Soon after recently servicing my SUV’s air conditioner, I identified that the condensate was dripping inward rather than outward as it must be.
BHPian Vigsom recently shared this with fellow enthusiasts.
introduction
My hawk-eye encounter while servicing my car’s air conditioning procedure is summarized here (Mitsubishi Pajero Sport | Diagnosing an Extremely-Low Leak in the Aircon System). I didn’t know that all that ends perfectly isn’t great, and what should really build was something that can be categorized as both equally regular and unusual. Baffled? Go on reading.
Shock # 1 – No condensation drips on the ground of the car
I had taken treatment of my car’s air conditioning in mid-August (explained in the thread over). In the course of a test drive past Saturday I stopped, still left the air conditioning on and just required to see if the condensation was dripping below the gearbox location and on the proper rear of the car. This was only supposed to affirm that the air conditioning was doing the job very well and the method was wonderful. But this was not the situation. No condensate was dripping in the front, it was all right in the back.
Rear air conditioning condensate drain – standard
diagnosis
I returned home, pulled the Velcro off the top Rexine aftermarket rug, then went to the inventory flooring rug, thoroughly peeled it off, and identified the foam cushioning on the underside of the rug was slightly moist. When I turned on the air conditioner, I could see the condensate dripping in rather of likely outside. I then suspected one particular of the adhering to:
- The drain hose from the evaporator compartment is not linked
- The drain hose was pinched when the HVAC device was reattached immediately after servicing
When it is typical to see air conditioning condensate leaking on automobiles (as has not too long ago been the situation with a Tata Harrier thanks to an unattached drain hose OR autos that have clogged condensate drains), it is unheard of to see a automobile that has the hose in trapped when reinstalling the HVAC device. That, my expensive audience, happened in my scenario.
Calling the company company for correction
I then drove to the exact same very rated web-site that was getting labored on my car or truck and discovered that the gentleman had gone shopping although the garage was unoccupied Professionalism at its peak, I would say. I known as the gentleman, he answered on the next attempt, and I spelled out the issue to him. He informed me the auto would have to be set on a ramp to examine and see what could be carried out. He asked me to arrive the following day, specifically. Sunday.
I experienced now recognized that I failed to want this guy to suitable it. Reason? Self-confidence was missing. By this point, I experienced almost conditioned myself to getting the complete dashboard off and on again just to attach a drain hose. This is for the reason that the Pajero Sport (and probably most SUVs) drain hoses occur with an inside plug / seal that is pressed firmly concerning the HVAC device and the metal body. This is very likely to prevent outside the house h2o from coming into when wading in water, and there is no way to pull that hose out of the underside of the vehicle.
Air conditioning drain hose on the Pajero Activity (instance graphic)
Conclusion issue – shift on with this male or go to a person I have faith in
I didn’t come back to the aircon man the upcoming working day, specifically. Sunday but decided to go to the workshop that experienced been doing the job on this motor vehicle on a mega task that I experienced embarked on in January of this yr. Rationale? I experienced lost self-confidence in the air conditioner sorts, but trustworthy the operator of the other workshop to do a excellent work at my ask for.
Resolving the air conditioner drain issue without having eliminating the HVAC unit
I was in the workshop on Monday and described the predicament to the landlord. He was extremely knowledge and acknowledged the headache I experienced just been by. 1 of his people today examined the set up thoroughly and following outlining what the drain hose would glimpse like (with the plug, and so forth.) he uncovered that the drain hose was really pinched and no condensation could leak out. I then advised him that the only way to take out the jammed element with no eliminating the HVAC unit is to
- Minimize off the hose segment outside the car or truck
- Loosen the bottom nuts keeping the HVAC device and
- Shift the HVAC unit back a several mm to slice and take away the pinched portion of the hose inside of
He eradicated the engine’s turbo boost sensor to start with, then laid his torso on the remaining fender, utilized a large responsibility cutter I gave him, and neatly lower the portion of the drain hose that was outside the house the car or truck.
Drainage hose – salvaged portion
Up coming, he loosened the bottom nuts that hold the HVAC unit in area, eliminated the jammed portion of the hose by cautiously slicing it and pulling it into parts, becoming thorough not to problems the drain port to which the hose was hooked up .
