Air con pipe replacement

[Adman]

Air con has never worked since i had the car. So took it into garage around the corner from work, happened to be Halford Autocentre. They did the job for £50 and I went off with ice cold air con. Few days later - blowing warm again. Took it back and they spotted s leak in one of the hose - £280 to fix. So i phone TPS and the the part is £160 - ouch!

I cant justify that amount plus the regas cost. Are motor factors likely to stock this part,? Is it worth seeing if somewhere can repair it?

Also, can i legally release the remaining gas in the system to replace the pipe?

PN is 8E0 260 701 AR

Cheers

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[Doctle Odd]

Does the £280 include fitting and regassing? You could get a pipe from a breaker but you'd be taking a chance it was good and if not you'd be out the price of the gas. I'd either keep a window open (handy if youre a smoker) or bite the bullet.

[nevo]

I would go back and argue the toss,how on earth did it pass a vac test,a few weeks maybe but a few days! It'll be near as damn it be vented down now so change it yourself,as above go the breakers.

[mjhamilton]

No you cannot 'legally' release the gas but the pipe could break ')

It is possible that the was a fracture which caused a slow leak and after the regas and daily use this fracture turned into a full blown leak, it can happen


You could always ask them if they will take the regas cost off of any further work they do, you never know

And don't use aircon bits from sources unknown, if they have been sitting around in atmosphere for a while internal corrosion will get into the gas and screw up you pump which will be big money to replace

[Adman]

I checked the pressure on the system (by a split in the pipe, honestly officer!) and it is still very pressurised, nearly took my head off! I guess enough pressure has escaped to make the system blow warm. I'm not sure on how the process works with regassing but they said they plug it in to a machine and let it do its thing. I've contacted a few breakers so i think i'll go that route, is £50 for a regas about standard?

[minto031]

I checked the pressure on the system (by a split in the pipe, honestly officer!) and it is still very pressurised, nearly took my head off! I guess enough pressure has escaped to make the system blow warm. I'm not sure on how the process works with regassing but they said they plug it in to a machine and let it do its thing. I've contacted a few breakers so i think i'll go that route, is £50 for a regas about standard?

Air con laws always make me laugh , and i teach air con 'it is illegal to vent f gas' , who the hell is going to know and who police's these things , are the questions i get every day . I know shouldnt say these things but it always puzzles me .