a/c on my vs wagon?

[vswags]

the aircon in my wagon seems cold but not as cold as it should be. its a heat wave here in adelaide and the car only cools down a little cooler than the outside temp which isnt good enough in 40 degree heat, especially with my 2 kids in the car. at first i thought it was just becaouse the size or the car but after feeling the aircon in my mrs car i think there may be something wrong with it. anyone have an idea on what could be wrong?

also i can feel but of hot air around my left foot when driving. assuming its just hot air coming in through the fire wall or something?

cheers

[tall guy]

I have the exact same problem in my Vr wagon.

I was going to re-gas it in the hope it was just old gas? but anyone out there know?

[DannyboyDS]

could it just be that the extra heat is changing the rate that the gasses expand?

[Craftsman]

When was the last time it was gassed? Mine starts to struggle after about 15 months.
I put in the Supercheap cruise control last year and took out the console to fit the control box, when I put it back together I didn't clip the temperature control rod thing in the same place. The a/c ran a bit warm then thanks to my stuff up.

[vswags]

When was the last time it was gassed? Mine starts to struggle after about 15 months.
I put in the Supercheap cruise control last year and took out the console to fit the control box, when I put it back together I didn't clip the temperature control rod thing in the same place. The a/c ran a bit warm then thanks to my stuff up.

i dont know ive only had the car for 6 months. i thought that at first but the a/c is still cool just not cold. i was just gonna get it regassed but wanted to be sure of the problem first just incase that doesnt solve it.

[hako]

The problem will be that the heater switch is not turning the hot coolant flow off when you dial "COLD".
Check this by feeling down near your left ankle ...and then up and to the left where you will see 2 brass pipes - if they are hot it mean hot coolant is heating your cold air. Near the pipes is a plastic arm connected by a rod to the temperature dial...there is a clip here that can get disconnected resulting in the heater tap not getting turned off. this is an easy fix and one that unscrupulous aircon people (there are 1 or 2) make a bit of extra cash on.

[vswags]

The problem will be that the heater switch is not turning the hot coolant flow off when you dial "COLD".
Check this by feeling down near your left ankle ...and then up and to the left where you will see 2 brass pipes - if they are hot it mean hot coolant is heating your cold air. Near the pipes is a plastic arm connected by a rod to the temperature dial...there is a clip here that can get disconnected resulting in the heater tap not getting turned off. this is an easy fix and one that unscrupulous aircon people (there are 1 or 2) make a bit of extra cash on.

just had a look and yes the brass pipes were hot. had a look at the white plastic arm and the clip holding the little rod on is still connected and the arm moves accordingly when i switch from cold to hot.

[hako]

If so, then the arm needs relocating on the clip so that when turned to cold the top piece of the plastic arm pushes a black plastic button which then supplies vacuum to the heater switch and turns the hot water off.

[vswags]

yeah had a look and the arm isnt pushing the pin in. went to undo the clip to adjust it and the clip snapped off snapped off. spewing now.

[VSPantha]

I've got the same issue as vswags.... cool air, hot pipes etc. I went and bought a new heater tap today, along with some vacuum hose (the hose under the engine cover (drivers side) has the density of heat shrink almost nothing left of it). Will put it in tomorrow morning and let you know if that resolves the problem. I don't think that the air con has ever been re-gassed so that may also be on the cards.

[vswags]

went to the wreckers and got a new arm today and put it in. i have adjusted the arm to push the pin in and my aircon feels really cold now. i let the car warm up to operating temp and its still pretty cold but the brass pipes still got really hot. ill have to take the car for a propper drive in some hot weather to see if the aircon stays nice and cold.

[hako]

If the brass pipes are hot or even warm you are still mixing hot and cold air. The brass pipes should be stone motherless cold....
The way to test if the heater tap is getting vacuum is to turn the dial to cold with the A/C on and engine running, then pop the bonnet and pull the vacuum hose off the heater tap - the hose should have strong vacuum.....put the hose back and you should see the vacuum pull the little cranked arm on the heater tap.
No vacuum means the heater tap is ON.

[Wombles]

I think ive heard a teacher in my Tafe course say that the thermostat has something to do with the aircon too... I dunno. Not totally sure.

[VrWagz1]

That little switch thing is all good on mine, my heater tap is just worn and just bypassing. So thats another option. There only about $35.

[bluegreenvs]

Thanks heaps for the thread! Fixed what might have been an expensive mechanics trip.

Thanks hako for the words of help. Will buy you a beer if i ever see ya!

[vswags]

sussed out the van line on the heater tap today and it had no vacume. had a little play with the white arm thing again and got it to push the little button in a bit more and now my aircon is nice and cold. the pipes are also cold now especially tho bottom one which is icey cold. the vac line on the heater tap has vacume now aswell. thanks for the advice hako seems all good now.