Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[dbug]

2.5V6 Auto Elite.
Had Kwik Fit regass aircon 2day - now icy cold but "smoke" coming from front of car.  Checked & it looks like condensor leaking at bottom left hand corner - not smoke but gas + signs on floor under of dye.

Question - could this have been caused by KFit over gassing as I( wasn't over impressed with their knowledge or answers to my questions.  They said it needed gas and leak tested ok.Other question - is there a howto on swapping condensor out (i can get it vacuumed FOC prior to removal), and maybe refilled by KFit FOC.

I doubt it was caused by overfilling as the machine we use is automated. All we do is put in the car details and its internal database loads the amounts.  But on the other point most of us know how to use the machine(its very simple)  but not the ins and outs of how the aircon system works or components.  I would of thought you should be able to get a refill after you fix it without any problems as the leak wasnt picked up. (just dont leave it too long before you contact them or get it done).
lee (kf employee)

Thanx for comments - was not impressed with KF as the operator had to keep referring to the equipment manual!  I asked the manager if the guy was competent in view of the exessive amount of time the process appeared to be taking. His answer - the guy has been on a course in aircon.  HJe never actually answered my question re competence!!

[dbug]

I believe (?) the present law requires a garage (?) to ensure there are no leaks in a system prior to gassing.

To this end they are SUPPOSED to do the degas/nitrogen test/regas procedure...  but what a lot ACTUALLY do is to check if there is pressure in system .. any pressure is deemed as being proof there is no leak, and off they go.

This is NOT a good check.

They also use their machines to inject the "correct" amount of refrigerant (in grams) ... but many don't actually calibrate for the length of hose between machine and car ....... this can lead to a significant underfill of the system.

I have no proof of any of the above, it was all told to me while my major air con problem was being fixed, however the printouts from the specialists machine were far more detailed than the one from the exhaust/tyre place ... and comparing the figures seemed to prove the arguments....

HTH

99% sure they didn't vac out (degas) system, just topped up.  Guy said he carried out a leakage test - no leaks.

[Entwood]

I believe (?) the present law requires a garage (?) to ensure there are no leaks in a system prior to gassing.

To this end they are SUPPOSED to do the degas/nitrogen test/regas procedure...  but what a lot ACTUALLY do is to check if there is pressure in system .. any pressure is deemed as being proof there is no leak, and off they go.

This is NOT a good check.

They also use their machines to inject the "correct" amount of refrigerant (in grams) ... but many don't actually calibrate for the length of hose between machine and car ....... this can lead to a significant underfill of the system.

I have no proof of any of the above, it was all told to me while my major air con problem was being fixed, however the printouts from the specialists machine were far more detailed than the one from the exhaust/tyre place ... and comparing the figures seemed to prove the arguments....

HTH

99% sure they didn't vac out (degas) system, just topped up.  Guy said he carried out a leakage test - no leaks.

So how do they know how much to put in There is no "level check". "dipstick" etc ,, the way it is done - if done properly - is to degas (vaccuum) then to refill with a known quantity of gas, a known quantity of lubricant and a known quantity of dye  - OK  I accept these are all mixed by the machine ......  

[dbug]

I believe (?) the present law requires a garage (?) to ensure there are no leaks in a system prior to gassing.

To this end they are SUPPOSED to do the degas/nitrogen test/regas procedure...  but what a lot ACTUALLY do is to check if there is pressure in system .. any pressure is deemed as being proof there is no leak, and off they go.

This is NOT a good check.

They also use their machines to inject the "correct" amount of refrigerant (in grams) ... but many don't actually calibrate for the length of hose between machine and car ....... this can lead to a significant underfill of the system.

I have no proof of any of the above, it was all told to me while my major air con problem was being fixed, however the printouts from the specialists machine were far more detailed than the one from the exhaust/tyre place ... and comparing the figures seemed to prove the arguments....

HTH

99% sure they didn't vac out (degas) system, just topped up.  Guy said he carried out a leakage test - no leaks.

So how do they know how much to put in There is no "level check". "dipstick" etc ,, the way it is done - if done properly - is to degas (vaccuum) then to refill with a known quantity of gas, a known quantity of lubricant and a known quantity of dye  - OK  I accept these are all mixed by the machine ......  

ASked em that - its all done automatically by the machine was the answer!  Agree with you thats bollux - they cant possibly know how much was in there b4 they started.

Used kf against my better judgement - should have waited and used my normal mobile guy

[Entwood]

I ain't gonna quote the whole mesage again ... but ..

What they SHOULD give you is a printout from the machine that shows

the amount of old gas recovered,
the amount of old oil recovered,
the amount of gas inserted
the amount of oil inserted
vacuum time
injected dye

For mine  the first time the figures were

725g
5 cc
950g
16 cc
30 min
5 cc

The next figures were seperate actions due to the amount of work to be done

Gas recovered 825 g ( this is when I learned about the hose problem with inexperienced operators)
Oil recovered 11 cc - the rest was the black gunge I think

Refill

gas 900 g
Oil 375 ml

No dye was needed as a new filter/dryer fitted and it is inside there apparently

HTH

[sassanach]

there machine automatically vacumns the system,hold that vacumn for 15 minutes and then IF there is no vacumn loss recharges the system with the correct amount of gas and oil.to the best of my knowledge no ac place doing a standard £45 charge will pressure test a system with nitrogen (or any other inert gas)without there being a specific problem there trying to find.with kf i should imagine the biggest problem is they are trained to do ac parrot fashion, and once you deviate from normal there scr**ed.

[markrl]

I would in all honesty rather pay another £25 to have a proper specialist outfit do the job. Remember you are also paying for their time jacking up the car and having a thorough visual inspection of the system, and fishing out all the debris that gets caught behind the fans. Yes Quickfit has a guarantee on the day if the temp output is not improved but what about a few weeks later when it fades due to an undetected problem or leak. At the end of the day I suppose you get what you pay for. Go cheap get monkeys (except its not cheap if you need to do it again a few weeks later).  

[Iainv6]

2.5V6 Auto Elite.
Had Kwik Fit regass aircon 2day - now icy cold but "smoke" coming from front of car.  Checked & it looks like condensor leaking at bottom left hand corner - not smoke but gas + signs on floor under of dye.

Question - could this have been caused by KFit over gassing as I( wasn't over impressed with their knowledge or answers to my questions.  They said it needed gas and leak tested ok.Other question - is there a howto on swapping condensor out (i can get it vacuumed FOC prior to removal), and maybe refilled by KFit FOC.

I doubt it was caused by overfilling as the machine we use is automated. All we do is put in the car details and its internal database loads the amounts.  But on the other point most of us know how to use the machine(its very simple)  but not the ins and outs of how the aircon system works or components.  I would of thought you should be able to get a refill after you fix it without any problems as the leak wasnt picked up. (just dont leave it too long before you contact them or get it done).
lee (kf employee)

Would this be the same kwikfit Database that insists my 2000 Omega V6 CDX Estate should be running on 195 tyres??

[dbug]

Well after an argument KFit agreed to refund my money.  Now need to get it fixed!!