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Finally discovered why my old motor got cooked. My Mechanic mentioned that the radiator felt too heavy, when he removed it & sent it off to be flushed & cleaned, & speculated then that it was probably full of rust, which would explain the overheating. Well the word from the radiator guy is that the core was so blocked with rust he couldn't even get his cleaning rods down the channels. So the good news is that I won't be cooking my new motor, at least not from a blocked radiator. The bad news is that the recore is going to cost around $900! Ouch! This was also the day I learned that my AC compressor is also cactus, which is another grand! Double Ouch!! So my instalment bill has just almost doubled, & isn't far off what the car's worth on the open market. But I refuse to look at it that way, preferring to see it as making it into a car I'm happy to own & use as a reliable daily driver. & the longer I own it the more value I get from the money I've spent now. & as these are the kinds of expenses that will eventually lead many old Jags to the breakers yard. The cars that have been maintained, regardless of cost, will one day be rare enough to see their values finally rise. I just hope I live that long.
There are options for a compressor, I put in the Sanden "Style" ($179)one and it works perfect.
I know taking a chance, but at the price you are talking it's worth a shot.
Or a Sanden for $500.
After that it is about $15 for a receiver/drier then a regas. (not sure what that is worth). I would replace the TX valve at the same time(also cheap, but buried deep under the dash)
I went with Hichill Minus 30 over the counter at Bursons and we did it at home. (if you have access to a vac pump & gauges), for under $100 we had enough gas to do 3 cars. Bought more than we needed because we were unsure of the volumes, but we know now that one can will do a car.
As for a radiator and rebuilding an XK engine, the cost is well documented in threads of mine I'm sure you have read.
might as well get the new Harrison A6 from RetroAir. Call Rock Browning to ask about shipping options to Australia, worth a try. Rock is a Jaguar enthusiast and very helpful. He can also make you a better radiator for less.
might as well get the new Harrison A6 from RetroAir. Call Rock Browning to ask about shipping options to Australia, worth a try. Rock is a Jaguar enthusiast and very helpful. He can also make you a better radiator for less.
That identical compressor is available for way less from other vendors. It's the 4 Seasons 58096 eCatalog
you have won the 5 Stars Shoppers Award Of The Day.
It's been so long since I had the original A6 that I don't recall (I had no A/C last year) - and we haven't had a good hot day yet since I installed it, so time will tell!
Thanks everyone for some really great input. Plenty of food for thought here. I've emailed a link to this thread to my Mechanic (he's also a member here), so he can have a think about it too. Thanks again, & I'm hoping that this great knowledge base can make some significant savings for me, yet again!
I assume that is probably $1000 fitted? ramps up quickly of you are using a shop and also depending what other bits needs doing for the total job. Its rarely just the compressor.
As Clarke says a Sanden is about $500, I had mine done a last year pre summer. A great investment in reducing the whine from the passenger seat.
Finally discovered why my old motor got cooked. My Mechanic mentioned that the radiator felt too heavy, when he removed it & sent it off to be flushed & cleaned, & speculated then that it was probably full of rust, which would explain the overheating. Well the word from the radiator guy is that the core was so blocked with rust he couldn't even get his cleaning rods down the channels. So the good news is that I won't be cooking my new motor, at least not from a blocked radiator. The bad news is that the recore is going to cost around $900! Ouch!
I'm SO glad I got Nix's rad rodded when I had the chance! I could see build-up on the edges of the tubes, so off it went for a good cleaning.
... So my instalment bill has just almost doubled, & isn't far off what the car's worth on the open market.
Husband tells me the new heads will Double Nix's "worth!" I think he's dreaming.
But I refuse to look at it that way, preferring to see it as making it into a car I'm happy to own & use as a reliable daily driver. & the longer I own it the more value I get from the money I've spent now. & as these are the kinds of expenses that will eventually lead many old Jags to the breakers yard.
I don't know anyone who would pour into a 30-40 year old car the kind of cash we in this section habitually spend on our cars. On the other hand, I know of people who wouldn't blink at dropping $200 on Lotto tickers, just pretty paper! We probably have more to show for our expenditures, and I *Know* we have a lot more fun doing it!
The cars that have been maintained, regardless of cost, will one day be rare enough to see their values finally rise. I just hope I live that long.
Naa, I fully intend to use her up. When I'm through with her, she'll have had a Very long and useful life, spreading joy and happiness wherever she goes. You can't put a price on that.
