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My car is snowing .....

Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2010 8:49 pm
by SuperBug
Guys,

Reading another thread on air con issues i seem to have my own. I have a 10AE and the air con is always running whether button is pressed or not. No actual air passes through the vents until i turn the switch. The issue i have is that after about 10 minutes of the car just running the vent let out frost. the Box under the the glove box is awlays covered in ice. Im stuck for ideas any tips?

Thanks

Matt

My car is snowing .....

Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2010 9:45 am
by Caffeine
Isn't the AC compressor engaged via a magnetic clutch arrangement? Perhaps this is stuck so that the compressor is always running???

My car is snowing .....

Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2010 1:20 pm
by SuperBug
How hard is that to fix?

My car is snowing .....

Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2010 4:01 pm
by MX5CHIC
First and most important is to disconnect your compressor until you locate the fault, what you describe is a compressor running without the fan working (?) You are freezing your evaporator coil (that's what is inside the "box") and continuing to do this will damage your compressor in a short time, your evaporator feeds directly back to the compressor, freezing the evaporator will send liquid, instead of gas back to the compressor which is not designed to compress refrigerant in it's liquid state.
Easy way to test if you are not a tech head = unplug the red wire where it is joined adjacent to the compressor, this prevents the clutch engaging and running your compressor. *Note here that you will need to see if the clutch is somehow seized and not disengaging - start the car and see if the compressor runs - this would be a very unlikely fault.

When you determine that the compressor is no longer engaging you will need to see if your Fan is operating on all speeds and operating correctly, if it is ;

A good place to start is to check for a burnt / stuffed Compressor Relay :frown: an easy fix (if) that is the case.
(does one of your fans behind the radiator operate when your compressor is running?)

My car is snowing .....

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 12:43 am
by Okibi
Great advice, thanks :mrgreen: