V8V compressor tale
Discussion
Mines been dripping for around 5 years so decided to get it fixed. Assumed it was dry seal but no, AML Performance had a look and said it was a crack on the compressor case by the high pressure line. Good spot and great service as usual.
Cost of new compressor? I thought “well my Jag probably uses the same one-ish so £250”? Oh no Aston Tax makes this £650 and AML said that’s only if you can get one. Second hand are still £450 plus and they will be worn. AML has been serving my car since 2013 (when they were Bridgemill), and they know I like to fix my cars myself, so they drained the system and sent me on my way to have a go.
Tried to source a pump and most sites were out of stock so, as I work in the sector and a client of mine is Denso, went to the Telford site where the majority of aircon bits for the UK and EU are made to see if they had any.
So to dispel the rumours: it is an Aston Martin only part; it was sourced when Aston and Jag were under the Ford umbrella so it was on a Jag purchase order; it has both an Aston reference number and for Denso a Jag reference number but it isn’t a Jag part; Denso UK don’t make them anymore as they are low batch numbers and for older cars; Denso China make them when the number needed is high enough for a batch and that won’t be for a few months yet – maybe longer up to a year.
Talked to a Chinese auto client and asked who makes their aircon bits and he slipped me an address of a reproduction parts maker and assured me they were good. My thinking then went: order this and get my old one refurbed and when they Chinese part fails get the old one back on. Cost? £193 and delivered in 2 weeks!
When it arrived it looks a good quality item (on the outside which of course is no real guide as theimprtant bit is internal). It was dimesionally identical to the old one so i thought what the heck and now it’s on with new low and high pressure pipe seals, fully gassed and works perfectly.
I can do a "how to" if anyone wants but the biggest problems were: the brackets bolted to the pump are fiddly to get back on; to get the FEAD belt on slip it off the alternator first then put it back on the compressor and then put it back on the alternator; and the aircon specialist I know (that’s all he does) almost choked when I said the manual says 150cc of PAG46/ED8 oil, he said just drain the old pump and see what comes out and put that plus 50% back in to a max of 40ml, 150cc will blow all the seals. The aircon specialist also recommended draining the new pump to see if it had oil in it (it did and was very clean) and if not put some in and drain that just in case swarf is in there.
Lastly to refurb the old one and weld the crack will cost £250. So all in all I have a fully working Chinese compressor and, very soon, a refurbished spare Denso compressor both for under £450.
I can post a link if anyone else needs a Chinese compressor and I will tell if it goes bang or some such....
Can’t wait for the Aston specialist to say it will fail, it’s rubbish, it will fling bits round the system, there is a special Aston procedure to top up the aircon or some such other twaddle!
Cost of new compressor? I thought “well my Jag probably uses the same one-ish so £250”? Oh no Aston Tax makes this £650 and AML said that’s only if you can get one. Second hand are still £450 plus and they will be worn. AML has been serving my car since 2013 (when they were Bridgemill), and they know I like to fix my cars myself, so they drained the system and sent me on my way to have a go.
Tried to source a pump and most sites were out of stock so, as I work in the sector and a client of mine is Denso, went to the Telford site where the majority of aircon bits for the UK and EU are made to see if they had any.
So to dispel the rumours: it is an Aston Martin only part; it was sourced when Aston and Jag were under the Ford umbrella so it was on a Jag purchase order; it has both an Aston reference number and for Denso a Jag reference number but it isn’t a Jag part; Denso UK don’t make them anymore as they are low batch numbers and for older cars; Denso China make them when the number needed is high enough for a batch and that won’t be for a few months yet – maybe longer up to a year.
Talked to a Chinese auto client and asked who makes their aircon bits and he slipped me an address of a reproduction parts maker and assured me they were good. My thinking then went: order this and get my old one refurbed and when they Chinese part fails get the old one back on. Cost? £193 and delivered in 2 weeks!
When it arrived it looks a good quality item (on the outside which of course is no real guide as theimprtant bit is internal). It was dimesionally identical to the old one so i thought what the heck and now it’s on with new low and high pressure pipe seals, fully gassed and works perfectly.
I can do a "how to" if anyone wants but the biggest problems were: the brackets bolted to the pump are fiddly to get back on; to get the FEAD belt on slip it off the alternator first then put it back on the compressor and then put it back on the alternator; and the aircon specialist I know (that’s all he does) almost choked when I said the manual says 150cc of PAG46/ED8 oil, he said just drain the old pump and see what comes out and put that plus 50% back in to a max of 40ml, 150cc will blow all the seals. The aircon specialist also recommended draining the new pump to see if it had oil in it (it did and was very clean) and if not put some in and drain that just in case swarf is in there.
Lastly to refurb the old one and weld the crack will cost £250. So all in all I have a fully working Chinese compressor and, very soon, a refurbished spare Denso compressor both for under £450.
I can post a link if anyone else needs a Chinese compressor and I will tell if it goes bang or some such....
Can’t wait for the Aston specialist to say it will fail, it’s rubbish, it will fling bits round the system, there is a special Aston procedure to top up the aircon or some such other twaddle!
Edited by Veg on Friday 3rd December 12:22
Edited by Veg on Friday 3rd December 12:22
Edited by Veg on Friday 3rd December 12:24
Great news - a write up will be invaluable in keeping our cars on the road.
Might even get one to put on the shelf.
Is it possible to ask your contact if there’s a rebuild kit available ? The seals etc should be a common item and they’re not rocket science to rebuild (google air con compressor rebuild) and most failures will be seal related rather than cracks.
Another thumbs up for AM Performance from me.
Might even get one to put on the shelf.
Is it possible to ask your contact if there’s a rebuild kit available ? The seals etc should be a common item and they’re not rocket science to rebuild (google air con compressor rebuild) and most failures will be seal related rather than cracks.
Another thumbs up for AM Performance from me.
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