Air Conditioning! retro fitting, questions, and tips

JohnDragonMan · 2020-06-13 05:05:50

So a few of you know that i am retro fitting air conditioning to my 05 Dispatch. i have taken the parts from scrap Peugeot E7 EuroCab taxis.

first off, if you are not afraid of taking your dash apart this is quite an easy job. i was impressed how easy the dash comes apart on these vans!

some specs:
the air conditioning system on these vans/MPVs/taxi's has a total R134A refrigerant capacity of 950 grams.
the belt size somehow changes if you are retrofitting air conditioning. my van needed a 6PK1640 sized belt.
the belt size for vans already with air conditioning is 6PK1740.

types of aircon:
so far i have found 3 kinds of "air conditioning" types that can go into our beloved vans. type 1 is the kind we have in our handbook. where it is a single button next to the hazard light switch that controls the AC on or off, the recirculation, air flow and heat controls are all cable controlled on the sliders the same as vehicles without AC. (unsure if this has an extra blower motor)
type 2 (the one i seem to have) is the next kind where it has 2 buttons located where the recirculate slider should be, one to turn the AC on and off and one to recirculate air. this is a bit of a hybrid system where it is mostly electronically controlled but you still have a cable slider to control what vents the air is blown out of. this type also uses an extra blower motor on the drivers side.
then we have type 3. the full all singing all dancing climate control. i sadly do not know much about this other than it is fully electronically controlled. i would also assume that it has 2 blower motors as well. this is the kind i was more so after.

this is the type 2 panel and the non air con panel:

Hardware:
no matter what diesel engine, the compressor sits in the same location so the pipework from any other engine will still work with a different engine XUD or HDI
the good news is that they all take the same condenser (AC radiator that sits in the gap between the coolant radiator and intercooler).
it also appears that all of the pipework no matter what you take the aircon off will also be compatible with every other AC component from different "dispatch/jumpy" based vehicles like the Scudo, 806, Synergie, Ulysse, Evasion, E7 Eurocab, and Lancia Zeta.

here are how the pipes are ran:

and here is some other tech pictures of the filter dryer bracket and condenser radiator.

Pollen / cabin air filter:

Yes these do have them, though often never fitted!
a quick ebay will give you a few options but the ones you need to go for is the 3 piece type. this is where they fit:

however you may not have the "bit they go into" fitted to your van. mine sadly does not and so did the taxis i got all of the bits from. so sourcing these may be more hard. than actually fitting the whole aircon system!
(it took me a long time to find this information out)

Wiring:

you *Should* already have the required wiring in the dash for the new HVAC loom. it will be a 5 pin connector (pictured below)

your HVAC (heater/AC) wiring loom will have the same plug but 6 pins. thankfully the 6th pin (a twin thin brown wire) is not used. the thicker orange wire in the corner of this plug is the one that turns the AC compressor on. is in this part of the loom at this plug but it does loose this wire in the grey circular plug under the fuse box behind the glove box. so a new wire needs to be ran. thankfully in my loom i had 2x wires that go exactly where i needed them to go, exiting near where the wires branch out for the passenger side headlight. these 2 wires just so happen to be the correct colour wires for 2 of the 4 wires on a 4 pin pressure switch (see video 4). this leads me to believe that these 2x wires are left in for maybe a dealer fitted air conditioning upgrade (maybe). i will be using these 2x wires to connect the thicker corner orange wire exiting the HVAC plug to the pressure sensor.
the pressure sensor pinouts are as follows:
pin one switches to pin 2. pin 3 switches to pin 4. pins 1 and 2 switch is the low pressure switch you connect the compressor clutch (through a relay to save burning out the pressure switch). pins 3 and 4 switch is the over temperature switch which will be used to make a relay turn the radiator fan on and off.

the HVAC controls sends 12v through a single wire (that orange one) that connects first to the 4 pin pressure switch (pin 1) on the filter dryer. if the system has an adequate refrigerant charge it allows power to turn on a (pink) relay in the fuse box. that then turns on the compressor clutch.

