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[Impact Pete]

Hi car leaks after about a year with a supposed refill, not worth replacing valve? so was thinking of a cheap option just for a 2 week holiday so baby does not get fried!

any advice?

[Andy B]

....l, not worth replacing valve?  ....

Each valve is only a couple of quid if it is them that are leaking. Often though, it's the condenser or compressor that leaks.

[Jimbob]

I paid £3.77 for a valve and £50+ vat for 3 x regasses!

1st regas - £50 + vat plus spotted valve wont seal.
They order one from VX...just the valve innards arrive, after vaccing out, refil as it wont fit...no charge.

I ordered the correct screw in valve replacement...£3.77

They vacc'd, changed and regassed....No charge!

I like my garage!

(had seen from service history Big Blue has never kept refrigerant for very long, hopefully she now will)

[pauls]

Sorry to hijack this Jim have you got the part numbers for the valves 

[Jimbob]

Sorry to hijack this Jim have you got the part numbers for the valves 

The one at the front of my 2002 3.2 is 13277003
The wrong insert (may have been usable at tha back? 3041827

[VXL V6]

I paid £3.77 for a valve and £50+ vat for 3 x regasses!

1st regas - £50 + vat plus spotted valve wont seal.
They order one from VX...just the valve innards arrive, after vaccing out, refil as it wont fit...no charge.

I ordered the correct screw in valve replacement...£3.77

They vacc'd, changed and regassed....No charge!

I like my garage!

(had seen from service history Big Blue has never kept refrigerant for very long, hopefully she now will)

Errr aren't they supposed to fill the system with an inert gas and check for leaks before vacuuming out again and refilling with refridgerent by law?

[Jimbob]

Technically it wasnt leaking once the cap was scewed on....

[ted_one]

Yup....especially Kwick Krap,they are really hot on leaks....just plead the fifth and say that you know nothing about the car as you have just bought it, that way you only get the short lecture about the legality of defective A/C systems  PITA

[pauls]

Sorry to hijack this Jim have you got the part numbers for the valves 

The one at the front of my 2002 3.2 is 13277003
The wrong insert (may have been usable at tha back? 3041827
[/quote

Cheers Jim

[CaptainZok]

And to answer the op's question, no those top up kits are useless. Refrigerant and pag oil go in in measured amounts that's why places who do aircon buy machines that put in a measured amount for each particular car. Plus it's illegal to fill a leaking system which is one reason for it having to hold a vac for a set period of time before filling. The other way of testing is to pressurise with nitrogen. So I'd say save the price of the refill and go to someone with proper kit for testing and refilling the aircon.

[tigers_gonads]

If its done properly, it should be

Suck the gas out
Timed vacuum check
Then disinfectant and refrigerant.

The refrigerant is UV reflective so if its been leaking, they should be able to replace any o rings or bits before they refill 

If yours is leaking, get your hands on a UV lamp and have a look before you take it 

The refills from Halfords are crap imo 

[RobG]

If its done properly, it should be

Suck the gas out
Timed vacuum check
Then disinfectant and refrigerant.

The refrigerant is UV reflective so if its been leaking, they should be able to replace any o rings or bits before they refill 

If yours is leaking, get your hands on a UV lamp and have a look before you take it 

The refills from Halfords are crap imo 

Never knew that

[tigers_gonads]

If its done properly, it should be

Suck the gas out
Timed vacuum check
Then disinfectant and refrigerant.

The refrigerant is UV reflective so if its been leaking, they should be able to replace any o rings or bits before they refill 

If yours is leaking, get your hands on a UV lamp and have a look before you take it 

The refills from Halfords are crap imo 

Never knew that

Yup 

My old shed failed its vac check last year.
The clever git just grabbed a UV torch, spotted a dodgy o ring, sorted it and filled it all up 
Only cost me 40 quid as well 

[Andy B]

If its done properly, it should be

Suck the gas out
Timed vacuum check
Then disinfectant and refrigerant.

The refrigerant is UV reflective so if its been leaking, they should be able to replace any o rings or bits before they refill 

If yours is leaking, get your hands on a UV lamp and have a look before you take it 

The refills from Halfords are crap imo 

Never knew that

It's only UV reflective when a UV reflective dye is added to the system     

[RobG]

My "breaker" had dye in the system that was visible to the naked eye. As you can see