AU Fairmont Ghia A/C not happy Jan

ntguy · 02-03-2007, 06:11 PM

Well its been a little hot here today in Brisvegas, first day I take the Ghia out for a long drive.

Then the A/C starts to run hot, check under the bonnet hot pipe is hot, cold pipe is hot???
So its a wat tha???
Drive into auto elec. Tells me oh a AU Falcon? They have the worst A/C in the world, common for them to bugger up.
So he tells me there is a filter in one of the lines. It will need changing and also will need new condenser, plus the two speed fan needs a "taxi mod" for Brisbane climates.
I go away come back and he tells me he has changed the filter and done the taxi mod. Come back next week and I will change condeser.

Cost me 160 bucks so far, not happy Jan. A/C is working now, Two speed taxi mod is done. Turns out the mod is to have the fan running flat out all the time. Now its sounds like a jet trying to start up. Quite noisy.

Any one else had the joys of the AU A/C going pearshape???

XR6-VCT-2000 · 02-03-2007, 07:00 PM

Mine works fine , i was gonna suggest maybe it just needed a re-gas. I"m wondering if maybe your auto elec has spun a bit of BS on you ? . I've hardly ever see anyone in here complaining about their aircon . gl

au2sw · 02-03-2007, 08:07 PM

my friend, your auto elec guy spun you a whoppa! i live on sunny coast and have had no prob with my air con. more often then not if it starts running hot, a/c mechanics are the better way to go and can check the system better as its their speciallity. filter is a problem, but he got you with the "taxi mod" story, waste of time unless you have a taxi that is going 24/7. as for the condenser? well, thats a bit iffy. they usually arent to bad, and will last a while. how many ks has the ghia done?
BTW, he got you at "...oh a AU Falcon? They have the worst A/C in the world, common for them to bugger up."
he obviously has a degree in BSA, wonder what he takes home each week?!!

The Monty · 02-03-2007, 08:18 PM

First Ive heard of the AU having bad aircon. Bad heaters yes, but no bad aircon.

Casper · 02-03-2007, 08:27 PM

Never heard of AU A/Cs having any significant issues at all. I think you got owned.

peterban · 02-03-2007, 09:31 PM

Mine started playing up and I took it to A/C place and he said it needed re-gassing.
He put Hichill gas in which the climate control didn't seem to like as it was either freezing cold or too hot.
Next thing the A/C stops working again and when I check there is frost all over the A/c lines from the TX valve ( or whatever the little filter thing is called ) up into the firewall.
Had a mobile guy come out and take the valve out and it was full of fine metal particles from the compressor.
Replaced the valve and regassed with the recommended gas and rechecked the system, apparently it is down on pressure and the compressor is making a bit of noise.
A/C guy recons run it till it fails ( might be 1 week might be 2 years ) and then replace compressor,condensor and tx valve as well as clean out the line from compressor to TX valve.
It seems to have survived this summer so hope for the best.
I have already bought a new compressor and condensor so will be ready when it happens.

EvilChief · 02-03-2007, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Monty

First Ive heard of the AU having bad aircon. Bad heaters yes, but no bad aircon.

same ...

falcons in general have good aircons, except for wagons, they can be a little disappointed due to the sheere seize of the car

my guess would be a simple regass

atec77 · 02-03-2007, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ntguy

Well its been a little hot here today in Brisvegas, first day I take the Ghia out for a long drive.

Then the A/C starts to run hot, check under the bonnet hot pipe is hot, cold pipe is hot???
So its a wat tha???
Drive into auto elec. Tells me oh a AU Falcon? They have the worst A/C in the world, common for them to bugger up.
So he tells me there is a filter in one of the lines. It will need changing and also will need new condenser, plus the two speed fan needs a "taxi mod" for Brisbane climates.
I go away come back and he tells me he has changed the filter and done the taxi mod. Come back next week and I will change condeser.

Cost me 160 bucks so far, not happy Jan. A/C is working now, Two speed taxi mod is done. Turns out the mod is to have the fan running flat out all the time. Now its sounds like a jet trying to start up. Quite noisy.

Any one else had the joys of the AU A/C going pearshape???

He ripped you , all ot needed was $1.00 worth of propane added.

ntguy · 02-03-2007, 10:32 PM

Yer thanks guys. I thought as much.

Car has 232,ooo klms. Seems if the compressor buggers up then it puts metal through the system, only way to get rid most of it is to replace condeser etc, other wise new compressor takes a dive.

I still think there is a fault as I never heard the fans running until he did the taxi mod. I think the high speed side of the cooling fans has got a fault. Looks like it will cost me a little more to get to the bottom of it.

**GasoLane** · 02-03-2007, 10:43 PM

Only had our AUII Fairlane Ghia for 2 years but never a problem with the AC, and with climate control it's working just about all year 'round here.

If the 'taxi mod' is making the fan work flat out that must make it ridiculously loud!

**Jastel** · 02-03-2007, 11:13 PM

I have taxis in North Queensland and I don't have any "Taxi Mods" on my AU's or BA's, they are OK without it.

The fan mod is for taxi drivers who sit for long periods with the car idling and the a/c on, it won't cool properly without airflow through condenser to remove the heat so the fans on max will help this a bit. I prefer to find a shady spot and wind the window down and save some $$$ on petrol and fans.

