My SO Transit has just pissed away a whole kilogram of ozone destroying
r134a in just a few weeks.

The compressor wasn't even turning during this time as there's something
(unknown) else wrong that is preventing the clutch from getting power.

I found out it didn't engage after taking it for a re-gas at the
cheapest place I could find (Protyre). They didn't have much of a clue
but I did watch their fully automated machine go through the whole
process including automatic leak detection. Which obv. doesn't work

The complete loss of gas was only discovered when the auto electrician
that I'd asked to come and help me stormed off in a strop after the
first thing he did was check if there was any pressure.

There's no smell in the cab which hopefully means the evaporator is ok.

I bought a UV torch and I've had a good look around and can't see any
glowing spooge anywhere.

Detecting leaks seems to be either stick some nitrogen in and listen for
hissing, or, stick some refrigerent in and use a sniffer.

Thoughts? Feels like I just have to take it to the garage and be
prepared for the inevitable massive bill.

--
/Simon

siwilson <siwilson@nodamnspam.hotmail.com> wrote in news:jm9mboFqk40U1
@mid.individual.net:

> Thoughts? Feels like I just have to take it to the garage and be
> prepared for the inevitable massive bill.
>

this, but a dedicated aircon specialist not fast fit franchise or dealer

most likely a simple seal or hose which they will find a lot quicker than a
generic workshop.

On 19/08/2022 17:02, wessie wrote:
>siwilson <siwilson@nodamnspam.hotmail.com> wrote in news:jm9mboFqk40U1
>@mid.individual.net:
>
>> Thoughts? Feels like I just have to take it to the garage and be
>> prepared for the inevitable massive bill.
>>
>
>this, but a dedicated aircon specialist not fast fit franchise or dealer
>
>most likely a simple seal or hose which they will find a lot quicker than a
>generic workshop.

Indeed, a mate had a case of a leaky valve at the fill/empty points. They
are similar to tyre valves and cost very little. Sometimes they don't seal
shut properly after filling, hence no leaks found by the machine but still
leaky IYSWIM.

--
Geoff
NTV 650

On Fri, 19 Aug 2022 15:51:35 +0100, siwilson
<siwilson@nodamnspam.hotmail.com> wrote:

>My SO Transit has just pissed away a whole kilogram of ozone destroying
>r134a in just a few weeks.
>
>The compressor wasn't even turning during this time as there's something
>(unknown) else wrong that is preventing the clutch from getting power.
>
>I found out it didn't engage

The solenoid went on mine - easy to check if you can get at the wires.
Of course, it failed between the last time I used the aircon and the
time I bought a re-gassing kit.

>Detecting leaks seems to be either stick some nitrogen in and listen for
>hissing, or, stick some refrigerent in and use a sniffer.

Fill with hydrogen and wave a cigarette ligher around? This could also
remove the problem entirely, and eyebrows do grow back.

>Thoughts? Feels like I just have to take it to the garage and be
>prepared for the inevitable massive bill.

As a last DIY resort, if you can add some gas, could try soapy water
on whatever hoses & joints are accessible.

--

-Pip

On 19/08/2022 16:20, geoffC wrote:
> On 19/08/2022 17:02, wessie wrote:
>> siwilson <siwilson@nodamnspam.hotmail.com> wrote in news:jm9mboFqk40U1
>> @mid.individual.net:
>>
>>> Thoughts? Feels like I just have to take it to the garage and be
>>> prepared for the inevitable massive bill.
>>>
>>
>> this, but a dedicated aircon specialist not fast fit franchise or dealer
>>
>> most likely a simple seal or hose which they will find a lot quicker
>> than a generic workshop.
>
>
> Indeed, a mate had a case of a leaky valve at the fill/empty points. They
> are similar to tyre valves and cost very little. Sometimes they don't seal
> shut properly after filling, hence no leaks found by the machine but still
> leaky IYSWIM.
>

That's interesting, because, the only glowing evidence I could find
under the UV light was when I took off one of the caps...

