[jus]

1999 ALFA ROMEO GTV 2.0 TS 16V Lusso 2dr Coupe
Bought this last week and the ex-owner isn't being very helpful ..
Basically either I'm being a complete dummy or there's summat up with the heating/cooling/climate system.
My friend who is an ex-alfa owner and the gaffer at my local grage have had a quick look at it .. they couldnt get it to work then they started making ominous noises about running diagnostics on it.
The problem: the fan runs very slowly .. I can also hear the compressor cut in. But no matter what I do it only pumps in whats outside (?!)
I pulled the fuses and it stopped working altogether .. so it aint the fuses.
Any ideas any one? What makes it worse is someones messed up the pass. window so it dont open .. doh!
Please help .. I'm on a budget btw (aint we all .. ha ha).

 

[Spacecadet]

So the compressor clicks on, but no cold air?

I'd guess it needs a re-gas.

Do you get hot air if you ask for it?

 

[jus]

Yes I get hot air.

 

[jus]

So the compressor clicks on, but no cold air?

I'd guess it needs a re-gas.

Do you get hot air if you ask for it?

Thanks for the reply btw.

 

[Spacecadet]

So the heater matrix is fine, it is just the AC. I'd get it looked at at a AC specialist, they can detect the amount of gas in the AC circuit. If it is too high or too low it won't work properly as safety cut outs stop it.

 

[neilied]

not wanting to hijack the thread but what should i check if when pressing the aircon button the compressor doesn't click on, i've recently has a new rad and fans and since then the aircon is a no go. when pushing the aircon(not climate as PH1) i can hear a slight click near the fuseboard but not the loud click from under the bonnet along with the belt and other noises.

 

[Spacecadet]

The compressor is controlled by an AC ECU. It gets signals from all over the place to do with temperature in the car, temp outside car, system pressure low side, sys pressure high side, engine speed and engine load. All of these inputs come from sensors. The first relay click tells you the system is powered, but the AC compressor not clicking in tells you that something in the system is not okay. If any AC pipes were moved or disconnected during the rad replacement, first call should be to the garage who did the work. It is probably something they moved, hit, split while doing one job that has stopped the AC working.

 

[neilied]

thanks for that yup going back for a once over... also and weirdly but prob not related at the same time my ipod no longer charges in the car. the stereo (alpine with ipod adapter box also alpine) works fine as does the ipod when charged but it doesn't charge from the head unit when connected as it did before, could this be a relay/fuse issue and connected to the aircon issue??

 

[jus]

Update: I was advised by an indie garage to take it to somewhere that can run Alfa diagnostics. So I took it to my local Fiat garage.
They serviced the aircon and it alll seemed to work ... although the fan was noisy. Replaced fan and all is cool .. very cool if I want it now lol!
Apparently something protecting the interior fan had come adrift allowing water ingress - which Fiat also mended.
My thoery: the fan had rusted and stuck ... the service would have included a regass which would have kick started the compressor and put extra demand on the fan, forcing it back to life.
Total cost £221.50 (inc. VAT) (thank **** it werent the aircon that was knackered)!!!

 

[jus]

thanks for that yup going back for a once over... also and weirdly but prob not related at the same time my ipod no longer charges in the car. the stereo (alpine with ipod adapter box also alpine) works fine as does the ipod when charged but it doesn't charge from the head unit when connected as it did before, could this be a relay/fuse issue and connected to the aircon issue??

Bit of useless info: I have been told by several current and former Alfa owners that don't know each other that Alfa electrics are "quirky". So be warned. For instance my hazards started randomly flashing whilst driving along the other day. Turned out the hazard button was in ... so they should have been on all the time. Methinks the relay is a bit dicky .. but with Alfas who knows lol! Btw if you have a pull down fuse box inside on the drivers side be careful. When I went to pull mine down recently it looked like someone had been pulling on the relays to get it to come down .. instead of the lil lever! (and no, that is totally unrelated to me weird hazards issue! lol!)