Air Conditioning Playing Up On '00 156

Hey Guys

I never had air conditioning in my previous car, so I thought it would be
relatively straightforward to use. Last night, however, it was really
getting under my skin. Thought I'd make it cooler, so turned it down from
21 to 18. The fan starts blowing harder like you'd expect, but the air
thats coming out is HOT. So hot, the car was streaming up. So there I am
wiping the windows with a chamis, all of them down a little to let some air
in, while trying to keep up the pace on a fast 'A' road. This went on til I
reached my destination some 45 minutes later. The destination btw was a
garage to check whether it had eaten another catalytic converter (and the
undertray was hanging again). Man, I was fumin...

Are there known faults with this unit? Recyle was off btw, in fact, I've
never used Recyle yet (so I'll give it a try). Could the compressor be
duff? Temperature sensor?

Did I mention steamy windows, this car is so bad for that in the morning...
but the seats are nice, so thats the main thing.

Rgds

Stuart

Stuart Ewen wrote:

> Hey Guys
>
> I never had air conditioning in my previous car, so I thought it would be
> relatively straightforward to use. Last night, however, it was really
> getting under my skin. Thought I'd make it cooler, so turned it down from
> 21 to 18. The fan starts blowing harder like you'd expect, but the air
> thats coming out is HOT. So hot, the car was streaming up. So there I am
> wiping the windows with a chamis, all of them down a little to let some
> air
> in, while trying to keep up the pace on a fast 'A' road. This went on til
> I
> reached my destination some 45 minutes later. The destination btw was a
> garage to check whether it had eaten another catalytic converter (and the
> undertray was hanging again). Man, I was fumin...
>
> Are there known faults with this unit? Recyle was off btw, in fact, I've
> never used Recyle yet (so I'll give it a try).

You should.

> Could the compressor be
> duff? Temperature sensor?

Might need re-gassing

> Did I mention steamy windows, this car is so bad for that in the
> morning... but the seats are nice, so thats the main thing.

Recylce is your friend

--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7 75 2.0 TS
Triumph Speed Triple: Black with extra black bits
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

"Stuart Ewen" > schreef in bericht
. ..
> Hey Guys
>
> I never had air conditioning in my previous car, so I thought it would be
> relatively straightforward to use. Last night, however, it was really
> getting under my skin. Thought I'd make it cooler, so turned it down from
> 21 to 18. The fan starts blowing harder like you'd expect, but the air
> thats coming out is HOT.

Was your car 21dgr as well.
If not and still under that would explain a lot.

> So hot, the car was streaming up. So there I am wiping the windows with a
> chamis, all of them down a little to let some air in, while trying to keep
> up the pace on a fast 'A' road.

Are you sure the aircon in switched on?
One of the nice features in winter is that the aircon also dries the air!!
I ALWAYS have the aircon switched on.


> This went on til I reached my destination some 45 minutes later. The
> destination btw was a garage to check whether it had eaten another
> catalytic converter

So this is not the first time??
I would have the fuel checked that you put in your tank.
Leaded?????

> (and the undertray was hanging again).

That's your own fault.
Those da***** road bumps combined with a too high speed (sorry)

> Man, I was fumin...
> Are there known faults with this unit? Recyle was off btw, in fact, I've
> never used Recyle yet (so I'll give it a try).

Good to use it when the interior needs a quick temp raise.
Otherwise, don't tough it unless you have a diesel fuming truck in front of
you.

> Could the compressor be duff?

Unlikely. More likely is that it needs a re-gassing (normally checked at
every service)

> Temperature sensor?

It could too!

> Did I mention steamy windows, this car is so bad for that in the
> morning...

Like I said, ALWAYS have your aircon switched on, that will get rid of the
steamy windows.

> but the seats are nice, so thats the main thing.

I even have them heated. MMmmmmmmm

>
> Rgds
>
> Stuart

Another tip:
Supposing your 156 has the automatic aircon, don't fiddled around with the
temperature setting.
So don't ask 30dgr on a could morning.
Just let the knob at your favorite temperature.
Normally between 18-20dgr in winter.
The "automate" is continously measuring and comparing the actual temperature
as well as the temperature setting and calculates the speed of heating up or
cooling down.
By regularly fiddling around with the setting, the computer gets confused
because it is still trying to get to the earlier setting and you ask
something els now.

An another one:
Alfa has a "special" attitude towards cooling. Unlike other brands that just
pump in a lot of (very) cold air, Alfa pumps in much more air, but at a less
cold temperature.
Advantage is that in the end the overall temperaturei in the interior is
reached in the same time, but with much less cold chivers in your neck etc.

--
Ciao from Holland
AlfistaGJ (Gert-Jan)
Alfa red 156 SW 1.8 Madeno tuned (2000) (soon: GT 2.0JTS)
Golden Montreal 1428700 (1973/4)

On Sat, 29 Jan 2005 08:47:57 GMT, "alfistagj"
> wrote:

<Snip>
>> (and the undertray was hanging again).
>
>That's your own fault.
>Those da***** road bumps combined with a too high speed (sorry)

If it's the old-style fibre tray, I'd ditch it and get the new-style
plastic one. Its MUCH more resilient than the original.

<snip>
>An another one:
>Alfa has a "special" attitude towards cooling.

Replace "special" with "cheap"...

> Unlike other brands that just
>pump in a lot of (very) cold air, Alfa pumps in much more air, but at a less
>cold temperature.
>Advantage is that in the end the overall temperaturei in the interior is
>reached in the same time, but with much less cold chivers in your neck etc.

