F Momentum

Martin Mc
480 Rookie
Posts: 457
Joined: Tue May 29, 2012 11:57 am

Re: Aircon Regas

Post by Martin Mc » Thu Jul 01, 2021 9:00 am

Hello Robert,

That sounds ominous! Mind you, your car has done a fair amount more mileage than mine I think... but then again, they are all at least 26 years old by now, which is plenty of time for various connectors and systems to sieze up! :boom:

I'll see what my local garage have to say. No doubt it will be expensive!! Question is, will it be worth it, when we've probably already had what passes for summer here anyway!

All the best!

Martin
1991 ES White / 1995 ES Red / 1995 ES Red / 1994 S Black / 1995 Celebration Red / 1994 S Paris Blue / 1995 Celebration (again!) Red - Currently free of all extramarital cars, wrench-loose and fancy free :)

jifflemon
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 2464
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2016 11:03 am

Re: Aircon Regas

Post by jifflemon » Thu Jul 01, 2021 9:22 am

Martin Mc wrote:
Thu Jul 01, 2021 9:00 am
Question is, will it be worth it, when we've probably already had what passes for summer here anyway!

All the best!

Martin
Well, don't forget that AC removes moisture from the air.... that's a handy feature to have on a 480! :rofl:

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