The EF/EL's were terrible compressors, lucky to get 60000km from them and I had the fans wired to go full speed whenever the transmission was in P or N (but not whilst car was driving) and it usually made the compressor last 100000km or so

I have never had an AU compressor fail, they sound like tractors with the rattles they make when Km's get high but keep going, most kms on mine is 550000km and it's very noisy but all original and still nice and cold.

I had one have an accident and needed a new condenser so since I had to regas it anyway I checked the oriface tube (like the TX on the older models, it is in the join between the 2 pipes on top of the Left front mudguard) and it was gummed up with gunk and a few metal filings. I cleaned it out, blew out the pipes as much as I could and put it back together, it is still going (and rattling) at 420000km so they are a pretty tough unit.

One thing I did find was each car is different in the amount of gas it takes, don't just bung in what it says on the sticker, put in about 450 to 500 mls and then add a little bit extra until the guages are reading right and the temperatures are good. Some cars take more than others to work properly but I find it is always LESS than the sticker says.

Another tip if a/c is on but not getting cold is to check your heater tap works
Up under the car on passenger side of engine you can see rubber hoses coming through firewall, along these will be a tap with a vacuum hose attached, change temp knob inside car from Hot to Cold and tap should open/shut. They get jammed open if broken or no vacuum and so you have hot air mixing with the cold a/c air so out of the vents you get warm air even though you set it on cold. These were common to break.

It also pays to keep your radiator and cooling system working well, not only for the engine but it makes the a/c work better too. Engine cool = a/c cool, engine too hot, a/c works too hard or cuts out

SVR73 · 02-03-2007, 11:54 PM

I just find mine doesn't get cold enough. I suppose that's what you get when A/C is free with the base model.
The 94 hilux however is like a freezer.

ntguy · 03-03-2007, 09:11 AM

Yer I think I still have a fault with the cooling fans and supsect that was the fault in the first place. As never heard the fans run before. Car has new radiator and never showed signs of overheating. However I believe if the fans dont ran the the A/C will not run due to overheating.
Any one have the wiring diagram for the A/C system or fans??

mike4118 · 03-03-2007, 05:18 PM

Yeh i thinks BS to you my au has over three hundred thou and the only thing thats gone wrong is the fan resister so the fan runs all the time even if ignition is turned off so new resistor fixed that.

jonbays · 04-03-2007, 10:10 AM

Be careful sounds like BS to me the AC is fine on the falcon.

Sometimes mine has a problem with the sensors on the flaps getting out of whack so i have to reset the climate control. just press two buttons and it all comes good. do a search and find the thread on it.

Crash Lander · 04-03-2007, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ntguy

Yer thanks guys. I thought as much.

Car has 232,ooo klms. Seems if the compressor buggers up then it puts metal through the system, only way to get rid most of it is to replace condeser etc, other wise new compressor takes a dive.

I still think there is a fault as I never heard the fans running until he did the taxi mod. I think the high speed side of the cooling fans has got a fault. Looks like it will cost me a little more to get to the bottom of it.

My a/c was running hot too. Tok it to my mechanic and he replaced the orifice valce (TY valve) and regassed it. Cost about $140 from memory, plus he said the fans were both burnt out, so he wacked 2 in from a wrecker for an extra $40. It's a lot cooler now.

nikos · 04-03-2007, 10:02 PM

Funny thing happened to me today. I was driving along with the AC on, with the vents set to face/footwell. I was still too hot so I cranked up the fan, and realised I wasn't getting any air on my feet (wearing thongs too). I changed the vent setting to face, then back to face/footwell, and bobs you're uncle I had air down there again. Guess it was a problem with one of the pressure hoses behind the dash.

mik · 04-03-2007, 10:37 PM

mine is startin too lose coldness now an again, i think it needs gas bayfords will vac the old stuff out, pump dye through the system and if all is well regas for 135 until the end of march i think price goes up after that, sounds the goods i reckon ...................................ntguy the fan thing sounds a bit dodgey mate, i did 4000 k`s recently pullin a caravan melbourne to queensland an back aircon still got nice and cold high 30`s no problems on low fan.

marshall · 05-03-2007, 01:25 PM

My AU 3 system lost gas and the leak test shows gas coming out of one or both the 'pressure transducer' and the 'discharge temp sensor'. Both are screwed to the little muffler in the line.

My ***** is Ford say the 2 switches are only available as a part of the AC line which is over $500 !

Anyone able to help me source one or both these switches separately? I want new ones as second hand ones might be leaky too and it will cost another regass if it leaks again.

Anyone know who supplies these switches to Ford? My aircon man cant find them in his parts books.

Any help appreciated
Marshall

bodes-sh · 05-03-2007, 04:03 PM

^^are you sure there's not just a seal of some description inside either/both of these that can be replaced?

marshall · 06-03-2007, 10:09 AM

I dont know as they have not been removed yet. I will ask the AC guy who seems to know his stuff, he says we should try to find new ones.
M

Tony_4500 · 06-03-2007, 08:44 PM

I did 660,000 k's in my AU before the Compressor seized. My car is a ex brisbane Black & White cab.
I had a second hand compressor fitted, a new receiver/dryer, a full system flush to remove the metal filings and a regas for $500.
My air con is sooooo cold now it's not funny.
As for "Taxi mod", what a load of rubbish!
Go to a Air con specialest.
Cheers Tony

needaXYGT · 07-03-2007, 11:18 AM

my dads AU aircon works GREAT in 45deg heat. if you touch the cold pipe it will be as cold as a freakin freezer lol, but the EA is another story