AC Temperature sensor in Courtesy Light panel

[Smiley69]

Firstly, am I right in thinking that there's some sort of fan/sensor in the courtesy light panel for the AC?

Everytime I turn the key to ignition on, I hear a whirring type noise coming from this panel. When I say whirring please read rumble as it sounds as rough as tree bark!

Is this normal?

Any info on this would be appreciated.

[samass]

yeah theres a little fan in there, try taking it apart and cleaning all the fluff out and maybe lubing it up

[Smiley69]

Cheers Samass, will do.

Do you know much about the 306 AC system? I'm ok on the fridge side, it's just the controls aspect. When the AC button is selected, how does this set the AC in motion?

Is there a solenoid re-circ Vv that closes? Some kind of elec clutch on the compressor drive? Not that mine's working as I squeezed it up to 7 bar with nitrogen and it lasted,,, ooh, 30 seconds before it registered about 2 bar! Rambling! New thread I think.

[samass]

yeah there's an electromagnetic clutch on the compressor, and it has a built in saftey system that wont let it kick in unless there's pressure in the system.

sounds like you've got a hole, common place if the front pipe that runs behind the rad at the bottom, they rot at the clamps, as the rubber deteriorates, the water and salt react with the steel and aluminium and it actually electrolyses itself to peices. after that, the rest of the system is normally ok, the aircon rad might be holed, but hard to say without a UV test

[Smiley69]

Cheers, you answered my next question which was common areas of failure.

In the car now and struggling to prize the light panel off!

[samass]

theres two torx screws under the interior light. pop the light out first.

[Smiley69]

Found the torx screws behind my light as you said. The fan was full of ???? Gunk.

All out, cleaned up and back together.

Cheers