Female Farang Needs Car A/c Advice!

[carolinep]

I had a reconditioned a/c put into my old Daewoo about 6 months ago. It came with a 12mth warranty. Every 2 mths I've had to have the a/c re-gassed. I returned it to the mechanic for them to fix under the warranty, but he said he won't as it's the 'Evaporator' which has the problem. Someone told me he's taking me for a ride- but I've got no idea about cars!!!! Does anyone know an HONEST a/c mechanic in/near Pattaya, or could give me advice on whether an 'evaporator' should be covered under warranty!?

Thank You!!!

[eek]

Hi Caroline. I cannot help, sorry..just dropping the message that you may get a better response in the Pattaya forum.

Good luck!

[carolinep]

Hi Caroline. I cannot help, sorry..just dropping the message that you may get a better response in the Pattaya forum.

Good luck!

Thank you Eek! Will try that now.

[scotsman]

Hi Caroline I don't think that this part would be included in your second hand A/C so it may not be under the warranty. The Evaporator is usually mounted with the heater matrix inside your car and in some cars expensive to take out. I would take it to another Garage to get another check done as it could be a leak any where but if it is the Evaporator then it can be fixed but I don't know how much for a Daewoo. I use a garage called pattaya car checkpoint co.ltd its just off Sukhumvit road on your left hand side down a lane that has world gym in front. across from index furniture store. its run by a German Guy the Tel no is 038 716756 mobile no 01 3403184. Hope you get it fixed ok.

Regards

Scotsman

[Familyonthemove]

Hi ..... it would depend on what was replaced when the reconditioned a/c unit was fitted and what is now leaking.

If he just replaced the compressor and the gas is leaking from the evaporator then he's correct about it not being covered under the warranty.

The a/c in your car is just like a fridge at home ..... there's three main components all joined by pipes and filled with gas. The compressor is a pump that squeezes the gas which gets hot, the condenser loses the heat from the squeezing and the compressed gas is pumped to the evaporator via an expansion valve which is in the car (or in the fridge) where the gas expands and gets cold.

The gas could be leaking from the compressor (the most likely part to leak, but the bit you've had reconditioned) or from the condenser which is mounted behind the front grill and so is vulnerable to damage from stones etc .... or less likely from the evaporator or the pipes.

I can't see how he'd know where the leak was from - and I'd need to be convinced that the leak was not from the compressor before taking the car apart to get at the evaporator. Cars seemed to be built around the evaporator and need a lot of dismantling to get at them.

If you get a recommendation of a good mechanic in your area ... ask him to try and identify which component is leaking, starting with the most obvious ... the compressor.

There may be some experts on TV who can give some pointers on how to pin-point the leak? I think you can use foam sprays to spot a leak?

Sorry I can't be of more practical help.

[madjbs]

Do you have any reason not to trust him? It is likely that if he has had to replace the compressor, that the rest of your A/C system is on the way out as well, so his assessment sounds perfectly reasonable to me. Oh and the compressor is not the most likely part to leak, more often than not it will be one of the various valves or connectors in the system.

[ubonjoe]

I think the reconditioned ac you bought was the compressor so it would be the only thing covered by the warranty. Through a process of elimination by checking for leaks using soapy water (or dye in the refrigerant) everywhere that is easily accessed he has got it down to the evaporator or at least to the part under the dash that requires a lot of work to get to.

Ask him for quote to finish finding the leak and fixing it.

You might then have to decide which is cheaper fix the leak or having the gas (refrigerant) topped off every 2 months.

[carolinep]

Hi Caroline I don't think that this part would be included in your second hand A/C so it may not be under the warranty. The Evaporator is usually mounted with the heater matrix inside your car and in some cars expensive to take out. I would take it to another Garage to get another check done as it could be a leak any where but if it is the Evaporator then it can be fixed but I don't know how much for a Daewoo. I use a garage called pattaya car checkpoint co.ltd its just off Sukhumvit road on your left hand side down a lane that has world gym in front. across from index furniture store. its run by a German Guy the Tel no is 038 716756 mobile no 01 3403184. Hope you get it fixed ok.

Regards

Scotsman

A VERY big THANK YOU to all of you for your much needed advice- it was very good of you all taking the time to help me!!! I think I have my head around it a little bit better. Cheers! Caroline