so it turns out that all fans no matter on mk1 or mk2, poverty spec or full bells and whistles, all will have a "2 speed radiator fan". the fan has 2 live wires and one earthing wire. when power is connected to any one of the two power cables, the fan will turn on to low speed. when power is connected to both power cables at the same time the fan will be on high speed. it is very rare that you hear the fan on high speed. as even the low speed seems pretty powerful!
the radiator fan is turned on using the other 2 pins on the 4 pin pressure switch. this needs to be connected to a separate relay that switches the fan on and off. sadly just manipulating one of the 2 relays the van has standard is not an option due to the way the relays are turned on by the ecu.

the 4 pin pressure switch will detect the pressure change based on how hot the refrigerant is inside the condenser (front AC radiator) is and say if the vehicle is in motion would automatically turn the fan off if enough airflow is already cooling the AC radiator down.

i will draw out a circuit diagram of how both the compressor clutch and radiator fan works. watch this space!

its not as hard as it looks. dont panic Mr Mainwaring!!

i am currently still acquiring knowledge on this and doing much research.
i will update as my knowledge expands.

here is some videos i have made as a kind of walk through. i am still in the process of making these videos so please stand by.

it starts off with removing the dash. you can do all of the inside work first before taking apart anything outside

then you need to prep and clean your replacement (if you want to) then start to take out your HVAC system.

in this video i show you where all of the plugs connect to on the HVAC's wiring loom. its pretty strait forward. i also use my old blower motor and just swap the electronics over from the high mileage taxi blower motor.

in this one i show the dash support bar, routing of the wires neatly, and talk about routing external pipes.

here i am on about the wiring again, and talk about the 4 way pressure control switch.

here i talk about the compressor. what oil and how much

a quick look at the radiator pack here and more on the wiring.

i am at the gassing up stage here. also a slight mishap with a faulty crank pulley.

to be continued..

if anyone has anything they want to add to this, please do so! i feel this is a topic that needs to be documented!

stay frosty... well you know, that is the aim of the game.

Last edited by JohnDragonMan (2020-12-12 00:14:10)

OAT · 2020-06-29 18:41:42

Nothing of use to add John but I am following with interest.

woodbine · 2020-06-29 21:21:28

Interesting project - brave man. Great to learn a few things, not least how the dash comes apart.

My 2004 Scudo has a/c with the electric recirculator switch next to the a/c switch. Unfortunately my a/c hasn't worked for years - about 12 years to be precise. It stopped working and I left it for 3 or 4 years because the summers weren't too hot then. When I got around to having a look I found it was just the switch which I replaced. But because the a/c hadn't been used for all that time, it wouldn't turn on because all the gas pressure had gone. Wonder how difficult it would be to re-commission my a/c now? Suppose the compressor will need replacing for a start?

JohnDragonMan · 2020-06-29 23:22:23

woodbine wrote:

Wonder how difficult it would be to re-commission my a/c now? Suppose the compressor will need replacing for a start?

not at all! usually the gas leaks because the seals dry out. get it re-charged and you will be pleasantly surprised. that 4 pin pressure switch will be detecting that the refrigerant charge has dropped below its normal running pressure so it stops the compressor from kicking in. just a top up should be all you need given the front radiator is good. f you find that theres no pressure in the system any more i recommend getting it nitrogen pressure tested first but you can just get it vacuumed out and see if it holds the vacuum before being charged back with R134A refrigerant.

there's a naughty way of checking if there's a bit of pressure in the system still and that is to press one of the valves in with a small screw driver, like like a tyre valve. if it hisses then you still have something in it so you can just go strait for a top up. see, if theres still pressure in it, it means no moisture has gotten in.

the AC system that i have came from a taxi, the belt skipped the AC compressor pulley as taxis never use the AC and the system had no pressure in it what so ever so it had not been used for probibly 10 years.
the only reason why i am changing all of the seals in mine is because i have taken the joints apart. if a seal is never moved they stay good for years.
i had a early 80s Citroen BX estate a few years back running the old R12 refrigerant. that still had good AC seals on it despite its age!

just updated this again.. added another video.

woodbine · 2020-06-30 21:34:48

Thanks for your reply, John. Sounds like a few reasons to be hopeful. So you think the compressor may still be useable if it hasn't run all that time?

