nick205
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| posted on 14/7/10 at 01:29 PM |
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Tin top air con condeser replacement...?
Seat Alhambra 2001
How big of a job/how difficult is it to replace the air con condenser on the above...?
Garage quoting £490 + VAT to replace and re-gas (after regassing for £50 but failing to detect the leak!)
Condenser is readily available from GSF or Euro Car Parts for ~ £110 inc. VAT.
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MikeR
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| posted on 14/7/10 at 01:35 PM |
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from experience - buy from GSF, not ECP.
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nick205
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| posted on 14/7/10 at 01:38 PM |
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Mine too 
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BenB
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| posted on 14/7/10 at 01:53 PM |
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Only issue is if you just unplug the old one you'll inevitably leak coolant out into the atmosphere which is punishable by crazily high fines
and (probably) public flogging.
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jossey
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| posted on 14/7/10 at 02:12 PM |
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i prefer ECP's to be honest. GSF seem to be expensive at the moment. especially for BMW stuff.
ive never had issues taking stuff back so im happy.
dave
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jonesier1
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| posted on 14/7/10 at 02:17 PM |
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from memory if they are the same as galaxy,its headlight bumper off and front panel moved foward,although you can cheat and cut some plastic from the
inner front panel to get it out but bumper and lights still need to be removed.
Anybody working on an aircon system now has to be certificated and a 5k fine is possible if caught.
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nick205
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| posted on 14/7/10 at 02:19 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by BenB
Only issue is if you just unplug the old one you'll inevitably leak coolant out into the atmosphere which is punishable by crazily high fines
and (probably) public flogging.
Very true, but having had the system leak tested and regassed only to find there was in fact a leak, 99% of the gas has already leaked out into the
atmosphere. I'm really not worried over losing the last 1% when replacing the condenser unit
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nick205
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| posted on 14/7/10 at 02:32 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by jonesier1
from memory if they are the same as galaxy,its headlight bumper off and front panel moved foward,although you can cheat and cut some plastic from the
inner front panel to get it out but bumper and lights still need to be removed.
Anybody working on an aircon system now has to be certificated and a 5k fine is possible if caught.
I thought that would be the case re: bumber and front panel - too time consuming for me to take on myself right now.
I didn't know you had to be certified so that's worth being aware of.
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prawnabie
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| posted on 14/7/10 at 02:45 PM |
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I would replace the receiver/drier if the sstem has been exposed to atmosphere for any length of time too.
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ShaunB
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| posted on 14/7/10 at 02:46 PM |
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I can't comment on a Seat Alhambra, but there's nothing overly difficult in replacing an air-con condensor - it's just a radiator
with screw on connections. If it's leaking such that the aircon doesn't work anymore there's unlikely to be much pressure left in
the system.
The issue will be what you have to remove to get access to it. I replaced the one on my wife's Impreza last year, had to move the PAS cooler
out of way, drain the coolant and remove that radiator before I could even see the condensor. 5 mins later and the new one was fitted.
Shaun.
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nick205
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| posted on 14/7/10 at 02:57 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by prawnabie
I would replace the receiver/drier if the sstem has been exposed to atmosphere for any length of time too.
Reading up on it the drier si an integral part of the condenser unit so gets replaced by default.
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nick205
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| posted on 14/7/10 at 02:58 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by ShaunB
I can't comment on a Seat Alhambra, but there's nothing overly difficult in replacing an air-con condensor - it's just a radiator
with screw on connections. If it's leaking such that the aircon doesn't work anymore there's unlikely to be much pressure left in
the system.
The issue will be what you have to remove to get access to it. I replaced the one on my wife's Impreza last year, had to move the PAS cooler
out of way, drain the coolant and remove that radiator before I could even see the condensor. 5 mins later and the new one was fitted.
Shaun.
That's my problem, we're off to France in it for 2 weeks on Sunday and I don't have the time to spend pulling the car apart to get
to it 
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l0rd
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| posted on 14/7/10 at 05:23 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by nick205
quote:
Originally posted by ShaunB
I can't comment on a Seat Alhambra, but there's nothing overly difficult in replacing an air-con condensor - it's just a radiator
with screw on connections. If it's leaking such that the aircon doesn't work anymore there's unlikely to be much pressure left in
the system.
The issue will be what you have to remove to get access to it. I replaced the one on my wife's Impreza last year, had to move the PAS cooler
out of way, drain the coolant and remove that radiator before I could even see the condensor. 5 mins later and the new one was fitted.
Shaun.
That's my problem, we're off to France in it for 2 weeks on Sunday and I don't have the time to spend pulling the car apart to get
to it
Do the windows work?
No need for AC. 
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adithorp
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| posted on 14/7/10 at 08:03 PM |
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Don't be surprised by high prices for re-gassing the system. The new reg's mean everyone working on them has to go on new courses at
around £300 each and the gas has tripled in price over just a few weeks.
adrian
"A witty saying proves nothing" Voltaire
http://jpsc.org.uk/forum/
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Mark Allanson
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| posted on 14/7/10 at 09:28 PM |
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Take it to a bodyshop, they will have far more experience in front ends and the labour rate will be MUCH cheaper
If you can keep you head, whilst all others around you are losing theirs, you are not fully aware of the situation
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nick205
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| posted on 14/7/10 at 09:34 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Mark Allanson
Take it to a bodyshop, they will have far more experience in front ends and the labour rate will be MUCH cheaper
Good tip Mark.
I've actually sourced the part from GSF Car Parts for £130 and just have 2.5hrs labour @ £55/hr to cover. The re-gas is free as they missed the
leak first time around.
Not so bad, but eats into the holiday vino fund a little hard
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