Aircon Incompitence

[Marks DTM Calib]

A local aircon setup has been working on a friends Corsa.

They have changed the condenser as it was 'corroded; and it still has a leak.

He wants to rip the dash out and change the evaporator becuase there is signs of gas leaking where its pipes protrude through the bulk head.

So tonight I had a look and spotted green snot dye around the bulk head near the expansion valve.

So I whipped the expansion valve off (1 bolt missing!) to find 4 O rings, 2 were Ok, one was a standard black rubber seal and the fourth had split, but not to worry as it had been super glued back together!

So its quite clear where the cause of the leak is then!

Now, this has been worked on by two outfits

1) New Crown Nottingham - New expansion valve
2) Complete Auto repair - New Condenser plus they then wanted to change the evaporator!

I dont know who I am more angry with, the dealer for incompitent work on the expansion valve or the so called experts for not finding the blindingly obvious leak!

[Broomies Mate]

I hope I'm wrong in some respects, but the chances are they knew very well where the leak was.

Customer drops the car off to them for the Evaporator to be replaced, they pick it up in say 3 days time thinking it has been replaced because of the hefty bill, when in fact, the company has replaced a couple of 3p 'O' Rings and cashed in nicely.

[PhilRich]

That definately sounds like one for the Local Trading Standards  :-? :-/

[Marks DTM Calib]

I hope I'm wrong in some respects, but the chances are they knew very well where the leak was.

Customer drops the car off to them for the Evaporator to be replaced, they pick it up in say 3 days time thinking it has been replaced because of the hefty bill, when in fact, the company has replaced a couple of 3p 'O' Rings and cashed in nicely.

Condenser has been replaced....its a nice shiney new one

[Broomies Mate]

I hope I'm wrong in some respects, but the chances are they knew very well where the leak was.

Customer drops the car off to them for the Evaporator to be replaced, they pick it up in say 3 days time thinking it has been replaced because of the hefty bill, when in fact, the company has replaced a couple of 3p 'O' Rings and cashed in nicely.

Condenser has been replaced....its a nice shiney new one

Aye, you can see the Condensor, so they have to replace things you can physically see.  It's the stuff hidden away which they can fool you with.

[tunnie]

they do it because most don't people don't argue or question it and pay what they say 

[feeutfo]

Friend should have bothered you first perhaps?

[Marks DTM Calib]

Friend should have bothered you first perhaps?

Quite possibly but, they trust the professionals and hence assumed they would do a good job.

Its when the professionals then tell you 'thanks for the 240 quid, we now want to spend 8 hours ripping your dash out'

And the fact that the other so called experts (on the marque) changed the expansion valve and bodged the seals

[feeutfo]

Friend should have bothered you first perhaps?

Quite possibly but, they trust the professionals and hence assumed they would do a good job.

Its when the professionals then tell you 'thanks for the 240 quid, we now want to spend 8 hours ripping your dash out'

And the fact that the other so called experts (on the marque) changed the expansion valve and bodged the seals

Yes, sharks

[feeutfo]

but generally, i find those smart enough to work out these things and diagnose correctly dont work in the motor trade at all. Leaving a trade full of far too many dim wits trying to wing it or guess.

[david_omega]

i did a reverse fix for someone on here the other week, they had been charged heavily for a re gass, even tho the compressor was seized, there was no leak, but they got charged anyway for the gas,  it came to me without any, we fitted a new / 2nd hand compressor to the 3.2 estate, leak test/ pressure tested, then once satisfied we re gassed it worked a treat.

the reverse fix tho,   the poor guy got a stone thru the condensor a few days later had a big hole in it, so needed one in the end.

agreeably it was older rad, but,   unlike the company mentioned above in the post,  we dont change stuff for the hell of it,  i cant beleive how cheeky / blatantly rip offs some companies are.

makes interestind reading,  superglueing an o ring when most engineers would have an assorted collection to replace from in any case!

[david_omega]

oh yeah i missed my point,   dont pay for the new condensor or the regas, as they have not fixed the leak! ( a legal requirement prior to regassing a car)

[Marks DTM Calib]

i did a reverse fix for someone on here the other week, they had been charged heavily for a re gass, even tho the compressor was seized, there was no leak, but they got charged anyway for the gas,  it came to me without any, we fitted a new / 2nd hand compressor to the 3.2 estate, leak test/ pressure tested, then once satisfied we re gassed it worked a treat.

the reverse fix tho,   the poor guy got a stone thru the condensor a few days later had a big hole in it, so needed one in the end.

agreeably it was older rad, but,   unlike the company mentioned above in the post,  we dont change stuff for the hell of it,  i cant beleive how cheeky / blatantly rip offs some companies are.

makes interestind reading,  superglueing an o ring when most engineers would have an assorted collection to replace from in any case!

Technicians.....no engineers in most trades....just those who lie about their qualifications.