Air Con: General: Air con Disaster

[dandpl]

Hi to you all

1993 Volvo 850 Estate with 260k kilometres living in France.

Recently the air con would stop working after half an hour or so and then work again when the engine was cold for another half hour or so.

Volvo dealer who has serviced the car said new compressor at 700 euro. so ok we went with it ...........it had been re-gassed some 3 months previously.

Volvo dealer pronounces all is well and has been tested.........when we drive it no air-con at all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Volvo dealer now suggests replacing another part "Platine 9144352" (French word) which I think is an electrical board at 950 euro!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He belives the system was blocked and it burbt out this item.

Car has always been serviced by Volvo and by this dealer for the last 2 years.

What think you all???????????? The car is worth about 4000 euro in France!

Many Many thanks in advance for your help

dandpl

[Chris_Rogers]

Cutting out after 1/2 hour is usually a compressor clutch problem.

Search for 'compressor clutch air gap' on this forum for a fix.

[CTCNetwork]

Hi,

Originally Posted by Chris_Rogers

Cutting out after 1/2 hour is usually a compressor clutch problem.

Search for 'compressor clutch air gap' on this forum for a fix.

But they now have a new compressor.
Wouldn't this include a new clutch for it??

Des. . .

[Chris_Rogers]

Sorry missread the orginal post tired!

[dandpl]

We have visited dealer and he insists the compressor was at fault but has showed us the "heating control board" which is burnt out and it is this part that he now wants to replace at great expense. you can smell the burning.

But we still have heating in the car.

We feel we will try to source a second hand "board" and try to fit that.

Do you have any other thoughts?

Many thanks

[AlanH]

It's unusual for a board to burn out unless it has been short circuited. It seems a bit of a coincidence for first a compressor to fail intermittently and then, once someone has worked on the car, for the new compressor to not work at all due to a catastrophic board failure.

I may be suspicious but my take on this would be a weak compressor clutch which was misdiagnosed as a compressor failure due to ham fisted testing that blew the board. I'd pass the bust board to an electronics person for an opinion on how the failure occurred.

[Bob]

Try http://www.braydonmotors.co.uk for a part, new or used.

Bob

[adamsky01]

i am sure that there is a relay which is causing this problem have heard of it causing the sys to shutdown and it wont restart till relay is replaced i just cant remeber which the manual it is in

[Jod T5]

unfortunately in my experience apart from the odd regas most air con/ecc issues involving new parts render the project beyond economic viability...
cheers
jod

[dandpl]

Originally Posted by AlanH

It's unusual for a board to burn out unless it has been short circuited. It seems a bit of a coincidence for first a compressor to fail intermittently and then, once someone has worked on the car, for the new compressor to not work at all due to a catastrophic board failure.

I may be suspicious but my take on this would be a weak compressor clutch which was misdiagnosed as a compressor failure due to ham fisted testing that blew the board. I'd pass the bust board to an electronics person for an opinion on how the failure occurred.

The part number to be replaced is 9144352 and I agree with your view on this.............anybody know where I might locate a second hand board?

Thanks for the reply