I did actually try pressing the valve with a screwdriver several years ago (top tip - if anyone tries this, make sure you wear eye protection as the refrigerant comes out at pressure and you don't want that in your eyes). Anyway, when I pressed my valve there was nothing. So, I'm supposing moisture could have got in - what would this do and can it be fixed? What other components may need replacing, eg. drier?

Sounds like next thing would be to try getting someone to do the nitrogen pressure test, poss with a leak detector in it. Then see what I'm up against.

Last edited by woodbine (2020-06-30 21:36:12)

JohnDragonMan · 2020-06-30 23:21:29

if you have absolutely nothing in the system its possible it has got a leak, you can get a top up and have dye added to it to see where it is leaking out of.

i would always recommend replacing the filter dryer. however i have a big caution if you do. the short pipe between the AC radiator and the dryer can become corroded and stuck on the filter dryer.. this pipe is pretty hard to find a replacement for (i recommend a place that breaks taxis) however if you go second hand you may find that is also stuck on the filter dryer. i recommend spraying it with loads of WD40 and rocking the 19mm nut back and forth rather than just undoing it by force.

if you vacuum a system out for long enough you can suck all of the stuck moisture from a dryer. i have seen systems that saturated with moisture that when you vacuum it out and leave it over night, the pressure gauge reads slightly less vacuum the next day. not because of a leak, but because the moisture has turned into a vapour and made its own atmosphere inside the system. you can just keep pumping the vacuum down and eventually it will stop loosing vacuum as the moisture content runs out.

if your compressor still turns over by hand it will still be in perfect working condition. remember to turn over the inner part of the pulley.

if you know someone with a vacuum pump, ask them to pump out your system given it has nothing in it. if it holds a vacuum then just top it up with refrigerant.

as i said, an AC system will loose refrigerant due to it not being used. this has been so much of a problem that some cars were made with a system where if you were coasting for a long time (say down a hill) it would kick the
AC compressor on just to lubricate the seals to prevent leaks.

some Eco modders have even made it so the AC compressor comes on with the brake lights to aid in engine breaking. interesting way of looking at it.

woodbine · 2020-07-01 21:10:57

Thanks again John, really appreciated. I'm under the van this weekend so will try the compressor pulley.

How long would I need my a/c system vacuumed for, bearing in mind it's been out of action for years and may or may not have a leak?

Also, I want to start putting penetrating oil on the drier joint. Where would I find the drier on my van?

JohnDragonMan · 2020-07-02 10:24:37

When it comes to vacuuming a system, the longer the better. So basically as long as you are willing.

The location of the filter dryer is just under/in front of the battery tray. One 10mm bolt and nut holds it in to the bracket. Undo that and the filter dryer will slide upwards an out.

2x 10mm nuts hold the bracket on if you want to take it off, clean it up and repaint it.

woodbine · 2020-07-03 18:05:44

My van was in yesterday for a new cam belt, aux belt plus aux belt tensioner and idler at a French car specialist in Bristol (Renatech). I explained the situation to them about a/c and they said more or less the same as you. Shouldn't be too much trouble to get it going again. He suggested filling the system with compressed air. If this holds he can vacuum it, replace what's sensible (definitely drier) then re-gas. Think he said that if he finds a leak he will regas with leak detector.

I was under the van today. I tried spinning the inner part of the compressor's pulley and it spun freely - so poss good news there. Only thing is, are there seals in the comp that may have dried out? The comp looks like a standard Sanden unit (original Fiat part no 9640486480).

