[RichiJun]

Dear All,

Needs your kind guidance on problem i am facing.

I have i30 (2012 model, Diesel crdi), i dont use AC so often as i live in a cold country. Last few times, when i tried to start AC, i noticed that it does not start sometimes. I tried to do some experimenting, and found out that if i switch off car and start again with AC already ON, it works (7 out of 10 times). Someone suggested, it could AC Gas is over and i need to refill, but i have a doubt that the behaviour that i have seen and described above, does not point to me as Gas shortage.

Thanks for your inputs.

[The Gonz]

It may be that you need regassing from not using it and it has leaked out, but that should not stop it turning on. When you make it work and it is still cold, then your gas is still OK.
Try disconnecting the battery for 30 minutes to reset the car's logic.

[RichiJun]

Thanks alot for your response.

Yes, when its on then its cold as expected.

I will try your suggestion of disconnecting the battery for 30 minutes and let u know.

[Greyhound]

... i dont use AC so often as i live in a cold country.

Advice I have always followed re AC, even if you live in a cold country, it is always a good idea to run the AC ocassionally in order that seals do not dry up.

[Pnut]

In my Toyota i used to find it not working, eventually i realized if i just kept using it at least about once a month it was fine. I am pretty sure if it isn't used for a while the oil in the the system runs down and settles at the bottom or at the pump jamming it all up or blocking up the flow of gas. Not sure if it is relavent for you, but i found if i left it on for a few days worth of driving it was well mixed up and would be fine for a while after that.

[The Gonz]

It's not the oil collecting and blocking - quite the opposite. The oil in the gas needs to circulate to keep the rubber seals lubricated. If left unused, they dry out and the gas escapes.

[Pnut]

It's not the oil collecting and blocking - quite the opposite. The oil in the gas needs to circulate to keep the rubber seals lubricated. If left unused, they dry out and the gas escapes.

I understand what you mean and have heard about the seals drying out before, which is what i initially thought had happened as i hardly need to use it. But when i had mine checked there was plenty of gas in the system but the pump was having trouble starting. This was maybe 4-5 years ago, since then i started using it regularly and it has been fine ever since, so had assumed it was the oil collecting but i could be wrong.

[The Gonz]

there was plenty of gas in the system but the pump was having trouble starting

Not sure this is causal or just coincidental. Mechanical or electric pump? I would assume electric. Otherwise, you'd be relying on a clutch running off a belt and I can't see how that would have trouble 'starting'. Not using an electric motor can give you the same dramas without relating to the gas or lubricant.

[Pnut]

Sorry to Richijun, we are going off topic

Not electric, just standard belt driven pump. Maybe i am using the wrong terminology, it was spinning just not cooling.

[sundiz]

My ac started to go randomly on/off. Then it died. I measured the electronics and found out that the coil which activates ac clutch is now dead. Ordered some parts from autodoc, but of course they send some crap which is not even suitable for i30... 4pk pulley for car which uses 5pk belt...

But if your ac is fully charged, electronics work but the pulley acts up, you might want to check the gap between ac clutch and pulley. I don't have the values for GD at the moment, but for FD the gap should be 0.45mm +/- 0.05mm. Maybe something like that might work with GD. If the gap is too large, the coil does not have enough power to engage the clutch. Gap can be adjusted by shims in the clutch plate axel. Plenty on video on youtube about this adjustment.

[mobilemick]

Check the AC fuse isn`t melted, Had one today where it looked melted