2003 A4 aircon issues Help needed

[zoney]

So here goes i have been having issues with the aircon on my A4 for over a year finally got round to looking at it over the last few weeks after getting my hands on a computer that had vagcom installed on it . I did a scan for faults and apart from the n/s flap motor stuck that all A4's seem to have i also had the G65 problem . So off to eurocar parts i went and got a new high pressure sensor only to get it home to find it was the wrong one . Back up to eurocar and they said they would need to order in as they had no stock . It took a week and when it arrived i checked befor leaving the store and yet again it was wrong . Another trip back again as they had to order another one from another store as they didnt have any stock at there head office . This is a OEM quallity part i was told !! so i fitted it deleted the G65 error code econ light still on so time to take it to the garage for a AC recharge
I told them i had had issues with the system and it hadnt worked for a year or so so they stuck it on a vacum and then regassed it they had also pressure tested the system and said that there were no leaks (Result or so i thought ) the next day i went to the car and the econ light was back on.....................................it been a sunday and back at work that night it meant that i wouldnt get back to the place that refilled it till the following friday . They had a look and found a leak coming directly from the OEM high pressure sensor from eurocar parts i wouldnt say it was a small leak as if you put your hand near the plug on the sensor you could feel the gas escaping with out any problem . So sensor out again but this time my hand slipped and yes youve gessed a new condenser is required as well as the high pressure sensor . So after calling in at eurocar parts and getting a refund for the sensor off to tps and got a high pressure sensor from there while in i asked for a price of the condenser as i may as well getr both while i was there but after quoteing me 347.00+vat just for the condenser it was time to phone around .

I got a new condenser for 64.00 + vat from TMS and started the job of fitting it 2 hours later all was done and time to get the system filled again as its saturday afternoon and all local garages that can refill the system are now closed a trip to halfrauds was my only answer they offer a recharge service for 29.99 BUT after they conected the can and added just a little gaas to see if it would hold pressure he said theres a problem its could be blocked and the pump clutch isnt kicking in . Now the AC pump on my car doesnt have a clutch and tbh i cant remember if i could hearr it when the air con was workiong although its never been freezing cold but there was a bit of a temp drop when it was on .

So now im stuck with what to try now i dont no if the fans are kicking in as at tthe moment theres very little gas in the AC system would this affect it ?????? and saying that ive never reallyu heard the fans kick in then the cars got warm then again it always sits at the 90degree mark never any higher or lower unless its the cars just been started for the first time that day or been allowed to cool down .

All fuses are fine but i havent checked the relays as i dont no which one it is . So where do i start now is there any way vagcom can test fans to see if they work ? what about the compressor pump can this be tested the same way ?

Anyway thats enough for now and thanks in advance for any help received

 

[zoney]

I got my hands on vagcom and have done an output test from the hvac section all seems to be fine fans ramp up and down so im guessing the fan controllers fine and working . The ac sysstem reports the n280 is working and the values change if the econ button is pressed on and off but the temp in car never changed from cool air to very cold air so counld it be the compressors dead ???????

 

[zoney]

Can anyone offer some help ????

 

[s3tby]

Been there done all that.

The easiest way to check your compressor (which has most probably seized I'm afraid) is to have someone slack off the serpentine belt (auxiliary belt) at the front of the engine by pulling the top tensioner to the right using an adjustable wrench. Reach down and spin the bottom right pulley (the compressor). If it spins freely in both directions, and you can't feel the pulley chugging the compressor internally, then it's seized and died and the pulley is just free wheeling on the shaft.

Feel free to go into my post history here for more detail on swapping it should you decide to. Cheapest you'd do it for is maybe £100 including regass.

 

[zoney]

thanks for the reply i need to get under the car and check that as i its about the only thing i havent done yet . I had the system regassed after i fitted the new parts the econ light stayed off for a few days but my last scan with vagcom showed the system level had dropped down to 1 bar from 5 when it was first done im guessing i also have another small leak some where as well ???

 

[s3tby]

The thing is you'll find VAG COM a red herring which can, as it already is doing, lead you down the garden path with values and blocks and readings which don't necessarily reveal the fundamental issue to you. I too used VAG COM to concince myself of a re-gass, or that my internal flaps were a bit off in part because I didn't want to face the compressor!

Reality is most likely your compressor is dead and the most likely reason for that is seizing -it's the most common point of failure. You can reach down from the top, underneath is easier though*. You don't need to take the belt off as I mentioned, just slack it off. 5-10 minutes work and you'll have your answer.

*if you do get underneath take a look at the front faceplate of the compressor pulley. Any shearing/damage around the small centred bolt and again that's a guarantee of a past seize and the pulley will be smoothly freewheeling both directions.