Air Conditioning

Your vehicle's air conditioning system cleans, cools and dehumidifies the air in your vehicle, keeping you comfortable and alert while driving. A well-maintained air conditioning system will make summer driving a pleasant experience and will save you the cost and inconvenience of easily avoided (and often expensive) repairs.

Our Lower Sackville, Main Street, and Young Street locations provide the following maintenance, diagnostic and repair procedures to help you care for your air conditioning system:

If you would like to learn more about how your air conditioning system works, just click any of the part names in the graphic below.

For more information you can also visit our Air Conditioning FAQ, or contact our Lower Sackville, Main Street or Young Street locations.

Your Air Conditioning System

1. The Compressor

The compressor is the heart of your vehicle's air conditioning system. It is a small engine powered by a belt on the engine's crankshaft. The compressor acts as a pump that pressurizes liquid coolant or refrigerant, turning it to a high-pressure, high-temperature vapour. The compressor moves this vapour into the Condenser, and then on through to the rest of the system.

Your compressor requires a special type of oil (the exact type depends on the type of compressor and the type of refrigerant your a/c system uses). Since your compressor is often the most expensive part of your air conditioning system to replace, it is very important to have your compressor's oil & refrigerant levels checked regularly, and the seals checked for signs of wear, drying or cracking. If your air conditioning system ever does suffer from compressor failure, the resulting contamination of the system will likely mean that other components of your air conditioning system will also need to be replaced.

2. The Condenser

The condenser is usually mounted directly in front of your vehicle's radiator, which it closely resembles in appearance. As you drive, air flowing through the condenser cools the vapourized refrigerant, changing it back to a liquid. Depending on the type of air conditioning system your vehicle has, the cooled refrigerant will now move either to the Receiver/Drier or the evaporator

Located as it is at the front of your vehicle, the condenser is especially vulnerable to blockages and clogs caused by dirt, insects, and other debris. Flushing or cleaning this debris will keep your air conditioning system working effectively, and will avoid poor cooling because of insufficient air flow.

3. The Receiver-Drier or Accumulator

The type of air conditioning system your vehicle uses determines if you have a Receiver-Drier or an Accumulator. Both components collect and store the liquid refrigerant, filter out particles and debris, and remove moisture which can freeze, producing blockages, or when mixed with the refrigerant, can create an acid that will corrode system components. Once the receiver-drier has removed the moisture and dirt particles, the liquid refrigerant moves on to the Expansion Valve.

Receiver-driers and accumulators contain a desiccant, (a substance that promotes drying), to remove moisture. These desiccants are usually made from a type of silica gel and can hold a great deal of moisture; however, after a few years they will reach saturation, requiring the component to be replaced. Receiver-driers and accumulators also contain filters to trap dirt particles, which over time will also become saturated.

4. Expansion Valve or Orifice Tube

Expansion Valves and Orifice Tubes are found in different types of air conditioning systems. An air conditioning system having a receiver-drier will have a thermal expansion valve (also called a TXV); a system having an accumulator will have an orifice tube. Both components determine the correct amount of refrigerant to release into the system.

Both Orifice Tubes and expansion valves have extremely small openings that are susceptible to clogging. In addition, expansion valves contain moving parts that can easily be fouled by contaminants in the system. To ensure efficient operation, both expansion valves and orifice tubes should be checked for clogging or contamination.

5. The Evaporator

The evaporator looks similar to the condenser. It is usually located in, or just before, the passenger compartment. A fan blows warm air over the evaporator. When the liquid refrigerant enters the evaporator it boils, absorbing the heat from the warm air and making it cool. The evaporator also removes excess moisture from the air turning it to water. This water drains off, making the puddle you often see under newly parked cars on a hot day.

The moisture that collects on the evaporator makes it prone to bacterial and fungal growth. Regular cleaning will prevent the associated foul odour and avoid triggering allergic reactions.

6. Blower Motor

The Blower motor runs the fan that directs warm air over the evaporator, and then sends the cool air from the evaporator into the passenger compartment.

Blower Motors are checked for changes in speed and tone, both signs that bearings or other internal components are starting to fail.

7. Cabin Filter

To help clean the air coming through the air vents many air conditioning systems include a cabin filter that removes microscopic particles from the air blowing in from the evaporator.

Changing this filter when it becomes soiled will provide you with fresh clean air, free of irritants and allergens.

After running through this cycle, the refrigerant vapour leaving the evaporator is then drawn back into the compressor to start another refrigeration cycle.

Save money. Stay cool on the road this summer. Lower Sackville and Young Street are ready to answer your air conditioning questions.

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