Aloha All,
I have commandeered my wifes 240 for the summer. What a great car. With one exception, the air con doesn't seem to cool very well. Our mechanic has looked at it and said that everything is ok, it's just how the 204 aircon is. Any tips on how I can improve the cooling. the car has 250k miles on it, is totally stock, and we have maintained it well for the last 10 years. It runs great and looks great and frankly I'd like to keep driving it and get another car for my wife. Thanks for your help.

I don't know what you mean. My 245 A/C is so cold that it gives me ice cream headaches if I leave it on 100% duty cycle. And that's in TX in 100 deg heat.
There must be something not right with your system.
First, replace the dryer and expansion valve. Old ones will 'work', but won't be as good as new. A good service shop can tell you what the pressure difference between the high and low pressure side of the valve is, and if it just meets spec, the expansion valve will help a lot. Also, be sure to have the system purged and flushed then leak tested. Some shops won't do this unless you ask, and huge improvements will be noticed. A good purge/flush will take 4 hrs or longer, so if they say they can do it in a hour, go somewhere else that will do it right. After that, add synthetic pump oil and the new dryer.
I get this service done once a year for $130, otherewise I will loose more money on lost R12, since the old systems have a tendancy to leak out if not serviced frequently. Just sitting for 2-3 mos without use during the winter can loose the full coolong capacity.
I have the original compressor in my 245 at 240 k mi and with service it will last many more years and miles.
--
'89 245 Sportwagon, VX cam,K&N, Bil's, IPD susp & exhaust

Aloha -

Many 240s, maybe others too, come from Sweden with the temperature slide control connected to the water valve in such a way that a little hot coolant flows even though the control is in full cold position.

That prevents the coolant sitting in the heater core from getting stagnant.
But in climates warmer than Sweden it really makes a big difference.

Remove the kick panel by the driver's right toe. Watch how the water valve moves as you move the slide control. What I have done on every 240 I've owned is to re-connect the control wire to the valve lever. There may be an easier way than that. What you want to have is the valve fully closed when the slide control has maybe 1/8 inch yet to go to be in full cold position.

Good Luck,

Bob

:>)

Hi Bob,

When you say "...re-connect the control wire to the valve lever." Do you mean that you adjust the control wire so that the lever shuts off the flow of coolant when it's on full cold?

Clean the bugs/rocks out of the condensor and add anelectric fan rigged to come on with the compressor
--
-------Robert, '93 940t, '90 240 wagon, '84 240 diesel (she's sick) , '80 245 diesel