Lpgc wrote:
BrianH wrote:
Couple of quid is a vast improvement over the £40 odd they had shot upto. I think the ones i brought were around £20 at the time, but they appear to have become much more scarce to find now.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/R134a-Auto-Quick-Coupler-Bass-Adapters-Low-High-Side-AC-Manifold-New-SU/183151899017?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649That's what I bought. Dunno where I got Singapore from lol, must have seen Singapore on another listing. Would have just bought another charge kit from Halfords rather than pay £40 for the bare port connectors, won't need the HP connector without a proper AC machine anyway.
Thought you meant the splice kit actually - the address on that listing is
BEST ONLINE GOODS PTE LTD
Chris Tan
BLK 10 EUNOS CRESCENT
09-2801
400010 Singapore
Singapore
Despite being listed as located in Manchester, though you should get them quicker than if they were actually coming from Singapore if they are really in Manchester.
Couple of quid is a vast improvement over the £40 odd they had shot upto. I think the ones i brought were around £20 at the time, but they appear to have become much more scarce to find now.
mace wrote:
Sounds like you were asking for the wrong thing :) The one that connects the swivels is a track rod, the one you got was indeed the drag link, from steering box to swivel.
Reminds me of a conversation I had at a garage recently, after I'd replaced my drag link. Guy asked me if I'd had it tracked since doing that, and I replied no, and he was insistent that it needs tracking after that being changed. I gave up trying to explain that it doesn't make an iota of difference to the tracking.
Sadly not - the sticker on the wrong one and the right one I eventually got actually had the same number on it, they found another one of the same part with a different number on it (the one i was given had a date suggesting it had been in the original branch around 6 months, probably as the previous person returned it at a guess and got it mixed up then) But yes I've mixed the names up there!. What i'd ordered was the correct one off the website, just they had mixed them up somehow (as the one shown on the website was without the extra bits of metal to attach the damper to, as well as being shorter obviously!).
Lpgc wrote:
The splice could work, not seen those before. I'll have to see where the leak is first and check diameter, not measured it but seems wider than 3/4"
It was a while ago I brought the one I used, but i seem to remember they came in two basic sizes, each of which was able to join two different sizes (there was a coupler in each kit and 2 sets of fittings/seals to accommodate both types of pipe)
Lpgc wrote:
Thanks Clive and Bri.
In the vids they just keep testing to see if the rods will melt when they touch the aluminium, though I take your point about a thin pipe could be cool at the edges but quickly get too hot and melt where heated. I picture going up and down quite a length of the pipe heating quite an area around the leak while testing with rods to prevent overheating a small area. Yet to see if it'll work lol!
Couldn't slide anything like a pipe over the outer AC pipe because it's in sections with wide fittings at each end, couldn't cut it to slide anything from the cut side because it has the inner pipe. .
Usually less pressure on the low side of an AC pump when running than there is with AC system turned off?
Seems plenty firms will recharge AC but very few will get involved in fixing it. Years ago I had a problem with AC on a Grand Voyager, it failed the vac hold test at Charlie Browns. Staff there pointed me to a guy next door who they said could repair AC systems so I left it with him for the day expecting him to stick fluorescent dye in it and tell me exactly where the leak was. When I returned he hadn't found the leak or put any dye in it, he simply told me there was a leak somewhere on it. Heated argument and I wouldn't pay him... WTF did he think I'd gone to him for when Charlie Browns told me the same very basic info for free. Think he just thought he'd chance having my trousers down, no chance lol. I really have a problem with people who do that sort of thing, there are plenty like it in the field of LPG too.
Sounds very much like my experience of both of them round here - Hence why I tried what I did before resorting to replacing the condenser which would have been the next step (dryer on that is part of the same). The garage I usually use for MOT work will do aircon regas only anyway, so no chance of him doing anything more with it.
