Hello, my name is Walter. Over the past few months, I have been working on my car. I never used to think much about my car. I would just jump into it and hit the road. Things were fine at first, but soon I realised that things were starting to go wrong. Strange white smoke started to appear from the exhaust. Sometimes when I changed gear, I could hear a strange noise. Foolishly, I ignored all of this until my car broke down. When I got to the auto repair shop the mechanic repaired my car and then gave it a full service. As he did so, I began my auto servicing education.
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If you're fortunate to have an air conditioning system at home, you know that it can work very well for long periods without too much in the way of maintenance. However, this is not the case when it comes to a similar system fitted to your car. This system will require more care for various reasons, and you certainly need to bring the vehicle in for an A/C service from time to time. Why is this, and what areas will you need to look at during a service visit?
Under Pressure
In many respects, the air conditioning system in your car is very similar to the fridge freezer you may have in your kitchen. Yet, there are certainly more parts involved in this automotive lifesaver. The entire system will need to work under extreme pressure and in much harsher conditions than you would typically find within your home.
Areas to Look at
A car air conditioning system features a condenser, an evaporator and a compressor. These key components are linked together so that the refrigerant gas is converted from its original state into a liquid and back again through a pressurised system. In an ideal world, the various pipes that connect the system would be rigid and strong, but in a constantly moving automotive version, they will often need to be flexible and made of rubber instead.
Rubber can perish, and this is the number one area to look at when you take your vehicle in for an A/C service. The technician will need to look for leaks and make sure that the system is not discharging. After all, if your gas level drops, the major components will need to work overtime and quickly fail.
Lubricating the Compressor
Don't forget that the refrigerant has a specially designed oil that is meant to lubricate the compressor during regular operation. If the gas pressure were to drop too low, then the compressor would not work at all.
Removing the Moisture
Another part called a receiver (or dryer) serves to remove moisture from the system over time. The technician should periodically check this part's functionality and evacuate the refrigerant gas before work begins.
Cleaning the Filter
Don't forget to look at the pollen filter between the A/C system and the vehicle dashboard. This can quickly become contaminated and, due to the damp conditions, may begin to house bacteria. If you clean this part regularly, you can avoid those unpleasant odours and potential health issues associated with poor filtering.
Professionals Only
As you can see, there is a lot involved in servicing a typical car A/C system. Don't try to do this yourself as it does require special equipment and you're better off leaving it to the experts.
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