Poor "AC" on the V8 powered cars!

5605 Views 103 Replies 23 Participants Last post by Jerry, Oct 24, 2018

G

Discussion Starter · Mar 13, 2004

Poor AC on the V8 powered cars!

I’ve had this car just over a month and its been looked at 3 times for its AC. The problem is that there is nothing wrong with the AC according to MG.

WRONG there is, it just doesn’t work effectively. Consequently the design must be wanting in some way - see bottom of post!

Last night for example we drove 6 miles and the screens barely cleared with HI selected on the AC interface. This isn’t right, plus the noise at this level is unbearable. Or is my expectations after the previous cars fitted with AC too high?

To be very frank – I’m disappointed and this niggle is starting to annoy.

I have to say I always drive with the AC on and this is spoiling the enjoyment of the 260.

AC info, A new HEVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air conditioning) unit is fitted to the ZT 260. The new unit is a water-blend design featuring a dedicated electronic control unit to drive servo-motor valves to regulate the water flow around the heating circuit. This system has been refined to offer similar levels of response and control to the existing ZT’s acclaimed air-blending system. All models feature ATC (Automatic Temperature Control), using the familiar user-friendly interface of other ZT models.

61 - 80 of 104 Posts

welshMGman

· #61 · Jun 7, 2004

Jerry,

Before you finally get rid of the beast, may I recommend the dealer I used? Kevin is in new cars sales, and knows his stuff. The workshop and servicing seems to be up to muster too. Might be worth contacting them (don't know if anyone has requested a ZT260 through them though):

H G Jones & Sons Limited, Station Garage, Machynlleth, Powys, UK SY20 8BN

Tel:+44(0)1654 702108/9
Fax:+44(0)1654 702668
e-mail: [email protected]

They have been dealing with MGs and Rovers for decades.

Jason

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MikeH

· #62 · Jun 7, 2004

Jase, if you read back through the recent posts specifically Kaine's you will see there is no point m8, the V8's A/C will never work as well as the old ZT's did (same unit) in its current format unless its current botch of a redesign carried out by Elite is fundamentally modified.

The A/C is not broken its flawed.

Mike

welshMGman

· #63 · Jun 7, 2004

Surely it would be possible to source an A/C unit from a different manufacturer?

Jason

Kaine

· #64 · Jun 7, 2004

Jason,

It is all a matter of economics - I just dont believe MG could afford it. A/C development costs can run into the millions (new tooling, testing, tuning, software mods etc etc) - whomever they went too, the costs are very similar. The most cost effective route for a good system would have been to use the existing OEM, however I believe this was also too expensive for them.

Kaine

MikeH

· #65 · Jun 7, 2004

Whilst we're talking A/C when would you have time to have a look at mine m8, absolutely cooking in the old uber wagon today :blah

Mike

Kaine

· #66 · Jun 7, 2004

:topic:
Pork Roast -

Whenever your about - do you get out much in the day anymore?

If not, we'll probably be over next week I guess

Kaine:topic:

G

Discussion Starter · #67 · Jun 14, 2004

Well,

Have to say the ZT260 excelled itself on its trip to LM. AC isn't as good as the 190, but in the conditions as they are (+30) it coped very well.

tallbeans

· #68 · Jun 14, 2004

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

G

Discussion Starter · #69 · Jul 9, 2004

Max doesn't like this car. Because of the phoibles of its AC - I never switch it out of "LOW". For me this is its only downful - can I live with it? Unsure, would prefer it to work though!

On Wednesday returning from the MGOC meet (about 9 miles), atrocious weather she selects Full HEAT - guess what nothing at all came out of those vents. NOTHING!

Yep LM was great - fuel stops more frequent than the rest of the boys.

sward

· #70 · Jul 9, 2004

Jerry, do you think it is your car that has the poor A/C? Have you tried other V8s on this forum?

It sounds like a dash-out job to me.

G

Discussion Starter · #71 · Jul 9, 2004

Steve, its had its dash out 3 times over a 5 week period (remember it was 5 weeks off the road waiting for parts and to get it fixed).

I'm reasonably happy - but Max isn't.

sward

· #72 · Jul 9, 2004

What do you intend to do, if anything? Are you going to take it back to Kernahans or complain to the factory?

Gas-Axe

· #73 · Jul 10, 2004

I don't reckon (reading the posts) there is anything any 260 owner can do to rectify the situation.

Just a shame it wasn't done properly in the first place IMO, spoils the car.

Janspeed-ZR

· #74 · Jul 10, 2004

Gas-Axe said:
I don't reckon (reading the posts) there is anything any 260 owner can do to rectify the situation.

Just a shame it wasn't done properly in the first place IMO, spoils the car.

We have absolutely no complaints about our 260's aircon. The system works as well as any other air conditioned cars we have owned.

G

Discussion Starter · #75 · Jul 10, 2004

In that case the rest must have been water based, Janspeed.

The system in comparison to our EVO VIII is VERY poor (desired temperature cannot be selected, and then it provides insufficient heating or cooling).

The ZT190/R75 were in a different league. Plus all the Mercs ect we have owned, the AC is rubbish on the ZT260. But the rest of the car makes up for it.

What am I going to do you ask - when I can afford the time to have it off the road - is to take it back to our dealer!

SPANNERS

· #76 · Jul 10, 2004

Did you try the valve I mentioned Jerry?.....it does make a difference.

Gas-Axe

· #77 · Jul 11, 2004

I think you two should meet up and compare a/c performance.

Jerry - take your thermometer!

tallbeans

· #78 · Jul 11, 2004

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

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Gas-Axe

· #79 · Jul 11, 2004

Interesting indeed, this could well be the issue.

barichardson

· #80 · Jul 11, 2004

As I have said before ,this thread, my 260 AC is more than adequate, so Jerry has had bad luck just like my cross threaded problem.

Brian

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