Omega Owners Forum - Regassing of aircon frequency

pscocoa

Omega Knight

Offline

Posts: 1299
Sandhurst Berkshire
Gender: male

Drives: Elite 3.2 V6 Irmscher, Phaeton V6 Diesel, Signum 1.9cdti

Regassing of aircon frequency
06. May 2011 at 15:07

My daughter waits until her Focus goes out of warranty and then tells me aircon needs regassing after it was done just 12 months ago. Ford wanted to book it in to check for leaks (and of course that could not be for a few days) so took it to the dreaded Kwik Fit who regassed and allegedly checked for leaks - reported none and system is working again.

Question:

1. How often do you re-gas given 12000 miles a year say - for my Omega I would say it was only every 3 or 4 years

2. Would the Kwik Fit system report leaks as they claim?

3. Are visual checks of whole system necessary to identify a leak as opposed to just seeing if your gas runs out after a month?

Back to top

IP Logged

Lazydocker Omega King Offline Victim of Pinky's Power Trip! Posts: 11336 Woodbridge, Suffolk Gender: Drives: 2003 3.2 Elite Estate LPG Converted, inspected and Certified	Re: Regassing of aircon frequency Reply #1 - 06. May 2011 at 15:14 Any air con place is obliged to do a leak test before re-gassing a system. I had my Omega done about 2 years ago (45k ish) and it's still cold, although not as cold as it was.
Back to top	Whatever it is... I didn't do it IP Logged

Lazydocker Omega King Offline Victim of Pinky's Power Trip! Posts: 11336 Woodbridge, Suffolk Gender: Drives: 2003 3.2 Elite Estate LPG Converted, inspected and Certified	Re: Regassing of aircon frequency Reply #2 - 06. May 2011 at 15:15 Should add that the guy who did mine said there will be a drop in content over time. Can't remember what the exact figure was but it was either "up to 10%" or 20%
Back to top	Whatever it is... I didn't do it IP Logged

_Baggy Intermediate Member Offline Posts: 391 North Hants	Re: Regassing of aircon frequency Reply #3 - 06. May 2011 at 15:30 Don't know about our Omega, but our other car hasn't seen a regas in 4 years. Admittedly a regas would get it blowing as cold as it's supposed to, but it still blows cold enough for the recent hot spell we have experienced.
Back to top	Who is General Failure, and why is he reading my hard drive? IP Logged

Kevin Wood Global Moderator Admin Team Offline Posts: 20377 Alton, Hampshire Gender: Drives: 3.2 MV6 (LPG), Westfield	Re: Regassing of aircon frequency Reply #4 - 06. May 2011 at 16:28 I'm guessing the machines used by KF would simply report if it didn't hold a vacuum. If the leak needs more detailed investigation such as pressure testing, filling with inert gas plus dye, then inspecting with UV, it would be better to take it to a specialist.
Back to top	Tech2 services currently available. See TheBoy's price list: http://theboy.omegaowners.com/ IP Logged

pscocoa Omega Knight Offline Posts: 1299 Sandhurst Berkshire Gender: Drives: Elite 3.2 V6 Irmscher, Phaeton V6 Diesel, Signum 1.9cdti	Re: Regassing of aircon frequency Reply #5 - 06. May 2011 at 17:19 Thanks Kevin - but how do you best asess whether you think the car has a leak - if gas lasts 1 year do you think that suggests a small leak? Or is it quite common for certain types of car to need regassing once a year? I suppose just keep an eye on it for now - maybe £49 a year is ok.
Back to top	IP Logged

Lincs Robert Omega Knight Offline Garage fits Omega Posts: 1918 Lincolnshire Gender: Drives: '99 Auto 3.0 Elite Saloon	Re: Regassing of aircon frequency Reply #6 - 06. May 2011 at 18:27 What age Focus? Ours is a 54 and still ice cold and have never been re-gassed .........
Back to top	IP Logged

Varche Omega Baron Offline Posts: 3860 Andalucia, Spain Gender: Drives: 97 pre mini facelift 3 litre auto RHD Elite saloon and a 2000 Ford Ka !	Re: Regassing of aircon frequency Reply #7 - 06. May 2011 at 18:43 Our red 97 Omega still has nice cool air con and has NEVER had a regas from New. It is quite shocking to learn that they need regular regassing.!
Back to top	Finished breaking the red mfl Elite saloon in Spain. Got a shed load of stuff. Will post parts. IP Logged