Segments of the jammed tube lower and taken out
Lastly, the hose was re-mounted on the drain socket from the exterior, the plug / seal was put more than the hose from the inside, the reduce nuts of the HVAC unit ended up mounted and tightened once more.
The hose was reinstalled on the drain socket, after which the plug / seal was reattached
Even more observations
Other difficulties observed have been:
- Airbag warning mild on – this crept in when the dashboard lights did not occur on after the dashboard was reinstalled right after altering the air conditioning (details in this article – Mitsubishi Pajero Activity | analysis of an ultra-lower leak in the aircon method)
- The leather situation on the reduce console had come free from its groove
- Misaligned cable couplings on the left kick panel
- Marginally reduced than the wished-for refrigerant
The negative terminal of the battery was disconnected and the decreased console taken off. Airbag couplers were eradicated and reattached to the passenger side, driver’s facet and the airbag manage module (which rests in front of the equipment levers). All connections were located to be Ok, but however disconnected and reconnected.
I had taken out the still left footboard deal with to take out the passenger footwell carpet and uncovered that the cable couplings there ended up misaligned and did not snap into the slot on the footboard. I took the option to reassemble them thoroughly by referring to the photographs of the clutches I had taken on a stock Pajero Sport.
Couplings ahead of correction
Couplings right after correction – take note the routing of the grounding bundle and the routed couplings # 3 and # 4 from above
Decreased console example
Airbag warning
The leather scenario on the decrease console was reattached and the console was reinstalled. The battery cable was reconnected but the airbag warning stayed on and was eventually taken off making use of an OBD scan software. Older variations of scan applications do not work for airbag programs.
About 150 g of refrigerant experienced to be topped up, a further shortcoming in the service of the aircon company company. Like quick tank tips, these fellas also have quick fill air conditioners.
Insulation of the very low-voltage refrigerant line (compressor suction line)
I noticed foam insulation on the reduced refrigerant lines on the aged Hyundai i20 and XUV500 and required to try this out. This car offered a perfect chance to test this out on the component of the refrigerant lower aspect strains that are really shut to the best zone, particularly. Exhaust and turbocharger turbine facet. I got a meter of break up AC foam tubing for the house, parted the tubing together its size, wrapped it around the base sideline, and secured it properly with several zip ties. This work can only be done when the motor compartment is chilly, normally the warm surfaces of the exhaust and turbine side can be fairly fatal.
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Isolated
Checklist of problems
Though the job has lastly officially closed, the quantity of problems that transpired throughout and after the aircon provider are summarized below:
- Turbo Increase error when the turbocharger jumped in – hose observed loose – preset, CEL scanned and taken out
- Dashboard lights did not arrive on when began for the 1st time – fastened, but the airbag warning light switched on
- Airbag warning – scanned and eradicated
- Misaligned cable couplings – mounted
- AC drain pinched – rectified
- USB connected to the stereo – operates, but a single facet of the USB push was found defective
- HVAC Unit was not even cleaned before set up – I observed that and experienced to admonish them for it
- A screw in the dashboard frame was free – set
- CTC flushing rip-off
- Air filter inlet duct screw not mounted – mounted
- Headlight range command not connected – fastened
- Considerably less than recommended refrigerant demand – topped up
- Connections of the radiator hoses not thoroughly clamped – preset
Bad excellent expense
Even though the financial reduction to suitable these mistakes was trivial:
- About 5 liters of diesel had been burned in avoidable checks
- The time necessary to rectify the problem was about 8 hrs, with approx. 2.5 hours only currently being used for the jammed drain hose
- Had to incorporate 150g of refrigerant which preferably must be completed appropriate the very first time
- OBD scans experienced to be performed to obvious 2 faults
- The time I myself used checking the position in the course of the aircon assistance
So much for a “hugely rated” assistance provider with a score of 4.8 on Google, with quite a few respondents and a excellent clientele, including physicians.
Last feedback
I can only comfort myself by stating thank you due to the fact I would not have learned so significantly if I did not have troubles to address. I would talk to all of you to go it on – not the headache I’ve skilled, but the information that can be gained from these types of ache.
For additional insights and data, see the BHPian feedback.
