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2001 VX Clubby Air Con Problems - Weird?!?

Thumper89

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Hey all, first post here, done a quick search but can't seem to find any info on the particular problem I'm having with my air con, not surprising as I've never heard of it before either. Sorry for the bit of a rant but it's a very weird problem so I need to explain it right.

Situation is this. Got a 2001 VX Series 1 HSV Clubsport R8, 6 speed manual, climate control etc. Now, A/C wasn't working when I got the car, everything else on the climate control was. Put it in to get checked, seals on the compressor were gone, so they put new ones in and regassed and she was working great for summer, this was in February.

Don't use the car that much, but when I do I always use the A/C because I personally run hot most of the time, so I seriously doubt it's seals/system drying out or whatever. Plus when I say not often, it's still once every couple of weeks it gets run to keep the oil/everything circulating.

The other way was out for a quick drive, coolant light came on...great. Got it home, sussed it out, the barb on the incoming line of the 4-hose heater valve had snapped off, losing coolant. Not a big deal, put a new one in this morning, topped up the coolant, bled it, no problems.

NOW, testing the climate inside after up to temp and topped off coolant...heater work brilliantly, cool/fresh air working fine, put the A/C on...hear the compressor click, hear the engine note change, feel the air volume change as you always do when switching the air con on....but it didn't get cold...I couldn't hear a fan kick in for the condenser either. I checked under the bonnet...compressor is definitely engaging, eg. face not spinning when air con off, spinning when air con turns on. No delay/slip when engaging/disengaging so I don't think it's the compressor clutch? Also, just when I turn the A/C off and the compressor disengages, I can hear a faint rattle, real tinny sound, like something loose in the compressor. Can also hear a real rapid double click from the A/C relay under the bonnet when engage the A/C button, but this doesn't do it every time. Thought it might be a safety cut out for low gas etc, but when it double clicks, it still engages, but no cold air? Swapped it with the horn relay (exactly the same) and same problems, still double click sometimes, and horn still works so the relay was fine

Now my thoughts are that if something had let go in the compressor, it would have lost gas? If it lost gas the pressure switch would prevent the compressor from engaging yes? I know it didn't click/engage when I first got it and had no gas in it. Could it be that there is a slow leak, and it's not low enough to stop it engaging, but not high enough to actually cool? The A/C lines under bonnet do not get cold at all. I can't see if this car has an inspection bubble thing on the line, might be hidden? Also should point out that the new heater tap, vacuum operated is working fine, checked that. When engage A/C in the car can hear a bit of a hiss from under the dash...but this is normal for A/C in a lot of cars I've found, but not sure if it's louder in the HSV now, or it's always been there and I just haven't been listening for it.

Any help would be appreciated. I have no idea what's wrong, everything is closed on a weekend, and I was hoping to be selling it this coming week. Things always go wrong at the worst times! Thanks.
 
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BlackVXGTS

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I have a VX 2001 GTS but I'm not familiar with the Clubsport. Do you have climate control or just the standard HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) setup?
 

Thumper89

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climate control mate. Should say that I have a spare climate control unit at home that works fine, just all the lights are rooted in it, plugged that in and exactly the same problems still. :(
 
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magnumv8

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Did you check the condensor fan is turning on when ac is switched on-my wifes car had the relay die for her condensor fan and the ac wouldnt work till I replaced the relay.
 

Thumper89

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Wasn't sure if the condenser had a separate little fan or it ran one of the thermos, too hard to see behind the clubby bar. But no, I can't hear any fan come on with the a/c, I took it for a drive to get some cold air through it but didn't make any difference. Where is the relay for the condenser fan? Can't seem to see one in either fuse box under dash or under bonnet?
 

vxlimtedsportssedan

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It's an electrical problem, I'd say either a fuse or the fan resistor.l, located behind the glovebox compartment, requires pulling out.
 

Nut Kracker

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If the blower fan is working and pumping out air into the cab, it wont be the bloody fan speed resistors.
I'm sick to death of hearing about them EVERY time the a/c-heater stuffs up. Sure in some cases it may be, but not ALL the time.

You need to check the low speed fan relay...should be in the engine bay fuse compartment.
There is no extra fan for the condenser.
When the a/c is on, one of the two thermo fans will switch on to cool the condenser.
Depending on the car, if you look at the thermo fans, you may notice the blades are smaller on one than the other.
This is the one that turns on when the a/c is on.
If the car radiator needs cooling, then the other one will switch on as well.

Also get the refrigerant pressure in the a/c checked. It may not be low enough to activate the low pressure switch,
but low enough not to cool.
 
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