T25 Aircon Woe and Workshop manual

[sproutdreamer]

I seem to have fluid leaking from a metal pipe at the nearside front. It goes to a sensor switch and junction that has an H pressure release cap or topping up point (?) and then enter the front radiator low down. I assume it is an aircon fluid pipe (as it enters the back of the dashboard and auto trans pipe would not do that?) that has a crack. I do not have a workshop manual. Does anyone how an internet link for a workshop manual that does not have lots of adware, viruses and browser hijacker add ons. I know this has been here before but the old links do not work.

Also any wise words in resolving this problem. I assume that this does not affect the running of the car but would it damage the aircon pump or other components running it out of fluid?

thanks

keith

This bit of pipe has an expensive look about it. It goes from the bulkhead to the metal block with the pressure/flow/temp sensor and the grey cap with H on it at the radiator top and then down to a banjo fitting to enter the lower part of radiator-all one piece. It looks like aluminium pipe so I assume that copper would not be compatible to just insert a section of pipe, as that would be a cheap simple fix, apart from topping up the aircon?

[alan333]

It won't do any harm having no gas in the air con, but prolonged lack of use can cause the seals to dry out, thus it eventually leaks gas.

A few years ago we had a Vectra air con system repaired by a local guy, who used hydraulic hose to join between damaged pipes - maybe worth a try.

[sproutdreamer]

Thanks Alan 333. I was wondering about just putting a bit of copper pipe in there with a straight connector total cost about £8. Concern would be the 500 PSI with standard copper pipe. I suppose steel brake pipe would be ideal if I can get that size. A bit fiddly to arrange a flexible hose and the tight bend in that location. Perhaps just need to fit a complete new pipe cost about £100 plus re-gassing. There are lots of things I would rather spend money on! One question is that if I replace the whole aircon line are the fittings at the evaporator and the bulkhead easy to get off. The evaporator looks to be a banjor type bolt and should be straight forward but the bulkhead looks to be some sort of plastic clip holding an o ring seal together? Any ideas on this fitting?

[sproutdreamer]

Job done. I cut out the 6" of pipe that had the leak and mended it with Light Duty Hydraulic couplings and copper brake hose (thick walled and bends well, good for 1500psi and aircon only needs about 500). Total cost about £12 and about 2 hrs to effect the repair. The garage that did the gas recharge said that is what he does to repair aircons.

I was surprised that the system was still pressurized even though there was a leak but the high pressure test point was ideal to release pressure and fluid from the system.

If I had gone down the full pipe replacement route (£100) I think I would have had to remove the evaporator plate and the radiator to get the pipe to the front off the evaporator plate apart from the possibility of kinking the thin wall alloy pipe. It is appalling that this is all one long length without the facility to replace just one section.

Chatting to the garage man he noted hat my Avensis is just pre EPB and I told him that was a deliberate choice. He tells me that EPB,s are one of his biggest sources of income and he would never have EPB on a car but Toyota EPBs are better than most!