May risk letting them have the van for a couple of days to pump up and also try leak detection if needed. Should know what I'm looking at then.

What does the drier do? Will it remove any moisture that's left after vacuuming? Apart from drier, are there any other parts of the a/c system that should be changed after not being used for many years?

Last edited by woodbine (2020-07-03 21:05:04)

JohnDragonMan · 2020-07-03 22:38:39

as it goes the dryer is all I would replace.

The compressor should be fine once it gets it's oil thrown around everywhere and pumped through the system.

compressed air is pretty shun worthy if he is a dedicated HVAC technition but would give the same results I guess. seen horror stories where people have done that on a system which uses a flammable refrigerant. The result has cost people their lives. thankfully vehicles do not use flammable refrigerant so nothing to worry about. unless it's been topped up with butane or propane in the past which is something I have seen done before. [shock]

thankfully it's a pretty small refrigerant circuit so a leak will be easy to spot!

Last edited by JohnDragonMan (2020-07-03 22:39:23)

woodbine · 2020-07-04 21:48:08

Thanks again, John for your continued help. I'll make this my last couple of questions for now.

The person I spoke to about the a/c runs the garage - they specialise in Citroen, Peugeot and Renault. He seemed to be knowlegeable and has the equipment. Would I be better at an a/c specialist?

The a/c system is empty now, but as the van was less than 3 years old when I bought it and came with full main dealer service - I can't see there being anything other than the remains of R134a gas in there. What would you recommend rather than compressed air? Refrigerant and detector?

Last question (honest!) - am I right in thinking there's a cap on the compressor to top up oil? Is this something that should be done if system is to be reused? OK, that was two questions. smile

Thanks again, John - really appreciate the benefit of your knowledge.

Last edited by woodbine (2020-07-05 12:26:08)

JohnDragonMan · 2020-07-04 23:07:06

just to note here I have absolutely no qualifications or "specialities" in HVAC and refrigeration. it is purely a hobby

ok first question..
Yeah the garage will be fine to get your ac system working again. though his method is not correct in terms of professional large scale HVAC industry, it will be perfectly fine to do on a car and system you know the history of like yours.

q2,
yeah I would vacuum down and add a dye and recharge with r134a. The dye will not affect how the system works. always nice to have in. I will be adding a UV dye to mine when I top up with new oil.

q3,
the compressor is designed to be totally sealed. however there is a drain plug on it, though on the one I had it was at the top. because the compressor was installed upside down so it got the correct mounting holes. they can be used any way around so long as they remain horizontal.

depending on your compressor brand and model they will take different types of oil and capacity. mine is a Sanden SD7V16 variable displacement compressor which uses SP-10 or PAG46 oil and takes 135ml. I just bought 250ml from eBay for under £10.

if you really want to change the oil here's what you need to do:
you have to slacken the aux belt then take the compressor off the van which is not so hard. it requires a 16mm spanner/socket for the front bolts and an 8mm Allen key for the rear bolts and to take the hoses off the back of the compressor. The fill/drain plug is 17mm. leave it to drain for a few mins upside down on top of a jam jar or something.
mine had a green coloured oil which was quite manky. looked very water saturated.

you can refil through the drain plug or through the suction line. both lead to the crank case of the compressor.

hope this answers your questions big_smile

(have some pictures to upload but will do that when I am on my computer, still working on my van at 11pm lmao)

the goal moves ever closer...

wink

Last edited by JohnDragonMan (2020-07-05 00:54:43)

woodbine · 2020-07-05 12:37:40

OK, thanks again. While he's got the van in the air might as well get him to change the comp oil. Especially if it looks like yours and is able to absorb water.

Bearing in mind my van's a/c has been out of action for a decade or more and may or may not have a leak that let in moisture (though if there's no pressure I suppose there must be at least a small leak somewhere) - how long should we be looking to vacuum the system for? An hour, several hours, half/whole day? Presumably the garage can just hook the vac up and leave it to draw out the moisture?

