One thing that we noticed on our long drive is that the air conditioner is icing at the evaporator..

It is easy to diagnose... Firstly the air flow is very slow despite the display showing one bar less than full flow. (and it is hot inside the car)... Switch off the A/C, but keep the fan going.. After about 5-10 minutes of driving you will notice that the air flow starts to improve and there will be small pieces of ice come through the dashboard vents.. Happened three times today - temp was set on 22C and (later) 24C..

Anyone else experience this problem?

 

WTF - never happened to me, though my AC is rarely set below 24C. Time to call your service department.

 

On the topic of A/C, I have been told a number of times that you should run your A/C regularly (e.g. once a week) to keep it running properly.

Anyone know whether there is any truth to that?

Personally, I don't like running it much at all due to power loss but I'd hate to trash it - does come in handy on those hot days.

 

99% of the time mine is on 24 degrees.

Rarely ever off, except on the track or dyno.

Icing up - WTF? I have only ever had the condensation "smoke" come out the vents. Never chuncks of ice!

Hope you/they find the solution.

Cheers,
Hymee.

 

My best guess is that the icing is a combination of high relative humidity, low temperature setting and low fan setting. Question: do you have the A/C with full fresh air flow or recirculating air? If you are running the A/C with outside air flowing in (and that air is at high relative humidity), then you are in fact pushing a lot of water over the heat exchanger. A low fan setting will mean that condensed water will stay on the heat exchanger and will freeze. Because ice is a good insulator, A/C efficiency will decrease. If you use recirculated air, the air will rapidly dehumidify and icing will be minimal.

Solution: switch air flow to recirculation, set fan speed at medium, and temperature to 24C.

BTW, somebody posted once that they never ran the A/C due to power loss. I have read that driving at speed with open windows causes more power loss and poorer fuel economy due to incresed drag. Of course, you lose that certain macho chic look by not having your arm draped down the door.

Like Hymee, I always have the A/C running except in the depths of a Brisbane winter (3 weeks). I've heard that regular running helps keep the compressor seals flexible and therefore prolongs working life.

 

Also how new is your car?

 

I very seldom use my aircon because it always gives me a sore throat , interesting about the open window .
drag of air using more fuel concept

Labrat is one of your favourite TV shows called Mythbusters it airs on SBS MONDAYS AT 7.30PM great fun scientific humour type show .

cheers
michael

 

I can picture Labrat looking like the guy with the Beret and the mustache :D

 

Check the image - it's not an avatar, it's a photograph. WYSIWYG.

 

I seldom use mine as well. On the old Astina the aircon used to suck up most of what little power there was in the car, so i guess old habits die hard.

 

The guy you are reffering to is a EX Navy seal SPECIALFORCES OPERATIVE , maybe labrat is also licenced to kill ??with ( rat poison } j/k LOL

I trained with a ex SAS GUY AND HIS BUDDY WHO was in the navy seals those guys play rough .

cheers
michael

 

Now I understand :p

 

One of my fathers best friends Peter was in the SAS for quite a few years before leaving and going into the Police SOG here in Vic. I remember years back when I was just a boy being at a golf club for dinner with my parents and Peter. There were 5 guys hassling a young lady so my father and Peter stepped up to them and asked they refrain from hassling the lady. Of course they refused. Peter invited all 5 to step outside and then told dad to sit back down with the family, he'll take care of it.

I remember well, they all walk outside then less than 2 minutes later Peter walked back in not a hair out of place. My brothers and I break from the table and dash outside to find the 5 guys spread out across the ground having seen better days.

Peter now runs a very succesfull collections business getting back from people what they have stolen or decieved from others, although now it is mainly very large corporations utilising his services.

 

Sorry for my ignorance what does WYSIWYG stand for?

 

What you see is what you get

 

thanks

 

Fair comments, but the 6 had auto air and never had a problem with icing on 22 or 24C.. I suspect that the system is not sensing the cabin temperature properly and cutting out the system when it gets too cold.. (ie a wire has come off somewhere!)

 

Hello Choppy,

Delivered two weeks ago and now has 1,000km on the clock... Yesterday was the first time we have taken the car on a long trip, but we did experience the ice once before after a longish drive around town..

Cheers
Adrian

 

I'm a sucker that never turns off the climate control.... unless I want to cruise down the Monash Car park of an evening in peak hour, then I'll roll the windows down, and hang out. Still I dont notice the power change due to drag because ... well... its peak hour!! :P

btw, ive never had a problem with the icing... always been fine.

 

Remember as well that the A/C will disengage when the throttle is pressed greater than 65%, so you still have power on tap without having to turn it off to overtake etc.

 

If the AC is low on gas it will do what you discribed.

 

Ouch

 

I hope you haven't already holed your condensor Remember that damage it already had when were putting the grill kit on? And I said how similar it looked to the damage mine sustained....

Cheers,
Hymee.

 

True, but there is no oil stain - so I don't believe that it is a leak... It is still working - in fact it is too cold... Even though it was 25 outside on the way home and I had the system set to 24C, the display is showing full A/C and not ECON A/C... I am sure that it is a temp sensor problem... If I turn it off for 5 to 10 minutes, it blows small bits of ice outside the vents... If it were a leak, there is no way I would still have any cold air now..

 

Correct, if it had lost its gas it would be pushing **** up hill just trying to geet cool. Scrub the punture theory. Phew.

Cheers,
Hymee.