Nah! It's a nice try but even Alfa realised that they'd been far too
mean with the 156 A/C compressor size and it was beefed up for the
147.

For the original poster, I'd look for the source of all the water as
well as why the A/C wasn't cooling. There are specifications given in
the handbook about what chilling is available at what temperatures.
IIRC, the chiller doesn't do much work below an external air
temperature of 15C.

--
Z
Scotland
Alfa Romeo 156 2.4JTD Veloce Leather
'Oil' be seeing you..
(Email without 'Alfa' in subject are auto-deleted..sorry!)

>
> If it's the old-style fibre tray, I'd ditch it and get the new-style
> plastic one. Its MUCH more resilient than the original.

Yeah, I have that one. It was the 2 back lugs, as the Alfa dealer sold me
fixings that have bugger all to do with holding it in place. So, it's cable
tied at the back again til the next service. It will be pointed out at the
next service in 2000 miles. I'm also beginning to wonder if they've
actually serviced the air conditioning at the last one, it wouldnt' surprise
me if they skipped it.
>
>
> For the original poster, I'd look for the source of all the water as
> well as why the A/C wasn't cooling. There are specifications given in
> the handbook about what chilling is available at what temperatures.
> IIRC, the chiller doesn't do much work below an external air
> temperature of 15C.

I don't think there's any 'water' coming in as such, it's just the usual
cold windows getting steamed. I'm also fairly sure now that the temperature
sensor must be working due to the variance in fan speed on temperature
selection. Still hot air coming out, so I'll phone up the dealer tomorrow
and see what they say.

Rgds

Stuart

>> Are there known faults with this unit? Recyle was off btw, in fact, I've
>> never used Recyle yet (so I'll give it a try).
>
> You should.
>
>> Could the compressor be
>> duff? Temperature sensor?
>
> Might need re-gassing

How much does this usually cost, and can *most* places do it? Not near an
Alfa dealership at the moment. Thx.

>
>> Did I mention steamy windows, this car is so bad for that in the
>> morning... but the seats are nice, so thats the main thing.
>
> Recylce is your friend

Tried it, but not much difference.

> Was your car 21dgr as well.
> If not and still under that would explain a lot.

Car was 21 or more.

> Are you sure the aircon in switched on?
> One of the nice features in winter is that the aircon also dries the air!!
> I ALWAYS have the aircon switched on.

Yes, I also always have it switched on. Especially at this time of year.

>> This went on til I reached my destination some 45 minutes later. The
>> destination btw was a garage to check whether it had eaten another
>> catalytic converter
>
> So this is not the first time??

It was a bit of heat shield making contact with the exhaust, again. The
first cat disintegrated, not sure how old it was, the sound I heard was
similar.

Mr Flipflops wrote:

>>> Are there known faults with this unit? Recyle was off btw, in fact,
>>> I've never used Recyle yet (so I'll give it a try).
>>
>> You should.
>>
>>> Could the compressor be
>>> duff? Temperature sensor?
>>
>> Might need re-gassing
>
> How much does this usually cost, and can *most* places do it? Not near an
> Alfa dealership at the moment. Thx.

SPecial machines are needed. Any autmotive A/C place should be able to do
it .

As for cost, no idea, sorry.
>>
>>> Did I mention steamy windows, this car is so bad for that in the
>>> morning... but the seats are nice, so thats the main thing.
>>
>> Recylce is your friend
>
> Tried it, but not much difference.

definitley something awry then
--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7 75 2.0 TS
Triumph Speed Triple: Black with extra black bits
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

On Sun, 30 Jan 2005 21:38:47 GMT, "Mr Flipflops"
> wrote:

<snip>
>I'm also beginning to wonder if they've
>actually serviced the air conditioning at the last one, it wouldnt' surprise
>me if they skipped it.

er..it'll cost in the region of 100UKP! The owner requests it - as far
as I am aware, it's not a standard service item. I get mine re-gassed
every two years.

<snip>
>I don't think there's any 'water' coming in as such, it's just the usual
>cold windows getting steamed. I'm also fairly sure now that the temperature
>sensor must be working due to the variance in fan speed on temperature
>selection. Still hot air coming out, so I'll phone up the dealer tomorrow
>and see what they say.

IIRC, there's a computer that can be reset for odd heating behaviour.
If you ask the heating to cool the cabin you might not get chilled air
(for several reasons) but you shouldn't get 'hot' air.

--
Z
Scotland
Alfa Romeo 156 2.4JTD Veloce Leather
'Oil' be seeing you..
(Email without 'Alfa' in subject are auto-deleted..sorry!)

On Sun, 30 Jan 2005 22:05:31 GMT, Catman
> wrote:

>Mr Flipflops wrote:
<snip>
>> How much does this usually cost, and can *most* places do it? Not near an
>> Alfa dealership at the moment. Thx.
>
>SPecial machines are needed. Any autmotive A/C place should be able to do
>it .
>
>As for cost, no idea, sorry.

100UKP 18 months ago from my Reg Vardy dealership. Possibly 70UKP if
you get a specialist to come to your house with a little van.

Last time I looked into it, the procedure and materials used made
these prices seem reasonable.

--
Z
Scotland
Alfa Romeo 156 2.4JTD Veloce Leather
'Oil' be seeing you..
(Email without 'Alfa' in subject are auto-deleted..sorry!)