It will be a few weeks before I can get the van to the garage to inspect. Will definitely let you know how I get on.

EDIT - I've just had a look at the drier. Presumably the problem nut is A in my photo. I've soaked A and B in WD40. There is another union nut - C that holds pipe C onto the drier under the electrical component (sensor?). Would like to WD40 that too, but unsure how the electrical connector comes off.

Last edited by woodbine (2020-07-05 16:28:52)

JohnDragonMan · 2020-07-05 19:15:42

in your picture "C" is the problem nut. the sensor can be taken out with a 19mm. it will just unscrew. it has a little valve in the thing you unscrew it from so it can be taken off while the system is under pressure (good design if you ask me) that sensor looks pretty bad the way its all bulged like it has. may want to change that too. just bought a new one for mine from this chap on ebay think £16 was a good price!
the connector is the same type that all the old Fiats use. on the underside from the picture theres a metal clip that you have to press in, in the middle. do that and the connector will pull off but remember the clip will spring back in place so press it in and hold it in while pulling it off. use a thin screw driver to press it in the middle.

like i said before theres no limit to how long you can vacuum for, but yes an hour or 2 would be ok. especially if you are changing the oil too as it is quite hygroscopic.
i plan on doing a little experiment with my old compressor oil. i am going to put it in a vacuum chamber and record it for a youtube video to show how a vacuum will remove water from oil. it will froth up pretty bad though ans the moisture is drawn out. nice to visualise what goes on inside a refrigeration system when you vacuum it down.

one thing i always recommend is a little heat on that nut. if you have one of those mini blow torches (i use my gas powered soldering iron) it will help it break any rust and come undone more easy.
if you plan on keeping the van for another 15 years i also recommend a dab of copper slip on the threads of the new filter dryer so it does not happen again.

on your photo the left port is the low pressure/suction line and the right port (above the 4 pin pressure sensor) is the high pressure/discharge line.
all of the work that needs doing can be done through the suction line. however both can be used. though recharging is quite difficult through the high pressure line as you usually use the compressor to help suck in the refrigerant.

hope this helps! big_smile

woodbine · 2020-07-05 22:49:31

Ah - I had my money on nut A being the difficult one. But I can't see C because the sensor is in the way. Will have another go at figuring out that connector. Why is it that many of the connectors have the retaining clips on the underside so you can't see them? Typical difficult French design. The one on the air mass is the same.

Will try a little heat on that nut, but I'm going to have to be careful and line the area with a heat mat and some cement board. I've only got a plumbers gas torch. Will use lowest flame setting. And definitely ask for some Copperslip to be put on drier union threads.

Thanks for all the exhaustive advice. It's great that I have some idea of what I'm talking about when I take it in and some of the sensible things to ask him to do. Really appreciate your patience - will report back when van has been in for the work.

And good luck with your project - will be following it.

Last edited by woodbine (2020-07-05 22:50:24)

JohnDragonMan · 2020-07-05 23:45:42

just take it out.. its got to come out anyway and the pipe should have enough flex to lift up a bit. a single nut and bolt down the side holds it into its retaining bracket. after that it should just slide upwards. loads of room then big_smile

just uploaded two tech pictures of the AC system. one shows the bracket and dryer.

off topic but,
if ever you have to take the battery tray off i recommend cleaning the bolt threads up in the wheel arch. on the van i took this AC off, i snapped both of the bolts just under the smaller fuse box bolted to the wing because they had rusted. didnt matter on that but its something i did on mine before i took the battery tray off.

ive only had my van a few months and i feel i am already becoming a master at how it comes apart and works. well typical to me, i cant have anything new without first having to take it all apart to see how it works. (no need to do that with the engine as i have already taken apart an XUD.. the DW10's are pretty much identical)

another vehicle where i am spending more time under it than in it hahaha. sometimes its the best way.

Last edited by JohnDragonMan (2020-07-06 00:00:14)

woodbine · 2020-07-19 21:51:07

Great advice again, thanks John.