--
/Simon

On 19/08/2022 21:36, siwilson wrote:
>On 19/08/2022 16:20, geoffC wrote:
>> On 19/08/2022 17:02, wessie wrote:
>>> siwilson <siwilson@nodamnspam.hotmail.com> wrote in news:jm9mboFqk40U1
>>> @mid.individual.net:
>>>
>>>> Thoughts? Feels like I just have to take it to the garage and be
>>>> prepared for the inevitable massive bill.
>>>>
>>>
>>> this, but a dedicated aircon specialist not fast fit franchise or dealer
>>>
>>> most likely a simple seal or hose which they will find a lot quicker
>>> than a generic workshop.
>>
>>
>> Indeed, a mate had a case of a leaky valve at the fill/empty points. They
>> are similar to tyre valves and cost very little. Sometimes they don't seal
>> shut properly after filling, hence no leaks found by the machine but still
>> leaky IYSWIM.
>>
>
>That's interesting, because, the only glowing evidence I could find
>under the UV light was when I took off one of the caps...

And the clutch won't engage if the pressure is too low. It probably lost all
its gas within 5mins of disconnecting the filler hose.

--
Geoff
NTV 650

siwilson <siwilson@nodamnspam.hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> The complete loss of gas was only discovered when the auto electrician
> that I'd asked to come and help me stormed off in a strop after the
> first thing he did was check if there was any pressure.
>
> There's no smell in the cab which hopefully means the evaporator is ok.
>
> I bought a UV torch and I've had a good look around and can't see any
> glowing spooge anywhere.
>
> Detecting leaks seems to be either stick some nitrogen in and listen for
> hissing, or, stick some refrigerent in and use a sniffer.

The UV torch only works if the system is gassed with the magic UV dye
included. Nitrogen + Dye should work.

--
http://www.netunix.com/

On 19/08/2022 23:28, crn@nospam.com wrote:
> siwilson <siwilson@nodamnspam.hotmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> The complete loss of gas was only discovered when the auto electrician
>> that I'd asked to come and help me stormed off in a strop after the
>> first thing he did was check if there was any pressure.
>>
>> There's no smell in the cab which hopefully means the evaporator is ok.
>>
>> I bought a UV torch and I've had a good look around and can't see any
>> glowing spooge anywhere.
>>
>> Detecting leaks seems to be either stick some nitrogen in and listen for
>> hissing, or, stick some refrigerent in and use a sniffer.
>
> The UV torch only works if the system is gassed with the magic UV dye
> included. Nitrogen + Dye should work.
>

As far as I know, dye is always added at every re-gas and has been for a
long time. I think it may even be a legal requirement. It was definitely
added this time because I watched the (fully automatic) machine at every
step.

--
/Simon

siwilson wrote:

> > >
> > > Detecting leaks seems to be either stick some nitrogen in and
> > > listen for hissing, or, stick some refrigerent in and use a
> > > sniffer.
> >

Sniffing works if there's any left.
Another correct way is to create and hold a vacuum. You are going to
need an AC specialist.
But I do like the hydrogen test.

On 20/08/2022 17:18, Will v5 wrote:
>siwilson wrote:
>
>
>> > >
>> > > Detecting leaks seems to be either stick some nitrogen in and
>> > > listen for hissing, or, stick some refrigerent in and use a
>> > > sniffer.
>> >
>
>Sniffing works if there's any left.
>Another correct way is to create and >hold a vacuum.

Isn't that what the automatic filling machine does?

>You are going to need an AC >specialist.
>But I do like the hydrogen test.

I'm sure you could cobble something together with some radio-active isotope,
a bicycle pump and a Geiger counter.

--
Geoff
NTV 650

On 20/08/2022 16:49, geoffC wrote:
> On 20/08/2022 17:18, Will v5 wrote:
>> siwilson wrote:
>>
>>
>>> > > > > Detecting leaks seems to be either stick some nitrogen in and
>>> > > listen for hissing, or, stick some refrigerent in and use a
>>> > > sniffer.
>>> >
>>
>> Sniffing works if there's any left.
>> Another correct way is to create and >hold a vacuum.
>
> Isn't that what the automatic filling machine does?