The local LPG fitter is/was of a similar manner, on asking about a uklpg register entry he said he'd have to inspect it (OK), rectify anything wrong (OK), Then inspect it again (surely part of the rectify step?) and then it still might fail (WTF?). Though having seen the state of one of his installs one of my neighbours had on a Toyota Hiace Van I can see why someone else might fail his workmanship as it didn't look good (Reducer mounter at 45 degree angle off the right way up along with other things)
Was wondering if you could get away with one of these things - https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/AGS-AKACRK-045C-0-62-0-75-Tube-Air-Conditioner-Repair-Splice-Lok-Kit/PRD1RUMX5XGSQO1 Though thats probably not relevant as i now can't find anyone here selling it at a sensible price (there were around £20 when i brought one, but the only ones now on eBay are in the US.) Would only work if you could take the outer off the inner line, which you can't by the sounds of things (I do wonder why its like that though?)
Also - I'd have a look if I were you what bit of pipe is causing the leak if you can find it, As that may effect how you want to repair it anyway (There are kits to go over a simple pipe called splice-lok - Don't think its suitable in your case due to the inner pipe unless its very close to the end of a piece where you can remove the outer from the inner pipe). Those don't work too well if the pipe isn't straight though.
Lpgc wrote:
BrianH wrote:
You definitely don't want to inhale r134 via a heat source (eg a cigarette) it does something nasty, not sure its just carcinogenic I seem to remember there is other risks. This seems to suggest its poisonous in that state > https://www.hella.com/techworld/uk/Technical/Car-air-conditioning/Car-refrigerant-oil-filling-quantities-2114/#
That's me buggered then lol!
I do have a car here with charged AC system that will be scrapped at some point so could make sense to do as you say with the pipe between cars, I plan on cutting some AC pipe from it to practise brazing with. Still I suppose I'd need to make up the line to connect cars and the AC system on the car to be repaired will be open to the elements when I remove the pipe to fix it. How did you make the line Bri and does it run between low pressure ports or high to low port?
I brought the bits of eBay - Examples below
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/R134a-Auto-Quick-Coupler-Bass-Adapters-Low-High-Side-AC-Manifold-New-SU/183151899017
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/R134a-R22-404-502-Manifold-Gauge-HVAC-AC-Refrigeration-5ft-Test-Charging-Hose/263565622043
I think the hose I got wasn't as long as those 5ft ones, its more like 2ft long the one i was using, hence it made it required the cars being so close (may be easier on yours as the ports maybe more accessible). But that was going from a Focus to a Galaxy, The ports on both of them were hardly ideal for the task but it worked.
If you buy two sets of the connectors you can run from either port to either - i don't know how much of a difference that would make to how much you get (I would assume that given long enough the pressure in both should become equal, so you should get half of the amount you started with less whatever is stuck in the pipes. I did run the compressor on the donor mainly to try and speed it up a bit as both cars had engines that would start (failed clutch on the Focus meant the previous owner of it changed his mind once it was at my workshop about repairing it as it had couple of other faults, and two holes we later discovered in the rear arches that he didn't know about). I'd suspect any combination of high/low linking should work to at least allow some gas to flow across, Though you might not get any oil with it, but for leak testing it was certainly easier than the previous attempts I've had by using the garage to nitrogen test it.
Nowhere round here seems to actually do air con repairs, though plenty of places will recharge it, hence they seem to be constantly out of gas).
Even without the compressor running you will get some transfer, certainly enough to detect a major leak with. But it does rely on having another vehicle that you don't need the AC gas in all the same, so if you haven't got that at present then not an option.
Lpgc wrote:
Different connections, also I think R134 has a higher working pressure than propane or R12 systems so an R134 system might not work on propane even if the seals don't fail?
Seals failing are reason I now won't pressure test with LPG... I'm surprised I was lax on that, thanks!
