Parts for older cars
Air conditioning from Hella
Published: 20 May, 2014
Hella has introduced 126 alternative products into its compressor and condenser range. These are offered in parallel to the original spare part and are particularly suited for repairs on older cars where maintenance costs need to take into account the vehicle's value.
- Right oil for the job
Denso's air conditioning range has been boosted by 29 new compressor references this month. The update covers applications for BMW 1, 3, 5, 7 Series and X5, Jeep Cherokee, Mercedes M-Class and S-Class, Toyota Yaris, RAV4, Land Cruiser and more. All of the references are OE quality. The programme now stands at 479 air con parts for 2,650 applications and include reciprocal, rotary and electrical types. All units are new, filled with the correct amount of oil and supplied as complete assemblies. Its thermal systems range also includes receiver driers, pressure switches, expansion valves and evaporators have also been added to the inventory this year. Engine cooling parts include radiators, oil coolers, heater cores, condensers, intercoolers, cooling fans and cabin blower fans. Denso spokesman Martin Pring says it's essential to use the right compressor oil: "Primarily to lubricate moving parts, i.e. the compressor and the expansion valve needle. It also enables heat to escape from the compressor. Insufficient lubrication due to universal oil is the second most frequent reason for DENSO A/C compressor damage and failure."
- Super fresh
Three Sun Koolkare air con units from Snap-on are fully automatic and include Dual Gas, Blizzard and Blizzard HFO/PRO. They have been redesigned to make them simpler to use. A 5"colour display guides users through procedures. Larger 100mm gauges have been added to the Blizzard PRO, with visual indicators and a colour-coded light system to show a unit's status. The Blizzard and PRO model are supplied with a comprehensive vehicle database as standard and technicians can add new vehicles they come across if required. KoolKlean is a purification system on the PRO model which leaves the car smelling fresh after use as it eliminates smells and the bacteria which cause them.
- Low cost repair system
UV dyes are perfect for finding leaks, especially 'invisible' leaks involving air conditioning gas. Ring Automotive has an inspection lamp and a range of UV dyes to detect leaks involving oil and fuel, the coolant and air con system as well as surface water leaks.
- Service the latest systems
The ArcticPro 200yf service unit is designed for servicing the latest vehicles with air con systems using the R1234yf refrigerant and is available from Mahle. A mobile analysis unit identifies the refrigerant used and can be left to run an automated sequence or programmed manually. Standard AC systems are also catered for by the Behr ACxpert 1000a unit for systems using R134a refrigerant. The equipment is backed by a network for maintenance, servicing and technical support.
- Leak testing
Two new Hella Naussbaum automatic aircon machines join the garage equipment arm of Euro Car Parts. The first is the Husky 150 for R134a systems on both cars and HGVs, including hybrids fitted with internal automatic flushing systems. The built-in vehicle database can be updated via a USB port and functions include auto flushing and moisture evacuation. Optional extras available are a 24 column ticket printer, AC performance tester, leak testing and push pull flushing. The second unit is the Husky 300 which includes a leak tester, cooling performance tester, 700cc cooler dryer, temperature probe and a 24 column ticket printer. Upgrades for this machine include a touchscreen PC, a wireless networking capability and wireless thermometer kit.