Yep
>
>> You are going to need an AC >specialist.
>> But I do like the hydrogen test.

Using a match?
>
> I'm sure you could cobble something together with some radio-active
> isotope,
> a bicycle pump and a Geiger counter.
>

--
/Simon

On Friday, August 19, 2022 at 3:51:39 PM UTC+1, siwilson wrote:
> My SO Transit has just pissed away a whole kilogram of ozone destroying
> r134a in just a few weeks.
>
> The compressor wasn't even turning during this time as there's something
> (unknown) else wrong that is preventing the clutch from getting power.
>
> I found out it didn't engage after taking it for a re-gas at the
> cheapest place I could find (Protyre). They didn't have much of a clue
> but I did watch their fully automated machine go through the whole
> process including automatic leak detection. Which obv. doesn't work
>
> The complete loss of gas was only discovered when the auto electrician
> that I'd asked to come and help me stormed off in a strop after the
> first thing he did was check if there was any pressure.
>
> There's no smell in the cab which hopefully means the evaporator is ok.
>
> I bought a UV torch and I've had a good look around and can't see any
> glowing spooge anywhere.
>
> Detecting leaks seems to be either stick some nitrogen in and listen for
> hissing, or, stick some refrigerent in and use a sniffer.
>
> Thoughts? Feels like I just have to take it to the garage and be
> prepared for the inevitable massive bill.
>

Mine was fairly easy to detect, haven't got it done yet. Watching thread with genuine and vested interest.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ebcv42bg1rl7uza/2022-06-22%2021.07.26.jpg?dl=0

On 22/08/2022 11:09, Dave Brown wrote:

>
> Mine was fairly easy to detect, haven't got it done yet. Watching thread with genuine and vested interest.
>
> https://www.dropbox.com/s/ebcv42bg1rl7uza/2022-06-22%2021.07.26.jpg?dl=0

I used to know a good mobile guy, but he gave up a long time ago. There
doesn't appear to be anyone mobile in our area.

Sharp's Autos have a good reputation and indeed I used them to fix the
a/c on my T4. The bill ran to 4 digits though :(

--
/Simon

On Mon, 22 Aug 2022 17:01:32 +0100, siwilson
<siwilson@nodamnspam.hotmail.com> wrote:

>Sharp's Autos have a good reputation and indeed I used them to fix the
>a/c on my T4. The bill ran to 4 digits though :(

Fuxxake!!!! I'd rather be too hot, I think

Or did you mean up to £99.99?
--
Champ
neal at champ dot org dot uk

I don't know, but I been told
You never slow down, you never grow old

On 22/08/2022 18:52, Champ wrote:
> On Mon, 22 Aug 2022 17:01:32 +0100, siwilson
> <siwilson@nodamnspam.hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Sharp's Autos have a good reputation and indeed I used them to fix the
>> a/c on my T4. The bill ran to 4 digits though :(
>
> Fuxxake!!!! I'd rather be too hot, I think
>
> Or did you mean up to £99.99?

Er, no. New compressor, new radiator fans IIRC. I've managed to
successfully forget exactly how much it was but it was painful.

Leaks in the evaporator are the worst, they are generally not worth
fixing unless you DIY, because usually the whole dashboard has to some out.

--
/Simon

On 22/08/2022 18:52, Champ wrote:
> On Mon, 22 Aug 2022 17:01:32 +0100, siwilson
> <siwilson@nodamnspam.hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Sharp's Autos have a good reputation and indeed I used them to fix the
>> a/c on my T4. The bill ran to 4 digits though :(
>
> Fuxxake!!!! I'd rather be too hot, I think
>

<Pats MX5 on bonnet>

--
Bruce Porter
"The internet is a huge and diverse community but mainly friendly"
http://ytc1.blogspot.co.uk/
There *is* an alternative! http://www.openoffice.org/

On Mon, 22 Aug 2022 19:54:06 +0100, YTC#1 <bdp@ytc1-spambin.co.uk>
wrote:

>
>
>On 22/08/2022 18:52, Champ wrote:
>> On Mon, 22 Aug 2022 17:01:32 +0100, siwilson
>> <siwilson@nodamnspam.hotmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Sharp's Autos have a good reputation and indeed I used them to fix the
>>> a/c on my T4. The bill ran to 4 digits though :(
>>
>> Fuxxake!!!! I'd rather be too hot, I think

><Pats MX5 on bonnet>

er, yeah, I've got a convertible too

They're fine up to about 30 degrees, mebbe, but after that you want
the roof up and the aircon on.

