[tallbeans]

AIRCON ASSESSMENT

Have just taken delivery of my ZT-T 260SE in Typhoon (Last one of the line in MY03 according to MGR through my dealer (No 213 incidentally).
Have read your posts re the AC with some concern Jerry - so will feedback my results as it beds in. However, first long drive yetserday with OAT of 17C but very sunny ie hot cabin, seemed to show a good cooling effect when set to 18C in cabin. More to follow. I note the sun detector on the forward dash has now changed design from a hemi-sphere on my 190+ to a sort of pyramid shape - maybe this has had an effect too?
As for the car itself - what an improvement over the 190+! -and that was a great car! Much chunkier well-built feel, better ride (new suspension effect) and no engine noise at a steady 70 (2000 rpm!) Gearbox a little notchier as advertised elsewhere- but nothing to get too disturbed about - it still works well - and the rest of the car more than compensates for this small niggle!
Looking forward to getting to know this Bruiser really well as the engine loosens up.

 

[tallbeans]

Sadly it would seem you have the "Friday afternoon 260" Jerry.
Now done 400 miles in mine - its great - no problems at all and can't wait to let rip on the revs once the running-in is over.
As for the aircon - yes it ain't the same (or as efficient) as the 190+ I had. That said its cooling works well (in a different manner to the 190) and I have no complaints yet. I will have to wait and see if the heating output is good enough under real pressure but a +2C morning yesterday suggested it could be!
Happy/smiley driving from me from now on - the rest of the car is just too good to let a reduction in AC efficency put me off it - its is so much better as a driver's car than the 190+ I had for nearly 2 years - and that's saying something! - I could never go back now. Mine's well built - feels a real solid cruiser with ample performance and at the price I paid, I do not believe I could have found a better value performance car - and its built in GB! (No I don't work for MGR - if any cynic reading this is sceptical of my praise!). Another 700 miles to do this W/E so another update next week.
Cheers

 

[tallbeans]

Yes your right - looking to see just what I get given that its a m'way cruise in both directions with just a little bit of country road work at either end.
Will report back when done!
Cheers

 

[tallbeans]

Hope you had a great time down there Jerry (How many refuel stops?)
Good to see your AC now appears to be working well enough - mine's been coping well here in Blighty also in OATs of around +28/29. Not as good as the 190 as you say - but it works better than most US equivalent kit fitted to theri V8s, I'm sure.
Cheers

 

[tallbeans]

Jerry
Although this may not be directly connected to your AC problem - you will have seen my thread re my acc drive belt. Well, after several weeks of deliberation, my car goes in on Monday after the dealer was briefed by Longbridge to drain and refill/re-pressurise the oil within the AC pump. It appears that they believe that the belt snapping/block rubbing I have been experiencing is as a result of some 260 AC pumps having been set up wrongly, causeing oil air locks and this causes belt slip/whiplash and the problem I have had. I am suggesting, therefore, that maybe your very inferior AC performance may be in some way related to the same AC oil problem. I know we both agree that the 260 AC is infererior to that in the other ZT/75s - but I have to say that mine does keep good temp control, albeit to a very diffeerent performance level to my previous 190's. Just a thought for the discussion anyway - as another member has already stated - you can't just chop an AC system in half and expect it to deliver as before!
Cheers

 

[tallbeans]

Wrong oil spec for 260 aircon pumps

Some will have seen my "That belt again" thread. Got my 260 back last week at last after much nonesense when several aircon pumps were delivered without clutches. However, more to the point, the reason my dealer changed the pump was he had been told that several aircon pumps had been supplied with too much oil in them (something over 200mil) - the "normal" amount for this aircon pump in its none 260 applications. So they were told to ensure that the new pump had much less oil in - sorry can't remember the amount. Apparently the wrong oil amount can seriously effect aircon pump performance. Furthermore, it can cause aircon pump clutch slipping and hence my acc drive belt whiplash and snapping. In addition to a car in Harrogate, a hire car agency in Surrey with 3 260s had had similar problems. Have run the car fior 250 miles since the change and all is well so far. I wonder how many 260 pumps are out there with the wrong lube oil amounts? Maybe worth thinking about. As for cooling perf in the present hot spell - mine works OK too.:shout: