GS Air Con not 100% effective

adriantillin

New Member
Messages
9
G'day all,

Newbie here (Adrian from Brisbane). We've got a 2006 GS and we are having some AC problems. I've been researching on Maserati Life and on here (but don't seem to be able to work the search function - doh).

The AC system has been checked and is all good. I've checked fault codes (AA 00 indicated) and also done a reset as per instructions.

My thoughts are that the mixing actuator is working ok but the spindle/flap is somehow disconnected/slipping.

Any advice from you gurus out there? Thanks in advance.

Adrian

PS: top car - that engine is amazing
 

Zep

Moderator
Messages
9,110
Welcome to the forum!

When you say it isn’t 100% effective, do you mean that it isn’t cold enough or that there isn’t enough airflow?
 

mas

Junior Member
Messages
46
You may have leaves, dead insects etc.. stuck between the condenser and the radiator.
In my case the bottom section was about 20 percentage blocked, this was only apparent as I was replacing the radiator.
My air con works really well in Sydney
 

adriantillin

New Member
Messages
9
Welcome to the forum!

When you say it isn’t 100% effective, do you mean that it isn’t cold enough or that there isn’t enough airflow?
Thanks for the welcome and apologies for not being specific enough.

The problem is that when the coldest setting is dialled in, the air coming through the ducts is not sufficiently cold. The fan speed is fine and distribution and recirc flaps are all working as they should. As mentioned, AC system has been checked and is all good.
 

adriantillin

New Member
Messages
9
You may have leaves, dead insects etc.. stuck between the condenser and the radiator.
In my case the bottom section was about 20 percentage blocked, this was only apparent as I was replacing the radiator.
My air con works really well in Sydney
Thanks - will check that tomorrow
 

Zep

Moderator
Messages
9,110
You may have leaves, dead insects etc.. stuck between the condenser and the radiator.
In my case the bottom section was about 20 percentage blocked, this was only apparent as I was replacing the radiator.
My air con works really well in Sydney


This, very much. And you might also have a lot of moisture in the drier, which will also impact efficiency.
 

safrane

Member
Messages
16,746
Be aware that the pully on the compressor is a known weak point. Any movement on the bearing indicates it is about to fail (c1k miles)... if it does you will have to walk home.
 

lambertius

Banned
Messages
341
Howdy, this thread on the other forum might provide some insight https://www.maseratilife.com/threads/air-con-strength.123220/page-2#post-971574

The tl;dr is that there are two condenser sizes used, one for NA and one for EU. All Australian cars are UK ordered Australian delivered (yes, even the 'Australian' cars) so we get the tiny condenser. With mine I did a bit further investigation found that on the freeway the AC works fine on the 40+ days, but its pretty much useless below 80km/hr. The condenser sits recessed below the air-stream in the front bumper (you can see it without much effort) so it is just a badly designed HVAC in every way. The larger NA condenser is used in the GT and QP.

I've decided to take one for the team and have ordered ever part I think I need to retrofit the large condenser system (probably more parts than I actually need). I'm hopeful I've gotten everything to just drop it in, but I'll find out soon enough. Once I've figured it out I'll put up a post with all the part numbers needed to get the system to drop in.
 

adriantillin

New Member
Messages
9
Howdy, this thread on the other forum might provide some insight https://www.maseratilife.com/threads/air-con-strength.123220/page-2#post-971574

The tl;dr is that there are two condenser sizes used, one for NA and one for EU. All Australian cars are UK ordered Australian delivered (yes, even the 'Australian' cars) so we get the tiny condenser. With mine I did a bit further investigation found that on the freeway the AC works fine on the 40+ days, but its pretty much useless below 80km/hr. The condenser sits recessed below the air-stream in the front bumper (you can see it without much effort) so it is just a badly designed HVAC in every way. The larger NA condenser is used in the GT and QP.

I've decided to take one for the team and have ordered ever part I think I need to retrofit the large condenser system (probably more parts than I actually need). I'm hopeful I've gotten everything to just drop it in, but I'll find out soon enough. Once I've figured it out I'll put up a post with all the part numbers needed to get the system to drop in.
Interesting - you'd think we'd get the larger condenser.
The system is blowing cold air (more on driver's side than passenger side) but not enough of it.
Really does feel like it's a mixer flap problem (having just spent a few months sorting out the HVAC on my P38 Range Rover
 

lambertius

Banned
Messages
341
Interesting - you'd think we'd get the larger condenser.
The system is blowing cold air (more on driver's side than passenger side) but not enough of it.
Really does feel like it's a mixer flap problem (having just spent a few months sorting out the HVAC on my P38 Range Rover

Our cars are all UK cars - the car was never imported to Australia through Maserati, so all our cars are Euro spec, so we got the euro condenser. Why they ran two condensers is beyond me - it would've cost more in keeping two sets of parts than it would've in the larger parts for all the cars.
 

adriantillin

New Member
Messages
9
Change the fan resistor and dryer. These are known performance areas.
Thanks for the reply. I understand why I might need to change the dryer but not the fan resistor. The fan blower is working perfectly - it's a cold air problem not a fan speed problem
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,539
Thanks for the reply. I understand why I might need to change the dryer but not the fan resistor. The fan blower is working perfectly - it's a cold air problem not a fan speed problem

Matt means the fan resistor at the front of the car. This corrodes and can impact the fan operation and thence the condenser operation.

C
 

lambertius

Banned
Messages
341
Just bumping this thread - the NA spec AC has been getting installed over yesterday and today. A few little issues to resolve but so far all seems good. The condenser is about three times the size of the Euro one. Once we get it running I'll update, and I'll make a thread detailing all the parts needed and some things to look out for.