Member Since: 24 Apr 2014
Location: Essex
Posts: 63
Having a shocker! Torx bolt snapped on right side with first attempted turn, then bolt under headlight clips the retaining ring bolt holds into is just spinning and finally left side Torx bolt under head light clip is solid and rounded out! Any advise...
Only got basic set of tools so guess is off to garage???
3rd Sep 2016 9:16 am
anjo14
Member Since: 27 Apr 2012
Location: Lanarkshire
Posts: 562
I replaced the condensor without unbolting the slam panel as a few of the torx bolts were seized solid. It did take a bit longer and with the aid of SWMBO i managed to get the old condensor out and the new one in place. i still had to remove the top radiator mounts and plastic panels under the slam panel. Just wedged the radiator towards the engine slightly and carefully to get the job done.D3 TDV6 S MY2005
5th Sep 2016 7:53 pm
Bobbybulls
Member Since: 24 Apr 2014
Location: Essex
Posts: 63
nice one. will take another look this weekend.
6th Sep 2016 7:34 am
jimbo1981
Member Since: 25 Oct 2013
Location: Harare
Posts: 110
anjo14 wrote:
I replaced the condensor without unbolting the slam panel as a few of the torx bolts were seized solid.
Anjo, would you recommend that others do it this way or is it a bit hazardous for nearby components/pipes/clips? My torx are really tough to get to and 1 already rounded.
Anyone tried a pneumatic impact wrench on these?2005 Discovery 3 2.7 TDV6 HSE (Auto)
Last edited by jimbo1981 on 4th Dec 2016 6:28 am. Edited 1 time in total
28th Nov 2016 8:48 pm
jimbo1981
Member Since: 25 Oct 2013
Location: Harare
Posts: 110
Eish, just tried the removal of condenser without moving the slam panel. It's extremely tight even when wedging the radiator back, damaging fins on old condenser as I remove it and feel like I could bend or snap a radiator mount at any second. Gonna persevere with slam panel instead.2005 Discovery 3 2.7 TDV6 HSE (Auto)
4th Dec 2016 6:27 am
ianb4310
Member Since: 22 Feb 2015
Location: Gainsborough
Posts: 513
Roughly how long from start to finish should it take including refitting a new one ?D4 rear lights
Beanie grill
Dynachip remap
4x4 info
HSE Wheels
20th Jan 2017 4:45 pm
jimbo1981
Member Since: 25 Oct 2013
Location: Harare
Posts: 110
If you ignore the slam panel completely and just set to wedging the radiator out the way to slide the condenser out, it still takes around 2 hours due to the fiddliness off the job (and taking a lot of care to ensure you dont damage the new condenser's fins on the way in) - definitely a two person job though I would say.
I didnt have much of a choice, broke two torx bits on the last slam panel bolt using a pneumatic impact wrench (working each bolt back and forth with WD40)2005 Discovery 3 2.7 TDV6 HSE (Auto)
23rd Jan 2017 6:42 am
kayble
Member Since: 01 Aug 2015
Location: Lincolnshire
Posts: 147
Hello,
Just done this job on my '05 TDV6 car. Original condenser was falling apart - the last finned section at the bottom of the core had in fact completley come away from the rest of the unit!
I have previously changed the radiator in my car, and a shortcut I took on that job likely made changing the condenser much easier. In short, I did not re-install the right side (when viewed from front of car) radiator mount bolt. The reason is that the left side bolt can be accessed with a number of ratchet extensions from above, but the right side cannot. Since the radiator itself sits on stub mounts that protrude from the chassis legs, I judged that the radiator wouldn't be going anywhere if situated on those mounts and secured with only the left side bolt.
It meant I could undo the left bolt and bring the rad off it's mount and manouver it backward toward the engine block (having also removed the top mounting pegs) - disconnecting the upper rad hose helped here (some coolant loss expected). Doing so gave me enough access to remove the condenser from above, with no need to adjust the front panel outward, basically it looked like this:
Click image to enlarge
old condenser and new:
Click image to enlarge
If anyone needs the part numbers for the o-rings for the aircon lines that connect to the condenser:
JUU500010 and JUU500020 - each a different size and £3.98 each from LR - 1 of each needed!
Also, ATS Euromaster are doing 40% off aircon recharges until end of may '17 - normal price £47.90 so discounted price is just shy of £29.
They gassed mine, and said they'd be happy enough for me to bring another car in to degas - then get a new compressor on it, and bring it back for re-gassing, and charge as one job.
EDITED: typos
Admin note: this post has had its images recovered from a money grabbing photo hosting site and reinstated
15th Apr 2017 12:33 pm
JulianT
Member Since: 24 Jul 2016
Location: DUNEDIN.
Posts: 6
Thank you for the guide.
I did mine in two half day sessions by my self.
Had leaks in the old condenser, so assumed that there would be no gas left as there was no cold air.
How wrong was I when I stuck the condenser with a screw driver......
Bang hisssssssssssssssx
My advise, don't do anything that you think might be stupid.