There's a reason why the UK is the biggest market for convertibles in
Europe. Most other places are actually too hot for a convertible to
be pleasant
--
Champ
neal at champ dot org dot uk

I don't know, but I been told
You never slow down, you never grow old

On 23/08/2022 14:25, Champ wrote:
> On Mon, 22 Aug 2022 19:54:06 +0100, YTC#1 <bdp@ytc1-spambin.co.uk>
> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> On 22/08/2022 18:52, Champ wrote:
>>> On Mon, 22 Aug 2022 17:01:32 +0100, siwilson
>>> <siwilson@nodamnspam.hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Sharp's Autos have a good reputation and indeed I used them to fix the
>>>> a/c on my T4. The bill ran to 4 digits though :(
>>>
>>> Fuxxake!!!! I'd rather be too hot, I think
>
>> <Pats MX5 on bonnet>
>
> er, yeah, I've got a convertible too
>
> They're fine up to about 30 degrees, mebbe, but after that you want
> the roof up and the aircon on.

Yuu should know me well enough by now to realise how bloody minded I can
be about such things :-)

--
Bruce Porter
"The internet is a huge and diverse community but mainly friendly"
http://ytc1.blogspot.co.uk/
There *is* an alternative! http://www.openoffice.org/

On 23/08/2022 21:25 Champ penned these words:
> On Mon, 22 Aug 2022 19:54:06 +0100, YTC#1 <bdp@ytc1-spambin.co.uk>
> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> On 22/08/2022 18:52, Champ wrote:
>>> On Mon, 22 Aug 2022 17:01:32 +0100, siwilson
>>> <siwilson@nodamnspam.hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Sharp's Autos have a good reputation and indeed I used them to fix the
>>>> a/c on my T4. The bill ran to 4 digits though :(
>>>
>>> Fuxxake!!!! I'd rather be too hot, I think
>
>> <Pats MX5 on bonnet>
>
> er, yeah, I've got a convertible too
>
> They're fine up to about 30 degrees, mebbe, but after that you want
> the roof up and the aircon on.
>
> There's a reason why the UK is the biggest market for convertibles in
> Europe. Most other places are actually too hot for a convertible to
> be pleasant

I can't recall seeing any convertibles locally (Penang), it's always AC in the
car albeit there must have been a time for the locals when such things did not
exist. Last month on the bike coming south from the Thai border it was 34 and in
my Alpinestars kit which I was wearing I thought I was going to melt.

--
Ian

"Man will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of
the last priest"

On 24/08/2022 01:38, Boots wrote:
> On 23/08/2022 21:25 Champ penned these words:
>> On Mon, 22 Aug 2022 19:54:06 +0100, YTC#1 <bdp@ytc1-spambin.co.uk>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 22/08/2022 18:52, Champ wrote:
>>>> On Mon, 22 Aug 2022 17:01:32 +0100, siwilson
>>>> <siwilson@nodamnspam.hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Sharp's Autos have a good reputation and indeed I used them to fix the
>>>>> a/c on my T4. The bill ran to 4 digits though :(
>>>>
>>>> Fuxxake!!!! I'd rather be too hot, I think
>>
>>> <Pats MX5 on bonnet>
>>
>> er, yeah, I've got a convertible too
>>
>> They're fine up to about 30 degrees, mebbe, but after that you want
>> the roof up and the aircon on.
>>
>> There's a reason why the UK is the biggest market for convertibles in
>> Europe. Most other places are actually too hot for a convertible to
>> be pleasant
>
> I can't recall seeing any convertibles locally (Penang), it's always AC in the
> car albeit there must have been a time for the locals when such things did not
> exist. Last month on the bike coming south from the Thai border it was 34 and in
> my Alpinestars kit which I was wearing I thought I was going to melt.
>

Pah, it was 39.5 on the A34 going home the other day. It actually wasn't
too bad if I kept moving but stationary it was quite unpleasant.

