Air Con Not That Great '93 C900

As it has been a little warmer than usual here in Britain I thought "hang the fuel consumption" and fired up the Air Con on my 1993 classic

900 SE.

It made a valiant attempt but only just managed to make the air less stifling.

It does work but not well enough. I've checked the drive belt and cooling element in the air intake, that appears clear as does the front radiator part.

It's been suggested to me that the gas may need topping up. Does this sound right? How much is this likely to be? Any other things to consider?

Reply to
SW
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Most likely need topping up. They will try to tell you it needs dye adding to tell you were it has leaked from. Will probably charge you a fortune to fill up, adding the dye as well as the gas.

unlike our US/Canadian brothers, we can't just go an get a DIY refill kit off the shelf in out local Walmart (yet).

Reply to
MeatballTurbo

I have a leak in the AC on my 1996 900SE -- in the evaporator, very unfortunately (because I'm being told it will cost $1,500 to repair, $900 of which is the cost of the new evaporator core). However, in the course of conversation with the repair shop, I was told that they don't just top up the freon in the system. I was told that, with the environment-friendly freon now being used, all the freon needs to be replaced (cost $150) if the system is being recharged.

I'm not sure when the switch to the new type of freon took place. However, I suspect it was before 1993. So, if what I'm told is correct, it may be impossible to do DIY top-ups of freon, even in the U.S. or Canada.

I've had a slow leak in my AC since I bought my Saab three years ago, but it's only recently been traced to the evaporator, via putting dye in the system. When the AC is working, it works reasonably well. However, the Saab AC isn't capable of turning the inside of the car into a meat locker, as is the AC on my Mazda MX-5 Miata, the AC on American cars that I've previously owned, and even the AC on the Ford Mondeo that I rented during a recent visit to the U.K.

Reply to
Kenneth S.

It sounds like you don't use the AC very much or at all. How long since you have used it? There are seals that will dry out or assume semi-permanent deformation of not used on some sort of regular basis. While I run mine all summer long, I don't need it in the spring or fall and the winters are too cold. However, I try to run my A/C for a lest a few minutes on any winter day that is warm enough to allow the compressor to start just to keep the seals "exercised".

-- Vic Roberts

Reply to
Victor Roberts

Low refrigerant is a high level possibility. Worth a check. But adding refrigerant and/or checking requires gauges and so on which may not be too common in the UK

I have better luck with an auto/truck cooling/air conditining specialist than with any repairer or certainly than any dealer. If you can find one who does the refrigeration for large trucks and does autos too you will be better off.

Malcolm

Reply to
Malcolm Mason

According to what I'm told by the repair shop, the problem isn't a condensor. It's an evaporator. The $1,500 estimate came from an independent Saab repair place. The generic repair place that I've used for all other cars says $1,200.

Reply to
Kenneth S.

C900s are another story. On the highway with plenty of air pushing through the condenser they're OK but not around town. Mine was converted to R134 so it's not as cold as an R13. Phil Brown

Reply to
Phil Brown

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