Date: Tue, 4 Jun 2002 16:37:56 -0700
Reply-To: Ray Reinhard <rayreinhard@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Ray Reinhard <rayreinhard@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Subject: A/C Advice Needed -- Kind of Long
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed
Ever since we bought our van in 1990, we have had problems keeping the A/C
running well. From 1990 to 1999, we took the van to a leading independent
A/C repair shop in Sacramento, spending a total of over $2,400 over this
period. Components repaired and/or replaced included the drier, condenser,
and compressor (the latter was replaced in July 1999).
In August '99, we moved to the Santa Cruz area and, in September 2001, had
a TiiCo engine installed. Unfortunately, the A/C hoses were not quite long
enough to reach to the compressor in its new position, so I had to make
another trip to Sacramento (and spend another $500+) to get this fixed in
November 2001. At the end of the day, the A/C still wasn't working
properly, so the technician said to bring it back and not use it in the
meantime.
Not needing A/C during the winter, we returned in March and spent another
$250 to have the A/C wired up to the engine fan. On leaving the A/C shop,
I immediately noticed a very strong front-end vibration when I tried to use
the A/C but it was too late to do anything more as I had to get back to
Santa Cruz. At least the A/C seemed to be cooling properly. (Subsequent
inquiries to this list suggested that the A/C tech had wired the fan to
come on in the "high" position immediately --a fact I later confirmed.)
I didn't have much occasion to use the A/C in the next couple of months --
just turning it on from time to time to see if the vibration was as bad as
I had remembered it (it was!). Then, one day I turned it on and the
vibration stopped! There still seemed to be cold air coming out of the A/C
vents, so I thought (ha, ha) maybe the fan problem had fixed itself.
In May, we were driving on a warm day and it was clear that the A/C was NOT
cooling properly. Air was blowing out of the vents in the rear of the van,
but it was not cold. So, last Friday, I returned to Sacramento to once
again try to get things fixed. On the way, I had the A/C fan switched on
to at least get some air circulation. I was just north of Stockton when
the dash warning lights came on. I stopped the van, opened the engine
compartment, and found smoke pouring out of the A/C compressor.
The repair shop admits that they wired the engine cooling fan to start in
the "high" position whenever the A/C was switched on. (They defend this as
"good practice" in an area that gets as hot as Sacramento.) We also now
know that, when the vibration stopped, it was because a 30 amp fuse
protecting the fan had blown. The A/C tech says that he tested the
amperage draw last Friday and that the fan normally draws 24 amps -- but
when it is first turned on it "spikes" at 60 amps. I don't know for sure,
but I suspect that this is related to having the fan come on immediately on
"high," as this fuse never blew before during our 12 years of owning the van.
The manager is proposing to repair things "at cost" and thinks that I
should also replace the fan. (I checked w/ Camelback VW and a replacement
fan runs $550+.) I think that the repair shop should replace my
compressor and anything else that burned out at no charge; wire the fan to
come on "low" (and then go to "high" if needed); and forget about a new fan.
Your thoughts, comments, suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated.
Ray Reinhard
'86 Tiico Westy Camper GL
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