ran the car for 10 mins today aircon turned on all flaps and fans blowing.
no cold air
compressor was very hot in fact it burnt and blistered my hand in 10 mins, is this normal or what else could be wrong please?

 

RGP

Not normal.

Is your compressor the original large black type? If so, it sounds like the clutch or pump is burning out for some reason (aside from the compressor being faulty or a gas charging fault) as a result of a blockage.

Secondly, when the aircon was running, did the return pipe from the evaporator, the long flexible one that goes over the B bank side of the engine, seem cold with glistening cold sweat beads on it, particularly on the metal fittings on the pipe ends? If not, then the evaporator is NOT evaporating any coolant.

If the system is blocked somehow, the favourite place is the valve on the bulkhead that is attached to the evaporator pipes. This is worth changing in any event if you have never done so, though a pain (engine in) it is doable. BUT you must support the nut on the evaporator pipes against the undoing torque as you undo the ones on the valve or you just twist off the evaporator pipes (= dashboard out).

To do all this means emptying the system, and at this point ensure all the other things are not blocked (ie evaporator, condenser, dryer, steel high pressure feed pipe to the evaporator (runs along the chassis rail on the A bank side and up behind the servo and across to the the same spot as the valve). Not impossible that this could have been pinched. Also check the flexibles as well for blockages.

Do you have a really good aircon guy to recharge it for you? As when this is done by a modern machine all these things should have been picked up at the time.

Greg

 

hi again Greg
I have a Harrison lump compressor, but it feels a bit graunchy when I turn it manually I did drop it on its pulley end when refitting it once, (but wonder if that's just the clutch as it does engage ok) I have had it pumped up recently by ats (no one special) the pipes were new recently
for 134 and the tx valve and the evaporator and dryer were changed with new 4 years ago, and not run in that time the pipes don't get at all cool,

 

RGP

If there is no cooling anywhere, then you have either got a blockage, or all the gas has disappeared, or a shot compressor - the most likely culprit by far.

Quite honestly, I would find an aircon specialist that has got a modern regassing and test machine. On these you start up the car and run the aircon, and various gauges on the machine read pressures, temps etc etc and show if it is running OK.

If you have the system emptied, you can then test it for blockages, one bit at a time, fit a new compressor (££££££££) and then go to the aircon specialist.

On mine, when my Harrison compressor melted its clutch (quite an impressive sight one night, the whole front clutch pulley thing was cherry red) I fitted a Sanden of the same type as used on the XJ 40 and other models. Works fantastically well and with modern charging fixtures bolted on to the ports by my local aircon guru, a cinch to regass and test, and also makes changing the front two plugs somewhat easier!.

Greg

 

been to get it vact this afternoon. and looked on eurocarparts and using the magic promo code I always use "lastchance30" it works out at £145 exchange, I didn't want to (although I would have liked to) go down the sanden road as ime, quite frankly, fed up being skint, lol
I will see if I can find a 134 txv but google hasn't come up with anything
specifically for 134, hiho
thank for your input glen