Air-con servicing

[Owen_fan]

My ride will be 2 years old soon, & it should the time to service the air-con. What are the usual thing the workshop do went servicing air-con & how much will it cost. Thanks!

[Apollo]

depends on proper or wayang service.

 

Wayang servicing is clean the evaporator & condenser with chemical washing. change air filter. this one CAS is doing at $80 w filter, $48 w/o filter.

 

The best is to check if the aircon filter is dirty, n replace it together with the expansion valve. When doing this, the company should release all the aircon gas, replace filter, vacumn pump the pipe dry, check for leakage, then pump in gas + lubricant. this will cost abt $200.

 

U can try A-Precision at level 1 of sin ming autocare.

[Pisces69]

If your AC is running fine, just leave it.

 

Sometimes the service can cost almost as much as a 2nd hand replacement compressor.

 

Or even worse, during the service, something gets damaged & they con u by telling u it's old & time to change it.

 

Many AC shops I went to in the past did terrible maintenance work on the AC. I'd rather wait till it gives some trouble, then send it for repair at a good & reliable AC shop.

[Hoppe]

I agree.

Mechanics have to make $$ for living. So even if nothing to repair, they will recommend "some" repairs, which may be unnecessary.

[Apollo]

actually not true. cos it is good to wash down the evaporator & condensor to remove the dirt on the fins as this prevents good heat exchange cycle.

 

and for older cars, it is not merely topping up gas, they need to top up lubricants where r displaced fr the compressor to the aircon filter. lubricants keep the compressor working in tiptop condition n less drag on the engine.

[Pisces69]

I agree. That's why I said if the AC is working fine, just leave it.

 

When the fins get clogged, u will notice reduced cooling. That's when u need a good service.

 

I do a complete job when it isnt cold anymore. Let them do all at once is better than a bit at a time.

 

I don't like them taking out & putting back all the AC stuff. That's the time they damage stuff.

[Pisces69]

I can surely recommend Markool if u have this problem b4.

 

They never once tried to cheat me when checking, servicing or repairing my AC.

[Hoppe]

hehe..I am also a support of MC lah..

remember?

[Pisces69]

Oh. Sorry I forgot.

 

I think now many bros here use them.

 

I've been using them for more than 8 years now.

[Mivec9]

i'm supporter for MC for this yr....

 

think CAS and Star automotive has A/C servicing packages...

 

MC has no package but as what the bros here said, they'll check and let u kw what needs to be service

[Pisces69]

I personally don't trust those "Packages".

 

They claim alot of things will b done, but in fact they only do a few of the basic stuff.

 

Most pple can't check anyway, so they get away with it.

 

I remember long ago, had this station got package (Just V*n#ent), my fren used them & one time after he collect his car & check the oil. To his horror, it was still black. They didn't even change it.

 

When he went back, they quickly changed it for him. I wonder what else they didn't change???

 

You can b sure that was the last time he used them.

[Apollo]

i heard stories abt them also... but hv not tried them before. so cannot cfm

[Jusnel]

My ride will be 2 years old soon, & it should the time to service the air-con. What are the usual thing the workshop do went servicing air-con & how much will it cost. Thanks!

 

 

remember to oil the air con compressor also. tell the workshop to do it. many owners never knew abt this oiling compressor thingy.

 

you can my air con workshop, it's called "New Luck air con", at Eunos place, next to Post Office office. sorry dun have the address now. but if you try finding in Business listing, you should see it.

 

Owner called "Ah Luck"!! so funny. but they are good... dun anyhow chop ppl's heads.

[York]

once they discharged the freon....after recifying the prob.. they re-comissioned the system...the mechanic ve 2 put some lite lub(a few c.c.) onto ur compressor...then he vacuum ur system b4 injecting the freon, this 's the std proceedure of re-comission...in fact all qualified aircon-mech knew this.

Edited May 1, 2005 by York

[Sam_meow]

hi, i have change my G9 evaporator & valve, but still not cold like before. My condensor looks dirty, can this be the reason.

[Yeobh]

You should put this question to your air con mech, the job is till incomplete.

[Apollo]

it is ok for the condenser to look dirty, if need be, i can pass you some of the liquid to wash down those dirt and you DIY at your MSCP wash bay. but that should not stop the aircon fr working properly.

 

i think tat would b strange way of doing things. cos the mech should determine if the right component is spoilt before doing the work, and i hate duplicate work, it is taking u for a ride and cutting u up like a kebab for profit.

 

the general thing to change is the filter n the valve not the evaporator. evaporator n condenser change only when they leak. so did it leak? did he show you it was leaking? y did he not replace the filter? if it is clogged, it's asking for trouble.

 

did he vacumm pump out the entire system 1st before topping gas n lubricant?

 

the only other possiblities is did the thermostat work properly? or the compressor is acting up?

 

aircon system r beri basic fundamentals. if done properly they should last you at least 6 months.

[Sam_meow]

i din see the process, he just tell me, i change this one, i change that one & S$190 please & thank you.

 

anyway thanks for your offer, but i think hor.. i better go to Markool tomorrow, my aircon not cold, don want to go back to my usual workshop anymore.

 

hope they can cure my aircon illness...

Edited May 2, 2005 by Sam_meow