Aircon pipes; re-condition or buy new?
 

Typically my bugeye aircon has been working fine since it was re-gassed last year (first time at trying to get it to work since being imported, it needed a seal replacing and re-gassing) and it's worked bang on for 12 months only failing in the hottest weather :lol1:

It failed quickly, one drive fine and the next not, looking in the engine bay I could see the rubber and aluminium pipe which goes into the compressor at the top of the engine bay appeared to have leaked a liquid where the rubber joins the aluminium. I enquired and a replacement pipe is £364 + fitting + re-gassing and there aren't any in the country. Before diving straight into that I got the car pressure checked today and it held pressure fine, spent awhile to check all the parts over with soapy water and no issues so had it re-filled with the UV dye. I took a longer drive home (20 miles) to escape the heat and it was working absolutely fine again, however when I opened the bonnet at home to take a look I could see a number of what look like pin hole leaks in the rubber part of the pipe; unless it's a complete red herring and it's just residue soapy water (highly unlikely) it appears the rubber part of the pipe has failed in a few different places. I'm going to check it's definitely leaking (99% sure this pipe is) and get a UV light on it to make sure it's the only place where there's a leak but I'm starting to look at other options.

Has anyone managed to get a pipe re-furbished or find a good alternative to the £364 I've been quoted above such as importing from abroad? This company seem to suggest they can refurbish pipes but I've never done this before to know if it's a good alternative to a brand new part or just a false economy:

https://www.bee-cool-aircon.co.uk/pipe-making-repairs/

Unfortunately ICP don't stock this part. Any other options I haven't thought of? I'd rather not go down the route of an unknown used pipe off a breaker car if I can but I'll keep it as a last resource if absolutely needed.

If it has to be a new pipe from a dealer then so be it but I'd rather not fork out that much for a bit of rubber if I can help it.

Picture of the offending part in question:
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...d3cbb867e.jpeg

Not unusual although they have a tendancy to go at either end and the rubber bulges out.

Your paying for more thana bit of rubber ;)

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...e83b53aac0.png


Part number is 73421FE001
Options but you may need to, if necessary, addon import VAT and processing admin charges.

Japan
https://www.amayama.com/en/part/subaru/73421fe001

US
Lots of dealers on google but need to find one that ships worlwide
One possibility
https://parts.subaruonlineparts.com/...-pd-73421fe001

What about eBay

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/354051871...mis&media=COPY

If you can get the right diameter and grade hose it's possible to crimp them; Needs a hydraulic/high pressure hose specialist with the right crimping tools and ferrules. Usually they're man in a van on-site jobbies (like pirtek) as their main work is repairing crane/JCB hoses on building sites etc.

There are specialists that could probably do it as well, I'm currently look at these guys to upgrade the air con in my Jag as the old Harrison compressor is haemorrhaging oil out of the back of it (with UV dye in...the whole underside of the car now glows under UV light :o ), and I'll be dammed If I'm going fit yet another copy/recon piles of junk back in there when the newer Sandens are far superior.

Maybe worth a try: https://www.fenair.co.uk