Still the hypothetical scenario where someone turns up at an AC shop with a none working R132 system full of LPG... Must have happened to someone, I was considering taking the AC fill pipe off the Halfords kit and connecting to an LPG source to pressure test, others will have read a bit on the net about some AC systems using propane and thought of chancing filling their system from a Calor bottle (maybe not to leak test but to recharge). What happens regards the AC machine and if the machine is broken what are the AC mans options (machine warranty, recourse on vehicle owner, etc)? I know machines recycle the gas and oil that they extract, does this mean they pump it into someone else's car or store it to send off for recycling?
Besides flammable, aren't some AC gases carcinogens if they come into contact with a flame or UV?
Your reply appeared after i began replying above!
You definitely don't want to inhale r134 via a heat source (eg a cigarette) it does something nasty, not sure its just carcinogenic I seem to remember there is other risks. This seems to suggest its poisonous in that state > https://www.hella.com/techworld/uk/Technical/Car-air-conditioning/Car-refrigerant-oil-filling-quantities-2114/#
They recycle the gas, not the oil (thats collected on the ones I've seen, but not reused). They have to deal with moisture so must have a way to remove the unwanted material from it, not seen inside a machine to tell, but there must be a waste container of some sort there.
What i've done before (after speaking to someone else about it) is to connect the system from a working car to your non working one, i used high pressure (Donor) to low pressure (receiving) car, just with a suitable pair of connectors and hose brought off eBay.
That was enough to put approx 1/2 of the required charge into the empty car (having repaired a known common leak problem) and was enough to make the a/c work (was mostly wanting to check if it started to leak out anywhere as it was non working when i brought it, and on connecting the valve it was clear the system was completely empty as well as a tiny puff came out and nothing more).
I had it recharged and that managed to remove 310g of the 750g required charge, so you don't need a lot really (I've had it recharged since then, so know how much went across). The donor car was on its way to being scrapped anyway, so it just saved having to deal with most of the gas out of it at the same time. Only thing i'd recommend is to get longer hoses than I did if you can, as i had to have both of them almost touching to connect up. It may also help to run the compressor on the donor vehicle (it seemed to in my case) to get as much as possible out. The bonus being that as long as you've taken it from a clean system then the gas is the right stuff. I did also use the connector to put a bit of PAG oil into it at the same time (before the gas obviously!) as i wasn't totally sure what would go across.
I'd only want to do that on a working donor system though, as you don't know what else might be in there if its not working (bits of failed compressor etc)
Redraptor141 wrote:
Can I run my filler to tank line with the poly pipe and faro fittings? I’ve got enough and I’m really not happy with the way the copper pipe turned out as I had to bend it by hand. Can’t see anything in the Code11 to say no, but again it doesn’t say you can either!
Why doesn’t the P38 need the RPM sense wire? Not complaining with less wiring to do, just curious.
Regards everyone.......... time for a Beer!
When I did connect the rpm wire on mine (Thor Disco), and had rpm detection switched on it would switch back on the overrun to petrol. Simon when checking it over sorted that by changing the RPM detection method, the upshot of which was the rpm wire was made redundant (senses off injector timing instead i think was what he said).
The 8mm faro is fine for the filler (mine is using that) though i do find its a bit slow to fill up, JIC filler hose thats on the other car fills a bit quicker (or it seems like that, although the tank on that is less than half the one on the disco is, pumping over 100l seems to take forever)
I've known a loose stone inside the exhaust to generate that sort of sound (hazard of working off axle stands with someone helping who wasn't much help, managed to get it caught inside somehow, didn't notice till later, assumed it was a loose bit of metal inside the box, went to remove it and as it was upended after getting it out the stone fell out!. Noise then gone on putting it back on.)
Redraptor141 wrote:
I wasn’t sure about painting it, but then the guys had some left over ceramic paint that I couldn’t turn down, and it’s black so it just makes it look like a more modern plastic one. Didn’t really do it for the insulation properties as the rest of the tract won’t be done.
I used a 90 degree drill and put the injectors in under the banas at the Joining point of the upper and lower manifold leaving 10mm land to retain some strength.