Marks DTM Calib Administrator Offline Ex Member Posts: 25671 Northern Hemisphere Gender: Drives: Astra J, Mum Bus, Dexta Tractor, 108 DMU wip	Re: Regassing of aircon frequency Reply #8 - 06. May 2011 at 18:51 They should be serviced every 3 years and yes they do leak slowly. But 1 year is WAY to fast and hints at a leak somewhere
Back to top	IP Logged

Pitchfork

Omega Baron

Offline

Barndances & Morris

Posts: 2493
Tadley (near Basingrad)
Gender: male

Drives: 2006 Citroen C5 Diesel Estate

Re: Regassing of aircon frequency
Reply #9 - 06. May 2011 at 21:01

pscocoa wrote on 06. May 2011 at 17:19:

Thanks Kevin - but how do you best asess whether you think the car has a leak - if gas lasts 1 year do you think that suggests a small leak? Or is it quite common for certain types of car to need regassing once a year?

I suppose just keep an eye on it for now - maybe £49 a year is ok.

Had the Citroen regassed today £35 +VAT = £42
Special offer in an independant Volvo garage just outside Basingrad

Back to top

Almost famous! www.pitchforkband.co.uk Guitar & PA Amps repaired & serviced
Ears pierced while you wait. PAT & Valve testing

IP Logged

Stallion Omega Knight Offline Posts: 1008 Romford Gender: Drives: 2001 --> Irmscher 3.2 Elite <--	Re: Regassing of aircon frequency Reply #10 - 06. May 2011 at 21:04 Marks DTM Calib wrote on 06. May 2011 at 18:51: They should be serviced every 3 years and yes they do leak slowly. But 1 year is WAY to fast and hints at a leak somewhere Spot on, as it is also known for the seals on the ac pipes do dry up and leak SLOWLY overtime
Back to top	IP Logged

mrgreen

Senior Member

Offline

Posts: 766
Salzburg/austria
Gender: male

Drives: 2.2 facelift caravan

Re: Regassing of aircon frequency
Reply #11 - 06. May 2011 at 21:12

yes from what i've been told due to the flexi hoses it's accepted 3 percent leakage per year so depending on the system and what it holds depends on how often it needs regassing but 1 year is rather short, my father always has told me that running the air con is important so the seals don't dry out (he was a refridgeration engineer) so i geuss there's something in it! which remings me mine needs more gas!!

Back to top

the funniest thing about this particular signature is that by the time you realise it doesn't say anything it's to late to stop reading it

IP Logged

pscocoa Omega Knight Offline Posts: 1299 Sandhurst Berkshire Gender: Drives: Elite 3.2 V6 Irmscher, Phaeton V6 Diesel, Signum 1.9cdti	Re: Regassing of aircon frequency Reply #12 - 06. May 2011 at 22:25 Lincs Robert wrote on 06. May 2011 at 18:27: What age Focus? Ours is a 54 and still ice cold and have never been re-gassed ......... Focus is a March 2008 - looks like there must be a leak then
Back to top	IP Logged

Lazydocker

Omega King

Offline

Victim of Pinky's Power
Trip!

Posts: 11336
Woodbridge, Suffolk
Gender: male

Drives: 2003 3.2 Elite Estate LPG Converted, inspected and Certified

Re: Regassing of aircon frequency
Reply #13 - 07. May 2011 at 00:07

mrgreen wrote on 06. May 2011 at 21:12:

yes from what i've been told due to the flexi hoses it's accepted 3 percent leakage per year so depending on the system and what it holds depends on how often it needs regassing but 1 year is rather short, my father always has told me that running the air con is important so the seals don't dry out (he was a refridgeration Technician) so i geuss there's something in it! which remings me mine needs more gas!!

I leave mine running full, auto CC all year round Wink

Back to top

Whatever it is... I didn't do it

IP Logged

This is the old site. Please use the new site.

This is the old site. Please use the new site.

www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php.

This is the old site. Please use the new site.

	Welcome, Guest. Please Login