And do go and degas the aircon system.
I am sure it will be easier next time.
26th Apr 2017 11:24 am
mek
Member Since: 18 Mar 2015
Location: Zurich
Posts: 469
I did this at the weekend. I followed kayble's approach and details from Disco Mikey's guide. Beginning to end this took me 6 hours start to finish with no broken bolts or consenser damage. Before beginning this work I paid CHF30 to drain the aircon, which is probably the value of the gas reclaimed....
What did I do?
1. Remove front arches and bumper. 30 minutes work. A snake tongue shape trim removal tool easily removes the troublesome plastic rive-like fixings in the arches.
2. Remove grill and headlights
3. Remove under-tray in order to catch coolant later. I did this as a courtesy because I was in a self-service garage (my neighbors hate me)
4. Remove radiator mounting bolts
5. Remove airbox pipes, radiator breather hose and disconnect top radiator hose. Plastic storage boxes under car catch 90% coolant.
6. Disconnect all bits of plastic fixing including pipe mounts behind radiator to give it some movement in anticipation of pushing the radiator back
7. Crow bar each radiator mount off the studs so it is behind stud. I did LHS as I look at front of car then RHS. If you struggle with this there is some pipe mount or whatever behind radiator preventing you from pushing it back and you need to remove a screw
8. Disconnect all aicon parts/ PS cooler in-line with Disco Mikey's guide
9. Tie RHS of radiator back against a bracket beneath the engine cover so you can maneuver condenser out and then in without damage. I user a bowline know on the engine bracket and a round turn and 2 half hiches on the radiator bracket.
10. Put everything back and hope it all works when refilled.
11. Carry out coolant bleed procedure. So far as I could tell, doing it on a best efforst basis with the car on tick over and then again 10 minutes later when hot (it was a hot day too) and stat was open using the bleed screen under the engine cover did the trick.
I have not yet had the system refilled. However I am pretty sure I saw the source of leak around the screw at the base of the attached dryer unit.
I do have a concern however and I wonder if anyone else has encountered this. I bought the condenser from AF. it's clearly aftermarket but the aircon connecting pipes came off the condenser at a 45 degree degree angle and not the required 90 degrees. Imagine my delight as with car in a state of disassembly I bend an aftermarket aluminium pipe join to 90 degrees just to make it fit in the car for which it is intended. I hope it is not fractured through. I'm probably going to seek out an auto aircon specialist now for the refill in case that area needs to be braised. Also, No seals are included in the AF unit. NO SEALS! I fortunately has some and pliable new o-rings that were a close match to the hardened decade-old originals I removed. I'd advise anyone doing this to order new o-rings. The official part numbers are given above in kayble's post.
5th Jun 2017 11:54 am
john ryan
Member Since: 05 Apr 2006
Location: leamington spa
Posts: 121
Just done this using Mikey's method, but without the benefit of pictures, on my 05. To clarify whilst the pictures are missing, there are 5 T40 bolts to remove on either side of the front panel, but otherwise it went smoothly, and done in 2.5 hours. I used an Advanced Factors unit, which was pressurised on arrival, so I know it is sound - but a pity new o rings not provided with it. I also had to open the bend of the thicker pipe slightly so that it would sit against the side of the radiator header tank in the right position.Now back to Quikfit for another recharge. Money back on the first, which had the merit if revealing the leak at the bottom left corner.
22nd Jul 2017 11:55 am
paulb_d3
Member Since: 02 Apr 2018
Location: leigh, lancs
Posts: 24
Bit of a resurrection but just to say thanks to disco mikey all in 2hrs job done and back together nice and cold now.
24th Jun 2018 10:28 am
aman
Member Since: 09 Feb 2014
Location: London
Posts: 285
Hello Guys. Would really appreciate some advice:
I recently had my air con re gassed by Quick Pit on 7th July 2018 because all of the gas had leaked out.
They apparently did a vacuum leak test before filling the system with 550g of gas, and apparently their machine didn't detect a leak.
Straight after the regas on 7th July 2018 (same day), when I put the aircon on, I can smell aircon gas through the vents inside the car.
(This happened last time I regassed the aircon last year in 2017, but I thought I would give it another chance. In 2017 the aircon regas only lasted about 2 weeks.)
So I'm pretty sure there is a leak somewhere.
Is this likely to be a leak from the condenser?
Last edited by aman on 8th Jul 2018 8:07 am. Edited 3 times in total
8th Jul 2018 2:05 am
Pete K
Member Since: 15 Jan 2016
Location: GL
Posts: 10674
Wouldn't be Condensor.
One by vents is called evaporator. Iirc
I suspect you are smelling something else.
Usually the gas leaks out before you know it.
8th Jul 2018 6:37 am
aman
Member Since: 09 Feb 2014
Location: London
Posts: 285
Thanks for your advice.
Well the smell can only be the aircon gas or oil I think because it started straight after the aircon was regassed... I will check out the evaporator.... is it easy to replace?
Cheers
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all in 2hrs job done and back together nice and cold now. 