I was going to put them in the lower manifold but TT said if I can’t mount the injectors close there is not any difference between having the LPG hoses longer or intake tract longer if that makes sense?
Plus they said with this way means you can remove the upper inlet as normal and leave the entire LPG system intake and sealed if maintenance is due. With no need to disturb any components in the LPG system
What they say is true yes, but you can get the hoses down to less than 20cm by drilling though the manifold, plus the piping in the upper manifold isn't as simple as you think as some of the cylinders cross over, so you need to take a good look and work out what injector cut goes to each cylinder and match that on your wiring (not major, but could be a headache).
Closer they can be the better though, and the inlet manifold does have quite a length to it.
Aragorn wrote:
yeh its odd, i've bought numerous lemforder bits for my Audi and BMW, and they always come in a Lemforder box with all associated fasteners.
Whereas the various lemforder bits i've ordered for the Rangey (track rods and balljoints) have come unboxed with no nuts or anything.
Yes - exactly the same thing i found with the drag link (after going to 3 different branches of ECP trying to get hold of one, Went to the first to collect the 1 shown in stock - they couldn't find it, only to come back from the second with the wrong one of the two bars (the front one from the steering box to the wheel rather than the one that links the two wheels and only discovering when it was too short that it wasn't the right bit!) that the Lemforder ones come without nuts for them as well. Less of a problem with those as you have more chance of reusing the originals or replacing them, But given the britpart ones Do come with them you'd expect the branded parts to at least try to do the same!
Aragorn wrote:
mine was on 178k.
Boots were all split and the innards of the joints were rusty.
Given the absolute pig of a job they are to change, i would only be fitting lemforder or genuine. Lemforder manufactured the joints for landrover, so they're the only aftermarket manufacturer i'd trust.
I'd agree with you there, though quality parts should come with the matching nuts in the box all the same which is the only thing i had against the Lemforder ones.
TallPaul wrote:
So by Nanocom you mean this one? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nanocom-Evolution-Range-Rover-P38-EDC-Diagnostics-NCOM06/331158329505
Posts crossed!
I'd suggest you goto them direct - That one is £50 cheaper (Same company selling it, just without having to allow for the 10% to eBay)
Main Website > https://www.nanocom-diagnostics.com/
Shop direct link > https://www.nanocom-diagnostics.com/shop/browse
The one you selected is the Diesel one BTW - you need to select the correct one for what you have got, you can add extra capability to an existing unit at a later date, Much more info on their website.
I've not used the iCarsoft for Land Rover, but have used it for Renault and frankly it is fine if you want to display information, but useless beyond that (TPMS sensors being one example - you can display whats programmed, but not program any new ones, If you look at the controls on the keypad you realise there is only 6 buttons there, which severely limits what you can do, The hardware is the exact same one as the Renault etc and looks identical to the Launch Creader as well).
The Nanocom on the other hand is a touchscreen based solution, and worth it for the first time you get stuck with needing to enter the EKA when its locked out and the doorlock doesn't work alone (which I seriously doubt the iCarsoft could do). Plus if something is found not to work there are software updates for the Nanocom to address any issues. When i looked at the other options they were either VIN locked, or the Lynx, and I wanted nowhere near the Lynx due to it being Britpart mainly.
no10chris wrote:
Lmao, at raves, only good for 3 changes, 99% of p38s on the road are still running with the originals 20 yrs down the line
Did seem a bit overkill to me when I read it! Out of interest what sort of mileage would you expect to get out of a set of balljoints?
Hopefully this works
On the swivel joints - Be aware that the Lemforder ones do not come with the nuts. Advice on here (from Chris I think which helped greatly) was to use the Bearmach ones as these do come with the nuts. Collets didn't move on mine either (Disco 2, but its the same part either way) despite having to fight to get them off.
The joint assembly is only good for 3 balljoint replacements according to Rave.