I'm going to be booking my van in this week for the ac and would appreciate you having a look at what I'm going to ask him to do. Please feel free to add anything, or poss change the order I'm asking him to do things in.

1) Pressurise system with compressed air - check for leaks. If no leak found - go straight to list A to D.

2) If leak found, add refrigerant with leak detector, find and fix leak. Then go to list A to D.

A] Vacuum system for min 3 hours.

B] Remove compressor, drain oil and refill with new oil and refit.

C] Renew drier.

d] Refill with refigerant, run ac and test.

As said, feel free to add or change anything on above lists - was wondering if best to vacuum first then drain and refill compressor with oil, or other way round? Is 3 hours about right for vac (bearing in mind system been unused for over decade with poss leak.?

Have been giving the drier union nuts, sensor thread and bracket bolt a good soaking with WD40 every couple of days. Brake fluid will be changed at same time - think it's the original. roll

Last edited by woodbine (2020-07-19 21:54:59)

JohnDragonMan · 2020-07-20 02:35:31

in your list swap A and C around and it will be all good. vaccume always comes before adding refrigerant.

would recommend cracking the pipes on the dryer then more wd40 but you should be fine. like I said, heating it up will help a lot If it's stuck. and tell the guy to rock the nut back and forth to undo it.. not just undo it all in one go.

It's been a week for me and my system still has the same amount of vacuum so I guess I am doing good for gasing up. just want to get this rear axle job out of the way first.

yeah get that brake fluid changed. don't forget to also bleed the clutch through too as it uses the same fluid. just remember to keep the level high when you do it!

woodbine · 2020-07-20 14:36:48

OK, thanks - will swap A and C. Will also see what the drier unions are like to undo. If it's difficult, will let him tackle it as he will have the knowlege and equipment.

Only just realised the clutch was hydraulic because I had never seen a master cylinder for it. Assumed it was cable. Makes sense though that it uses the brake fluid to operate. Did wonder how a cable kept working smoothly all this time though. smile

Good news for your ac. Should be up and running just in time for the August heat. Good luck with the rear axle, if you're doiing the bushes they seem like pigs to get out.

Last edited by woodbine (2020-07-20 14:38:17)

JohnDragonMan · 2020-07-28 19:37:37

Woodbine, yours is the DW10 HDI right?
could you do me the world of favours and tell me what numbers you have on your auxiliary belt? The one thing I have not got for mine yet is a replacement belt. (well I do but it's for vans without aircon, great for a spare though)

it will look something like this..

Thank you big_smile

Last edited by JohnDragonMan (2020-07-28 19:39:56)

woodbine · 2020-07-30 15:45:55

John. Sorry for late reply, only just looked on forum. At the moment my van is at the garage being worked on, so can't see belt. Mine is Scudo 2.0 Jtd, so same as HDi I bought it as a Gates kit. This one from Ebay -

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIAT-SCUDO-2 … 2749.l2649

Gates part no for whole kit is - K056PK1740

Gates part no for belt only is - 6PK1740

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GATES-6PK174 … Sw~-RfIcrZ

Apologies for late reply. While you're here the mechanic says the union bolts to ac drier won't shift even with heat. Says they're at point of breaking if he goes any further. He's now trying to source the two pipes secondhand that join onto drier. If you know of likely source for these - would be really grateful.

