328 GTS air con is it just pointless or broken?

Hi Guys and Girls

I have recently purchased a lovely 1986 328 GTS and I am loving the car here in the UK

However the air con seems useless or just isn't working, the fan blows but the aire isn't cool is there anything obvious to check or do I just accept the air con on these is pretty pointless?

 

They should work fine in the uk, find the compressor in the engine bay. With the engine running and ac selected, turn the temp switch on and off to see if the compressor clutch is engaging. If not try shorting the pressure switch on the drier in the front boot to see if the clutch engages. If so then it is short on gas

 

Thank you I will try this and report back

 

I’ve a ‘76 308 and can confirm the aircon is both necessary and ruthlessly efficient when working

 

"Ruthlessly efficient?" Did I lose track of the date? Is this April 1st?

To the OP - as suggested, check to see if the compressor is engaging. I suspect it is not due to low refrigerant. But even with a properly charged system and working as new, it's marginal at best though may function satisfactorily in the UK - well in Scotland, anyway!

 

I thought the removable roof WAS the air con.

 

...on the other hand, the heating is very efficient. Not that it does compensate, but you might need it: this year, it was still freezing yesterday morning.

Rgds

 

I'm not sure what the temperature range of the thermostat is, but its possible the weather here in the UK has been so cold that its colder than the min temp you can set for the system to run. But it should work today (Sunday).
With ignition on and thermostat set to min temp, turn the A/C fan on/off. You should hear the clutch clicking in/out.
As mentioned by others, if it doesn't do what Mike 32 suggested with the pressure switch.

 

I’m in Northern California and I have an 88 and it works fine in our hot weather. I’d recommend just taking it to an A/C shop and have them check it out. It might just need a Freon recharge.

 

Mike I have the engine running and air con switched to maximum and I hear nothing clicking in the engine bay I even turned the ac fan on and still hear nothing. Which is the bit in the front I short the wires is it as I show in my photo?

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The two wires coming off that gold hex switch,,
That is the pressure switch

 

Just to clarify for a new owner, the AC should blow cold when the system is working as designed. Vent temps should be in the 30-40F range if all is good. It is also important to know that it often won't be enough cold air to overcome the giant windshield, black roof panel, radiator pipes running under the center console, leaky heater valves (both air and water), the front bulk head getting blasted with hot radiator air, holes in said bulkhead, etc.

There are many threads here on trying to overcome all of the above.

 

Yes thats the switch, just link the wires and see if clutch engages. Next move is to find the wire supplying 12 volts to the clutch, measure the volts on the supply and jiggle the thermostat to see if it shows 12 volts.

 

Yes but you buggers go out in snow dressed in a kilt. You like it freezing

 

I live in Texas, I used to live in an area of California that was hotter. I own a 328 and worked on them when new.

Never had a complaint of the A/C. Like anything else, they need to work right.

 

OK so assume this is good news....linked the wires together from the pressure switch and instantly you hear the clutch engages. I am hoping someone will now tell me the system just needs a refill with gas?

Which gad should it have here in the UK and any idea how much this costs? Although my first port of call will be to the dealer who sold me the car two weeks ago and see if he will do it or foot the bill
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Yes, it's low on refrigerant. An AC shop can check for leaks - which it probably has if it was so low on refrigerant that the compressor wouldn't cycle. But they can check it out/recharge it - probably with R134 as opposed to the original Freon (R12). If it's been in that state for a lengthy period, the receiver/drier and the expansion valve should be changed.

Leaks can be fixed easily enough if they are bad O-rings/loose fittings. BUT a frequent source of leaks is that the original hose is permeated, which will require replacement with new barrier hose.

 

It probably means the system is empty and full of air. They were originally gassed with freon 12 which is not used any more. You need to look through the invoices to see if the flexible gas hoses have been changed for the newer type which suit the new 134a better. The old hoses will gradually leak 134a.
Your car might have the old hoses and been charged with 134a, that might explain why you have no gas in the system. The system needs a vacuum pump to pull all the air out . Before you waste money buying a new drier ( that pressure vessel the pressure switch is screwed into ) disconnect the in and out pipe and blow from the inlet to the outlet by mouth, if it is easy like breathing then it is fine to reuse. Any resistance and it needs renewal.
The flexy hoses go from front to back and not easy to change.

 

OK I will look though the huge amount of invoices the car has it been serviced at either a main agent or specialist every single year since new so hopefully this will shed some light on if new hoses have been fitted.

If not does anyone know of a UK bases firm that will change hoses and refill and any idea of cost?

If it has had new hoses during its life what sort of cost should I pay to have it pressure tested and refilled ? And again can anyone recommend a UK company?

It would be nice to get it working

 

Make sure if you get the dealer to do it that they find the leak, Otherwise you'll be back to square one in no time. You could look for signs of oil around the system, especially the condenser, compressor and pipes. Oil is a tell tale sign of a leak.
Its also important to ensure the compressor oil is compatible with R134a. Your dryer doesn't look original, so possibly the oil has been changed to a compatible oil,
I wouldn't worry too much about the hoses. It takes several years for enough R134a to permeate through them before you notice much difference in performance.
I've done lots of agricultural vehicle conversions, all with long hoses, for farmers who wont pay to change hoses. The results are not too disappointing.

 

Update...so looking through all services and repair invoices from new it has mainly been looked after by Maranello, Nick Cartwright Specialist Cars and KPHC Ferrari specialist the history is extensive!

I can't see that the hoses have been changed but NCSC seem to checked for leaks and topped up the Aircon on every other annual service.

The last time the system was checked for leaks and refilled with R134A was in November 2018 by KPHC @ 46200 miles.

Now in May 2021 the car has 47400 so its done 1200 miles in 2 1/2 years.....it's also been that length of time since the last top up and has obvious sat undriven most of the time.

I am hoping a leak test and top up will be all that's needed. I can't see any obvious leaks

 

The compressor shaft seal is another infamous leak source..My car had half the amount of miles that yours has and the compressor was the cause of my leak..

I replaced the compressor as opposed to rebuilding it and recharged with R12 and it still blows cold 3 years later.
I also replaced all the o rings as well as the drier at the time.

Another thing to note is that the system benefits from frequent use in order to prevent the seals from drying up and leaking refrigerant.

 

Yes I am wondering if the infrequent use hasn't done any good. Are you UK based ? Were do you get R12 done

 

usually there is some small leak somewhere (gaskets are 30+ years old...) and you just need a recharge. Air from the vents must be cold (10°C more or less). This said, sometimes the leak comes from the A/C compressor: fixing that doesn't require only 100 euro like a recharge does.

ciao

 

Although my 328 originally came from the UK, I’m located in Sydney, Australia..
I have a A/C company and although R12 has been banned for sale many years ago, I still have a small amount that I keep just for my car.

If R12 is no longer obtainable, you might want to consider another alternative such as R49 or something like Duaracool or an equivalent which is a Propane based refrigerant but you might want to check on the legality of using that in the UK.