Leaking Condenser Pipe

[TimM]

Hi,

I took my Discovery (1995 300Tdi ES Manual) in to a local Air-con firm today for them to have a look at it, but there is something wrong and I can see it driving me mad over the weekend as I don't know what it is.

The story so far....

They charged it up with inert gas and found a leak, they were going to get me a quote done and leave it with the car for my wife to pick up this afternoon. She has collected it and says that they said they have faxed Land Rover who said you can't get the part now, so they are going to have to make one, and I'm to ring them on Monday.

The invoice for the 'check' only says in the work required box 'Replace leaking condenser pipe and regas'. I can't ring them up now as they are shut for the weekend, I've tried looking under the bonnet but nothing is 'marked', I've looked on my RAVE CD but I can't work out what it might be.

Does anyone know:

a) what the pipe might be that is leaking
b) the part number
c) if it is likely that I can get one from anywhere to save them making it
d) if it is likely to be expensive for them to make one
e) if the 'made' part would be cheap and so not worth the effort of finding.

If it is possible that I might be able to find a genuine part (or a copy) then I would rather know this before agreeing for them to make one.

Can anybody put me out of my misery?

HELP!

Tim.  

[Range Rover Blues]

There are 2 main pipe in an A/C system between the compressor and the condensor, the 'feed' is highly pressurised, as that's how it works.  the return is less pressurised but what you'd call it i can't imagine.  it's probably the feed pipe from the compressor on top of the engine, on the driver's side, into the A/C unit behind the dash.

[TimM]

Ohh dear that sounds expensive then, I was hoping it was one of the ones from the compressor into the 'air con radiator thingy' at the front, the nice simply ones that you can see easily (and replace without having to take half the car to bits).

Now I'm even more depressed, I not only have to wait, but I will probably have to pay a fortune, still at least I will be cool/cold.

Tim.
 :(

[Range Rover Blues]

That's a point there are the shorter pipes between the compressor and the radiator, but the condensor is the cold bit so I think it will be the expensive one that goes inside the car.

[muddysteve]

As the radiator at the front is the "condensor" you should be in luck, the bit inside the car is called the "evaporator" this is where the gas evaporates from a supercooled liquid and takes in heat. hence the cooling effect. The condensor is where the gas is condensed into a liquid again and throws the heat out through the radiator/condensor at the front

Steve

[TimM]

expensive

Please don't use that word, it frightens me  :(bigcry):

I'm hoping to get chance to drag myself away from my desk at lunch and get down to see the man to find out exactly which pipe it is and hope he doesn't tell me it will be too expensive  [-o<

Wish me luck!

Tim.

[TimM]

Right,

I've been to the garage again:

They tried to fax Land-Rover but after Land Rover faxed back as many pictures as they could of vehicles up to 2 years older/newer than mine, nothing looked right - they also said my chassis number was for a 110 Defender!

Luckily the pipe is a relatively short one at the front, the nearest LR item was £90+ VAT and they are going to (try) to make me one for about £50+VAT so I have booked it in for Thursday.

I will keep you all posted (if you care).

I'm a little worried by the fact that Land ROver think my vehicle is a 110 Defender though, the DVLA seem to be OK with it as a Discovery, and I'm sure last time I looked it was a Discovery. Does anyone know what the difference chassis numbers mean? I'm just wondering if I have bought a lemon? Could it be a 110 Chassis?

MORE PROBLEMS.... AAAAAAAGH!!!!!!!


Tim.  :(bloodshot):

[muddyweb]

Tim...

A bit of info about how the VIN works :

http://www.land-rover-parts-shop.com/vin.htm


You can use this tool to check it :

http://www.clifton.nl/index.html?calvin.html


If that doesn't yield any results, PM me your VIN and I'll look it up for you

[TimM]

Thanks Tim,

That has proven everything to be Discovery based and all falls in line with what I thought it was, I will ring the garage and give them a mouth full (politely) as it would seem they were using the wrong numbers.

I've been looking at pictures of Discoverys and 110's all afternoon wondering how I hadn't spotted my error  :lol:

Yours relieved!

Tim.