(';')
Ok, as the work shop doing the job I feel the need to jump in here. Firstly the estimate of 1k to repair the A/c system is not just a compressor. It's a compressor, receiver dryer, new flex hoses and o'rings replaced flushed vac and regassed. Very easy to point out cheaper compressors but there is always modifications to brackets etc which cost more labour hours....I've done it many times. The radiator is not $900 it's $780 plus a little freight. I research heavily before I spend clients dollars. Old cars are never cheap to repair correctly. If owners wish to do band aid repairs it's totally up to the individual. Old Jaguars are generally never about a economic diction it's emotion driven and that's why we put endless money into these cars to enjoy what they are.....
These cars can be economical to repair yourself, but not all have the ability technically or physicall
Thanks for the input XJC. I didn't mean to infer that you weren't doing your best to keep costs down, while not sacrificing your high standards. I know you are, & I fully appreciate that. I just wanted your opinion on what was being discussed here, & I'm glad to have it. I also have a bad habit of rounding up figures, especially ones that have initially scared me, which the radiator certainly did. I think you mentioned that it would be up near $900, with freight. & I didn't start this thread for cheaper options. I was just updating members on the progress on my car, & the latest probs & expenses. The cheaper options were offered unasked for, as is usual here, & I just wanted your opinion on them. No offence meant.
Ok, as the work shop doing the job I feel the need to jump in here. Firstly the estimate of 1k to repair the A/c system is not just a compressor. It's a compressor, receiver dryer, new flex hoses and o'rings replaced flushed vac and regassed. Very easy to point out cheaper compressors but there is always modifications to brackets etc which cost more labour hours....I've done it many times. The radiator is not $900 it's $780 plus a little freight. I research heavily before I spend clients dollars. Old cars are never cheap to repair correctly. If owners wish to do band aid repairs it's totally up to the individual. Old Jaguars are generally never about a economic diction it's emotion driven and that's why we put endless money into these cars to enjoy what they are.....
These cars can be economical to repair yourself, but not all have the ability technically or physicall
We are just pointing out cheaper options to other members as most of us here do all our own work, and a lot of us have access to the tools needed through the kindness of other local members or friends.
It's not a cheap hobby keeping these cars reliable and on the road but a lot of us do it on a limited budget for the joy of driving them.
I don't think anyone was suggesting a band aid repair, but affordable options that have worked well. If my "Sanden Style" compressor didn't work out I would buy a Sanden and still be ahead of a shop price for having the job done ( I do have access to the equipment required) so makes it worth my while having a go.
No offence intended or implied, you are running a business and supplying a warrantable product to your customers.
As an international forum, it's worth reminding ourselves that what is a good price in one region is inappropriate in another. In a world where S&H used to be a sure fire margin maker for some sellers, the "post free" tag has become a huge market lever. At a time when UK and US purchases often impose delivery costs that are more expensive than the item itself, other sellers (notably throughout all Asia) include the shipping costs in the sale price of the item.
I note that several (if not all) of the huge UK booksellers have followed suit . . . I do fair business with people like Brooklands, Wordery and others for difficult to get books and manuals. In a field of UK supplied Haynes manuals averaging (say) AU$30 "post free", another group from USA averaging (say) US$20 may attract s&h of a further AU$40. I find it bizarre that while companies like Amazon started this trend, much of the western world is still asleep on this issue. Why is this relevant?
Without offense to Jose, advocating a US supplier for something as heavy as an A/C compressor to be shipped to Australia, is right up there with ***** on a bull . . . I figure your US$375 (AU$500) unit costs well beyond $1,000 by the time it gets here. I know that the same is true in reverse. When we sent a hand-knitted woollen jumper to our daughter visiting NA many years ago, we found it would have been far cheaper to have sent half the money and asked her to buy locally.
When a compressor goes south, a fix extends far beyond the FOB cost of a replacement.
Even using the original, subbing in a different one, extends the fitting costs. Lots of variables. I see the point of the pro having to do the "complete" project as he must stand behind it. If a short cut results in a fail, partly ore complete, who gets tagged!!!
One way or another.
My Jaguar's "mix and match" system is on dead line. I did get the condnsor flushed. I did pipe in a new dryer. I did pipe in one new hose. I failed to drain the "new' compressor of oil, failed to flush the remaining line and evaporator, and to adjust or replace the RANCO. Not hard when the bay was bare. More challenging now.
I do have the means to evacuate the system and check for leaks. Some day.....
05-03-2017, 04:06 AM
Well there's ya problem!
