Thread: Photos of Air con install, 200 or 300TDI?

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Fender22

Which wreckers did you get it from ? Looking for aircon for the wifes 300Tdi 90.

Ivan

When I was trying to source one everyone was telling me they're as rare as hens teeth though a 300 would probably be easier to find than a 200. Then you'll struggle finding someone to put in you're "box of bolts and bits and pieces" too unless you can do it yourself. The Defender air cons were put in as an aftermarket thing in Australia and it's nearly impossible to find any literature or info on them. No installers or repairers are interested in anything that's a bit out of the ordinary any more. I was originally looking at getting an after market kit put in and was quite prepared to pay $2500k, which surely there would be some good coin in it for the installer but they ummed and arred over what to use for compressor brackets and it all got too hard.

I think it's called Jag triumph rover spares in SA. Juries still out there too? Apparently they forgot to send a few bits and pieces and I found out they charged my credit card $850 when I was quoted $650. They can't look into it for several weeks either because the guy I dealt with is away etc. I was happy to pay some freight but had they given me the chance I could have freighted the lot up for $50.00 using a work account. I think it's a case of we have it, you want it, here's the price and tough luck if there's any dramas, but hey, that's wreckers eh. It's hard enough finding someone that has parts that you want, you just have to take the chance. All in all though the gear looked pretty good but the installer says they left out a couple of brackets and the main harness and plug. Bloke reckons they squished up some of the tubing also which is going to cost me a bit extra where with a bit of care could have been avoided. Even though it's one that came with an original Defender, it is an add on aftermarket part so that should make it easier to fit than if you had to completely refit a new integrated dash etc. The inside ducting bit and fans etc just screw on under neath the dash, and the pipes go through the firewall to the compressor. Can't see that it would be that much of a drama?


It's like even though you're the customer they're all doing you a favor supplying you a small part of a vehicle for hundreds of dollars that they probable bought for a few hundred bucks or got for nothing. The installer seems to have the same attitude.

I'll just be glad when it's done!

i could be tempted to sell my complete setup.....

and i know of one that might not being going back into a 130....

Are the factory ones they came out with back then any good? That's my fear. I heard even when they were new they were crap and with the new type of gas in it (10% less efficient), would be even worse :-(

Will be gutted if I spend all this dough and it's hopeless. I have a cargo barrier in my 110 so I figure I can cover that in somewhat so it only has to cool the front and rear seating area

when mine is all gassed up and working properly the cooling is really good.
seems difficult to keep the gas in it though but looking to change the compressor due to a cracked mount. might have something to do with it.

Originally Posted by fender22

Are the factory ones they came out with back then any good? That's my fear. I heard even when they were new they were crap and with the new type of gas in it (10% less efficient), would be even worse :-(

Will be gutted if I spend all this dough and it's hopeless. I have a cargo barrier in my 110 so I figure I can cover that in somewhat so it only has to cool the front and rear seating area

restricting the volume that the AC has to cool will go a long way in improving the apparent performance. Defenders have a lot of glass area and little insulation so the smaller the volume you have to cool the better.

Originally Posted by fender22

[snip]


It's like even though you're the customer they're all doing you a favor supplying you a small part of a vehicle for hundreds of dollars that they probable bought for a few hundred bucks or got for nothing. The installer seems to have the same attitude.

I'll just be glad when it's done!

In all honesty I wouldn't want to install it for a paying customer as it would be as fiddly as hell and customers often don't want to pay (or just don't believe) how long it can actually take to do something like this.
Add in fabbing missing bits, replacing dodgy bits (eg suspect looking hoses) and it can be a right royal pain in the arse.

Obviously it can be different after fitting a few, but the first time for something like this can be a long time, and the one doing the fitting may not be able to charge for all the time and aggro involved.

Having said all that, I'm pretty sure I heard at one stage that Peter at Range Spares (Toongabbie ?) had new kits in stock, but that was a few years back.