Hi All,

Just joined the ranks of owners -- picked up a 2003 BRG MCS on Friday 8/10 -- had the car checked out by MiniWerks in San Marcos...

Car is in good shape -- needed a few maintenance items (so I did them) PLUS the 15% Craven Sport Pulley.

Got new brakes all around
A-Arm bushings (Poly)
Craven Speed 15% Pulley, Colder Plugs
Oil and Filter Change
Cabin air filter etc..

Also had the Freon topped off in the car as it was low.

Picked up the car today after all the work was done and set off for a business meeting in Fresno -- car is blowing COLD -- like I had to turn it down it was so cold cold... until about 1.5 hours into the drive down -- the outside temp is climbing. When I left San Marcos (San Fran Bay area).. it was roughly 79 degrees...when I get to the 1.5 hour mark -- I notice the outside temp is climbing and the car is no longer blowing so cold..

I take a wrong exit -- and get off the freeway...and as I am driving through the city streets and the temperature is down below triple digits..the car starts blowing cold again...

Now -- I am here in Fresno -- its 110 when I get here -- and the A/C is not blowing cold...the lamp is blinking intermittently.

I check all fuses under hood; in the cabin -- nothing blown...any thoughts here? I haven't replaced relay Number 2 under the hood yet -- but I will.

I don't know how to tell if the fan is running low speed and high speed but it is something that Mini Werks looked for specifically...and said it was cycling fine. I can definitely hear the fan running when the A/C is on. It is not staying on after the car is off.


Question and Theories:

Qs:
1) What would cause a relay to go bad? Extreme heat?
2) Are these relays just available at Autozone -- there is one 2 miles from my hotel.

Theories:
1) The refrigerant was topped off in a place where the temp was 30 degrees lower than it is here -- pressure is a function of volume and temperature right? So...was it filled in a place where the pressure was low enough that a small leak wasn't a big deal -- but then as the temperature rises...the pressure builds and it evacuates all the refrigerant out into the atmosphere? Mini werks did not have the equipment to do a leak down test..

2) The craven speed pulley was installed with a shorter belt I am assuming -- was it not short enough? Has it already stretched out past the tensioners capability to maintain tension?

3) Did I fry the compressor somehow?

Thank you all -- if anyone is in the Fresno area and wants to help... I am here until Tuesday.

 

Flashing AC light means low r134a
If you just had it topped off because it was low, could be a leak somewhere. If you get cold air with a lower differential temp, that would seem a likely suspect.
The ambient temp upon recharge shouldn't make that big a difference - it's not like they don't recharge AC in Vegas or Dubai...
I wouldn't think it would have anything to do with the pulley. As you are in Fresno, might want to try
Custom Mini Shop - 3439 W Holland Ave Fresno, CA, 93722

(sorry for the font - it was a copy/paste)

 

Thanks Eric..I spoke to Steve (called me back after shop hours ans was really cool on the phone..obviously very hard to diagnose a car via phone) i am popping in on Monday morning.

The thing that scares me is the dramatic and sudden change from very cold to nothing.

Btw..do you know any AC shops in the area? There is alpha here but i only see 2 ratings on yelp.

 

UPDATE:

I went out to the car this morning -- the current outside temp is 82 degrees fahrenheit and the AC is blowing ICE COLD again... okay...ALSO -- within a few seconds of me hitting the A/C button the fan comes on really loud (hi-speed). This is with the car completely cold from not being driven...so could this be the infamous fan resistor issue? Potentially but that doesn't address why the A/C won't work at highway speeds -- well highway speeds at 110 degrees Fahrenheit.

So the A/C has a heat exchanger up front (radiator) of sorts...and it seems it can handle up to a certain temp..can this thing get blocked? Does it get heat soaked?

Any thoughts would be helpful.. I am going to check and make sure there isn't something blocking that... probably remove the lower grille and see if there is anything there.

My further thoughts:

If it were the fan -- then it wouldn't ever blow cold..and would be fine at highway speeds (it wasn't).

The temp gauge in the car sits perfectly at middle when driving around -- even in 110 degree temperatures...so not a cooling system.

Anyone have this issue with their MINI in this oppressive heat -- is the car just NOT made for these temperatures?

 

try the recirc feature. it will keep your air blowing cold.