Last edited by woodbine (2020-07-30 18:53:54)

JohnDragonMan · 2020-07-31 00:42:24

oh thats a pain. yeah its what i feared. they dont snap off just just turn forever, stripping the threads. though i am not sure what threads they strip. if its the ones in the nut or the ones on the dryer.

the short pipe from dryer to AC radiator condenser can be hard to source. i managed to get a second hand one from a place that scraps taxis. the long pipe from Evaporator/TXV to dryer again i would source from a taxi scrap yard.

you could call up a taxi company that you know uses E7 Eurocab's and ask where they get the bodywork fixed. taxi body shops usually have a load of complete taxis that they hold on to for spares. one out of every 4 taxis i have seen here has air con.

worth a shot.

when i start work on mondy i will drop into the place i got my aircon parts from and see if i can find the 2 pipes for you. they sadly usually cut through the smaller one as its more easy to do that when removing the radiator than to undo the 10mm bolt that holds it to the condenser... which is a pain.
ill see what i can do for you and keep you informed!

thanks for the belt info!!

woodbine · 2020-07-31 12:15:11

Yes, I know - nightmare. Would be grateful if you find any pipes in good condition. Surprisingly it looks like the short bottom pipe is still available new from one or two places - though only supplier I found with stock is in Germany. So I could get that one.

The mechanic who is doing the work tried Citroen, Peugeot and Fiat just in case - but as you know, it's now obsolete. He's got some contacts with breaking these vans he's going to try then get back to me. If no luck for now, I may have to get the van back, try to source new small pipe and good s/h long pipe and go back when I've got everything for him to do work.

When he pressurised the system with compressed air, it did reveal a very small leak. Not put detector in yet, but he's saying most likely place is the condenser - so no big problem.

Reading online it looks like will be wasting time on a system if I don't replace the drier, especially on a system that's been flat for maybe 10 years or more. Looks like I'm committed now, as he's applied heat to the nuts and I suppose the seals inside the nuts are now melted.

Don't suppose it's possible for a specialist to repair the two ends of the pipe with new nuts and flare?

In the meantime, please let me know if you hear anything. Or any other advice about my situation.

Last edited by woodbine (2020-07-31 12:26:41)

JohnDragonMan · 2020-07-31 13:21:01

hmm you could try a power steering specialist. though a lot of the hoses they use are not "refrigerant safe" the metal bit are.

you could always take the pipe to Tidyco. its a company i have used before. usually every big city has one. they are pretty good when it comes to AC supplies. alternatively, i dont think it would be all over that hard to have new hoses made up. the pipe fittings are a standard type used on most vehicles. it is a shame they do not have much slack in the flexible part of the hose, if they did you could just get the ends chopped off and a new one put on.

the issue is finding the person with the right tools and pipes to make the hoses.

woodbine · 2020-08-01 11:55:03

I was almost at the stage of giving up as the mechanic has also drawn a blank at getting new or used hoses. Then I had an explore on Google, which turned up this company -

https://www.bonair.co.uk/hose-and-pipe-repairs

They're in Benfleet, Essex. Phoned a very helpful bloke there called Steve and explained the situation. Appears there's nothing they can't do, and they specialise in ac hose/pipe repair.

He wants me to post the old drier with the two pipes, together with the new drier so he can match the union nuts to it (obviously old nuts will be wrecked). Then he will replace the drier ends of the two pipes, think he's just replacing the aluminium end parts inc the flares on ends and new nuts and also a new gas refilling valve on the end of long pipe. Not sure if he's replacing the rubber section or not - but definitely new ally ends of pipes. Said cost was £100 min, £250 max - so budgeting up to £200 inc the postage - hopefully!!

Lot of money, but new short pipe that I thought was available in Germany is actually out of stock. That short pipe alone was almost £100 inc postage if it was available - so the pipe repair costs aren't too wild with that in mind. So pipe repair is really the last roll of the dice. Mechanic seems to think just new condenser needed (there's a very small leak - think cond. most likely), re-gas inc leak detector then should be ok. He's already vacuumed system and re-newed compressor oil.

Should have a/c just in time for cooler weather. roll Watch this space!

P.S. Hope that company may be of use to you or someone else in the future if desperate for a/c hose repair or even making a complete new one.

EDIT>>>>> A question: what should I get the mechanic to do to stop the problem of union nuts seizing in future? Get him to put smear of copper grease on threads?

Last edited by woodbine (2020-08-01 12:10:01)

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Air Conditioning! retro fitting, questions, and tips

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