Faulty cab aircon?

[cask]

The cab aircon in a Fiat x250 2007 seems to have stopped working. The dash light is on indicating it is turned on and the fan is also on. Are there any checks to make prior to taking it to the dealers for investigation?

I have checked the fuses which have a reference to a/c or compressor and these are fine.

Many thanks

Cask

[Guest JudgeMental]

do you run it regularly.....If you dont it can lead to problems. hopefully just a re gassing but if the seals have dried out due to non circulation of lubricant it can be an expensive job. check under the bonnet and make sure the belt is turning the compressor first. an a/c specialist will probably be cheaper then a main dealer, get some quotes for re gassing first.

[mirage]

Agree with first post in addition ours failed first on a 2.8JTD due to loss of gas, on regassing it was OK until a second failure which was due to a plastic belt pulley failing, the belt dropped onto the engine tray and was re-usable. We used an AC specialist who was considerably cheaper and more helpful than FIAT usually are. One point woth checking is as the engine idles with the AC on the engine note should change as the AC cuts in and out if this is the case it may just need gas.

[Roamer]

I had faulty air con on X250. The electric clutch was not activating. Took technician, with calls to Fiat, all day to trace fault. Sorry I don,t know what the final problem was. To check, get some one to actuate the the air con with engine running on tickover, and with the bonnet open listen for a clunk as clutch engages. If you are a little braver and are happy to craw under the front of the van with the engine running, you can use a length of metal rod/long screw driver and hold it against the compressor and place the other end to the ear (a simple stethescope) and listen more directly. You need to trust the second person actutating the air con not to run you over.

 

 

[euroserv]

Hello campers,

 

There are two extremely common air con faults with the X250, both lead to escaped gas. The system is quite clever though and without re-gassing the system you can tell if you have lost your fluid by this simple test....

 

As mentioned above, when you have the engine running and switch the air con on you will hear a click as the clutch on the compressor is engaged. Even with the compressor running there may be no gas in the system and if after a minute of the air con running you do not hear the 2nd speed fans cut in, this is the problem.

 

Running from the compressor there are a pair of pipes; the one that fails most often is the short one that is smaller in diameter and runs from the compressor to the upper of the two connections on the heat exchanger. It is not too difficult to change once you have removed the front grille and a small plastic shield. The pipe usually fails close to the bend where it joins to the compressor. You will be able to feel that it is split even if you cannot see it.

 

If this is not the problem it is probably the bracket near the aforementioned connection on the heat exchanger that has broken off and taken part of the exchanger with it. Our local radiator supplier has repaired a few of these for us, (relatively straight forward aluminuim weld) but on occasion we have had to fit new ones. The later Fiat exchangers have a much improved arrangement for the brackets but are over £200 to buy. Our local Euro Car Parts supplied us with a 'Nissens' brand one for about £65 (which is also better made than the early Fiat one)

 

Fiat pipe part number is 1363522080 and is £47.90 and the Nissens air con heat exchanger is part no 94986

 

Make sure you get the air con gas removed by a suitably qualified person before attempting any DIY on the system and get them to test the integrity of any repair before re-filling!

 

Nick

[cask]

Thaks for all the information.

The pipes and heat exchanger were checked and found to be fine.

However the clutch could not be heard "clicking in".

So a visit "to a man who knows about these things....."

The unit was checked for gas and the level showed normal. Chatting to the engineer he mentioned the clutch would not click in if the gas were too low as the pressure switch would prevent it.

This turned out to be the problem; the switch, located next to one of the regassing points on the bulkhead under the bonnet had come partially out of its socket.

Removing and re-seating the plug had it working as normal. There is a locking tab on the plug but it had still worked loose.

 

Best wishes,

Cask