FTO AUSTRALIA

I need to regas my aircon, does anyone in Melb know a good place to do this, and how much do they charge.

I have heard around $60-$80 is about average.

i would say $60 is cheap, $80 is average?

MJ Jap Motor (Old SL Motorsports) does it, should be around $70, as thats how much i paid last time. Call up Alex & ask first, if he charge you more, then let me know.

(03) 9548 5837

maybe this should be in the help forum?

Yes.... air con is not exactly a performance enhancement

Well after lots and lots of calls, this is what i found:

MJ Jap Motors dont do Regassing as their machine leaks
All quotes ranged from around $100-$200 with most being $150

Suprisingly for the first time EVER (as far as i know) Southern Mitsubishi was the cheapest i found with the guy saying ~$90-$110 and it was one of the very few open on a Saturday.

So for the next week i will be looking more for a sub $100 quote, but failing that i will take her down next weekend.

Thats pretty good from a Mitsu dealer, & damit can't believe MJ had a leak system.....

Hehehe, okay today for me, was a VERY EXPENSIVE day with air con....
I spent the princely some of $1065 today

What was to be a routine re-gas turned very ugly. I was quoted by my air con / sparky man was $130 for a re-gas.... 'sweet' I thought....

Until he rang me at 10am & told me the compressor clutch was shot... and that I needed a new compressor. Good old Mitsubishi wanted $915 for a new one, with a nice 3 week wait. I said "F*ck that - keep it in peices, I'll get you a compressor." So I did the drive to good old Bankstown City Spares & picked up a second hand one for $350. Took it back to the shop & found the pulley bearing to be shot - so we swapped it with my original one. Also the receiver dryer was shot & we put in a generic one. The gas was also way too low, hence I have a leak somewhere - they then put dye into the gas when refilling so they can spot the leak next time it runs out. So they put it all together & tested it... beautiful..... ICY cold but a grand tally of $800 odd buck for parts, labour, gas etc etc really did dent the wallet. The other $200 I spent was on other electrical bits & peices.

So be warned - you may not be just 'out of gas'.....

that sounds nasty mate!

but i am just out of gas, it got let out a while ago. Not like it just stopped working or anything...... Unless something else goes wrong

dito, id just had mine filled then my air con motor seized... had to empty the whole bloody lot out and it STINKS! literally stinks...

havnt had it filled since and that was 10 months ago, im a bit scared my seals will be all dried up now but ive had the air con turned off the whole time

Well was down at mitsu service centre today to get it done, and turns out that low and behold, there is a leak (apparently) they said it was the front pipe that comes from the condensor.

So the new problem is i have to try to source a new pipe, replace it and then go and spend another $100 to get it gassed again...

such a waste of money today....

where abouts is the leak? is it just the valve or what?

well, they said it was the pipe. The one in the front left as your standing looking at your engine. I'll see if i can find a pic of the area.

however i'm a bit sceptical about their knowledge...

thought mitsu would be a good safe option, but they seemed a bit lost...

Bennoz wrote:Hehehe, okay today for me, was a VERY EXPENSIVE day with air con....
I spent the princely some of $1065 today

What was to be a routine re-gas turned very ugly. I was quoted by my air con / sparky man was $130 for a re-gas.... 'sweet' I thought....

Until he rang me at 10am & told me the compressor clutch was shot... and that I needed a new compressor. Good old Mitsubishi wanted $915 for a new one, with a nice 3 week wait. I said "F*ck that - keep it in peices, I'll get you a compressor." So I did the drive to good old Bankstown City Spares & picked up a second hand one for $350. Took it back to the shop & found the pulley bearing to be shot - so we swapped it with my original one. Also the receiver dryer was shot & we put in a generic one. The gas was also way too low, hence I have a leak somewhere - they then put dye into the gas when refilling so they can spot the leak next time it runs out. So they put it all together & tested it... beautiful..... ICY cold but a grand tally of $800 odd buck for parts, labour, gas etc etc really did dent the wallet. The other $200 I spent was on other electrical bits & peices.

So be warned - you may not be just 'out of gas'.....

Quoting your experience with A/C four years ago....I got he same experience recently.

Initally AC unable to blow cold sir after awhile of operation. Brought it to mechanic, he claimed that condenser is busted. Ok, $280 to get it replaced and installed.
Then found out the pump is busted. Ok, i found a 2nd hand pump. Pump is $120 and labour alone is $440. Now its still not working properly, blame on the TX valve. Im so dissapointed at this poitn that i decided to look for another mechanic and i felt he charged too much.
The workshop has a giant board at the shop front saying "Free pickslip with every service" I called him up and said i want a pink slip done as my rego is just a month away, since its free . But he actually charge my for that as reflected on my bill. He then took it out from my bill after i talked to him about it. Not honest...
Now need to look for quotes for replacing the TX valve. Air-con servicing is really not cheap!

Bennoz wrote:Hehehe, okay today for me, was a VERY EXPENSIVE day with air con....
I spent the princely some of $1065 today

What was to be a routine re-gas turned very ugly. I was quoted by my air con / sparky man was $130 for a re-gas.... 'sweet' I thought....

Until he rang me at 10am & told me the compressor clutch was shot... and that I needed a new compressor. Good old Mitsubishi wanted $915 for a new one, with a nice 3 week wait. I said "F*ck that - keep it in peices, I'll get you a compressor." So I did the drive to good old Bankstown City Spares & picked up a second hand one for $350. Took it back to the shop & found the pulley bearing to be shot - so we swapped it with my original one. Also the receiver dryer was shot & we put in a generic one. The gas was also way too low, hence I have a leak somewhere - they then put dye into the gas when refilling so they can spot the leak next time it runs out. So they put it all together & tested it... beautiful..... ICY cold but a grand tally of $800 odd buck for parts, labour, gas etc etc really did dent the wallet. The other $200 I spent was on other electrical bits & peices.

So be warned - you may not be just 'out of gas'.....

That is the exact reason why I never bothered getting my air con "re-gassed" since buying the fto.

i have to do it as i sometimes drive fror 2hrs and weather is getting hot...no choice.

What the hell is a TX valve??

Thermal Expansion valve