--
/Simon

On Wednesday, 24 August 2022 at 09:54:30 UTC+1, siwilson wrote:

> Pah, it was 39.5 on the A34 going home the other day. It actually wasn't
> too bad if I kept moving but stationary it was quite unpleasant.

On this years trip around Bulgaria/Romania/Hungary/Slovakia etc. there
were several days that were high 30s/low 40s, a full day of this is very
draining. The worst event was we'd seen a campsite advertised based at
a water park (near Arad, Romania), we had quite a long day and the last hour
or so was spent in slow rush hour traffic crawling around Arad, stop starting
traffic lights, roads badly distorted by heavy lorries, fumes, heat off road and
vehicles, mercury soaring in the glass, blood pressure raising in the capillaries
.... you get the picture. The last five miles spent virtually hallucinating sitting
in a cold pool with a cool beer to hand.

Then reality struck, we arrived and saw the water park; no immediate
evidence of a bar but... even worse... no evidence of there ever having
been a campsite. Bah.

We ended up having to do another 45 or so minutes around the same
shitty roads/conditions until we found our way to a campsite we'd used
before, operated by a Dutchman. He sold us 'too cold beer' (his words)
and gave us a decent shaded space for camping... but no pool in
which to lounge.

Give me mid to high 20s any day of the year. Favourite biking
is probably slightly overcast, yet dry, around 26-28 degrees, somewhere
in eastern europe with quiet roads with a good surface and ideally cyrillic
alphabet road signs, oh and no police. Is that too much to ask?

Stephen Packer <stephen.packer@gmail.com> wrote in
news:740d60b6-3b62-49b4-a1f2-03423dae64e1n@googlegroups.com:

> Give me mid to high 20s any day of the year. Favourite biking
> is probably slightly overcast, yet dry, around 26-28 degrees,
> somewhere in eastern europe with quiet roads with a good surface and
> ideally cyrillic alphabet road signs, oh and no police. Is that too
> much to ask?
>

these are the conditions I am hoping for next month in N.Spain & SW France
except for signs in Roman script with many less easy to pronounce than
Welsh. They don't seem to like vowels in some parts.

TFF road numbers as I am discovering there can be 4 or 5 different
spellings for places in the Iraty/Ilarita/Iratico/Iratiko region near
Larrau & Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, depending on which mp you use.

On Wed, 24 Aug 2022 11:58:58 -0000 (UTC), wessie
<willnotwork@tesco.net> wrote:

>TFF road numbers as I am discovering there can be 4 or 5 different
>spellings for places in the Iraty/Ilarita/Iratico/Iratiko region near
>Larrau & Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, depending on which mp you use.

So what, Castillian, Catalan, Galician, Basque... is there a fourth
language there or do you think it's just historical spellings?

--
Ace
http://www.chaletbeauroc.com/

siwilson wrote:
> Boots wrote:
> >> There's a reason why the UK is the biggest market for convertibles in
> >> Europe. Most other places are actually too hot for a convertible to
> >> be pleasant
> >
> > Last month on the bike coming south from the Thai border it was 34 and in
> > my Alpinestars kit which I was wearing I thought I was going to melt.
> >
> Pah, it was 39.5 on the A34 going home the other day. It actually wasn't
> too bad if I kept moving but stationary it was quite unpleasant.

43 when I was riding from Troyes to Orange pre-Covid, which was deeply unpleasant in a Goretex jacket. I ended up trundling along D-roads because getting stuck in stationary traffic on the autoroute had potential to get seriously iffy.

I suspect 34 is worse than it sounds in Malayan humidity though.

wessie wrote:
> TFF road numbers as I am discovering there can be 4 or 5 different
> spellings for places in the Iraty/Ilarita/Iratico/Iratiko region near
> Larrau & Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, depending on which mp you use.

I did like the signs in Corsica where the French names for villages had been crossed out with a rattle can and the local names sprayed on.