Welcome to Just Commodores, a site specifically designed for all people who share the same passion as yourself.

New Posts Contact us

Just Commodores Forum Community

It takes just a moment to join our fantastic community

Register

AIRCON leak - not cold, what could it be? More info

kylo33710

New Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
Messages
51
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
29
Location
Ballina, NSW
Members Ride
VS Exec 1995
My 1996 VS was bought with no aircon, with the fan on and the temperature on cold, it's room temperature. when i turn the A/C on aswell, i hear a hissing sound, and when i turn it off it stops. sound is coming from the left side of the dash. what should i troubleshoot first? thanks alot
 

kylo33710

New Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
Messages
51
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
29
Location
Ballina, NSW
Members Ride
VS Exec 1995
sorry, i bought it and it had aircon but it wasn't working.
 

Brett_jjj

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2009
Messages
6,805
Reaction score
108
Points
48
Location
Tamworth NSW
Members Ride
vs commodore
Its probably low on gas if its making a hissing sound when the A/C is turned on. My VS did this, I took it in for a regas and its been working beautifully ever since. The workshop manuals for these cars mentions that these A/C systems need a periodic regassing to keep them working at their optimum, as the refrigerant slowly leaks out of the system over time.
 

Gus The Snail

Born to be dizlegzic
Joined
Aug 29, 2007
Messages
528
Reaction score
21
Points
18
Location
ipswich - on the right side of the tracks
Members Ride
VS ute S2 1996
Make sure they add a little oil to the system when gassing it , will help keep the seals wet , which aids in the sealing.
 

08sky_way

Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2008
Messages
104
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
Kingsley WA
Members Ride
VR Acclaim
I've had 2 VRs with leaking ACs and have wasted a few re-gas services that only lasted up to 9 months before the system needed re-gassing again. In one car (a Lexcen) the leak was from the nipple that is bolted onto the top of the compressor - I had the service people remove the nipple and fit it with two new 'O' rings in 2004. My son drives the Lexcen now and after 8 years the thing still works OK. With my Acclaim it needed a regas when I bought it so I had the same 'O' rings replaced before the regas. The gas still leaked out after about 9 months. In the meantime I did a careful check of the condenser when I fitted a new radiator and could find no telltale sign of any leaking (oil in the AC attracts dirt when it leaks out with refrigerant gas). I then removed the plastic plenum cover under the windscreen wipers where there was obvious signs of leakage. This seems to have sorted the problem, but I only had it done 8 months ago.

The thing that annoyed me was that the specialist service business did not go to the trouble of removing the plenum cover to look for leaks the first time I had it done and I doubt whether they would have bothered to look there the second time around. Changing seals cost an extra $20 over the normal regas price. If it needs a re-gas it must be leaking from somewhere.
 
Top