Removing bedroom air con unit to facilitate welding n/s chas

[BongokRRIS]

Failed mot on inner and outer sills. Can anyone answer above or recommend a reasonably priced welder to do job.
Kris H

[wonkanoby]

where are you?

[Northern Bongolow]

if your up north theres a good guy at barnsley, or one at stoke on trent, if your south then allans in plymouth may be worth a call, theres a few bristol (ish) too.

[stuc]

To remove the unit:
Take the vehicle somewhere to evacuate a/c, this should be done by qualified a/c people as it is against the law to knowingly discharge refrigerant into the atmosphere.
On your return drain your cooling system. (when it's cooled down).
Remove rear seats and side trims,
remove carpet, and inside you will find 2 10mm bolts holding the unit in from the top.
Then go underneath and there is 3 10mm bolts holding it in from underneath(oh yes that wasn't gonna fall out)
Remove the 2 cooling pipes, make sure all the coolant goes up your sleeve and soaks you through.
Remove the 2 bolts holding the aircon pipes on to the rear condenser( on replacement a good chance to change the 2 little o rings which go.
Inside disconnect the heater control cables and unplug all connectors.
Remove the plastic heater duct running upwards at the front.
The unit should then lift out.

Refit in reverse, making sure cooling system is bled correctly.

Hope this helps.

[mikeonb4c]

I managed to get welding done around that area without having unit removed. It may just be possible. Whereabouts are you as Adrian at JapanDirect in Bury had his welder to the job (while he stood by with a fire extinguisher).

[stuc]

Not saying it's not possible but be very careful I have seen 2 Bongos damaged by fire due to welding in this area. One was written off as it had a side conversion in, caught fire and the guy cut a hole in the qtr panel to get to the fire, didn't get there in time though.

[cmm303]

To remove the unit:
Take the vehicle somewhere to evacuate a/c, this should be done by qualified a/c people as it is against the law to knowingly discharge refrigerant into the atmosphere.
On your return drain your cooling system. (when it's cooled down).
Remove rear seats and side trims,
remove carpet, and inside you will find 2 10mm bolts holding the unit in from the top.
Then go underneath and there is 3 10mm bolts holding it in from underneath(oh yes that wasn't gonna fall out)
Remove the 2 cooling pipes, make sure all the coolant goes up your sleeve and soaks you through.
Remove the 2 bolts holding the aircon pipes on to the rear condenser( on replacement a good chance to change the 2 little o rings which go.
Inside disconnect the heater control cables and unplug all connectors.
Remove the plastic heater duct running upwards at the front.
The unit should then lift out.

Refit in reverse, making sure cooling system is bled correctly.

Hope this helps.

And if you don't trust your welder/bodyshop to do this then whoever is entrusted with the cooling system will have to reconnect the flow and return, fill and bleed system to get the bongo to the bodyshop and back.

Mike, I had some rusty bits in this area and ADS (Bristol) would not commit to whether it could be fixed without removing the heater until they got into the job. Presumably it is a close call.

[mikeonb4c]

Yes, I left it to Adrian's judgement which I trust, but the default position if in doubt should be to remove it I think. And i'd take the opportunity to replace piping to the rear heater whilst having the work done, with special care being taken over system bleeding as i've always suspected this is an area where airlocks can occur. An alternative might be to remove and blank off the rear heating system, though i like having the independent rear heating system so was reluctant to do that.

[hijimhere]

if your up north theres a good guy at barnsley, or one at stoke on trent, if your south then allans in plymouth may be worth a call, theres a few bristol (ish) too.

I have both sides inners gone so I want inners and outer sills done I am in rugby - Is the Stoke on Trent one still going? What about this side of Bristol?

Any help would be appreciated (is the barnsley one gone altogether?)

Thanks

Jim