Fiat parts, at least Dick Turpin had the decency to wear a mask..... (1 Viewer)

[Feltwell]

Found out this week, in the heat of course, that the cab aircon wasn't working. I had it regassed a couple of months ago with a UV dye mixed in - looked round under the bonnet in the dark with a UV torch and bingo, the pressure switch lit up in glorious yellow neon. A seal must have failed inside it, it was clearly leaking. I want a new one in a hurry, going away at the weekend.

Fiat - after ringing round a few unhelpful dealerships and finally being told I have to go to a Fiat Professional Dealership (despite the fact the van is on a bog standard Ducato Maxi chassis), £129 and "about a week" for delivery - and I reckon that £129 is probably ex VAT. That's just for the switch, no fitting.

Took the old switch off (took at least a minute), it's a Magneti Marelli item that doesn't seem to be available online. Find out I can get a Denso unit - so a reasonable brand, should be as good as the original - for £23.10 inc VAT and next day delivery.

I know it's not just Fiat, but it does make me wonder how the hell the manufacturers justify their parts prices sometimes.

 

[MikeD]

Shiny packaging I imagine

Bit I agree - how do they justify it?

 

[Flamenca]

Shiny packaging I imagine

Bit I agree - how do they justify it?

Too many people in the supply chain making huge profits?

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[SandraL]

Mines leaking on same pressure switch, any chance of part number/ source please. Currently have plastered switch in araldite on basis its only cost me some time, waiting to see if its stll leaking. Thanks. Ps ours is a 3 wire plug version.

 

[TheBig1]

my ex BIL is a MULTI millionaire. before early retirement he was the financial director of a multinational car component manufacturer. EVERY car manufacturer buys components from a small handful of parts companies and has their part number printed on the part at manufacture. and its all down to cost and secondary fails per million units. they cost pence to manufacture in most cases and by the time they reach the retail market and everyone in the chain has made a good profit its ridiculous

he used to fly round the world with his staff negotiating deals for millions of units at a time.

 

[Feltwell]

Mines leaking on same pressure switch, any chance of part number/ source please. Currently have plastered switch in araldite on basis its only cost me some time, waiting to see if its stll leaking. Thanks. Ps ours is a 3 wire plug version.

Mine isn't the same as yours - mine is a 5 pin plug. If you search on Ebay for Ducato Pressure Switch Air Conditioning, there were quite a few 3 pin ones shown.

I got mine from Ebay, "The Green Spark Plug Company", they have a website but oddly the pressure switches aren't on there!

Denso have a "search by reg number" facility on their website:-
http://www.denso-am.co.uk/e-catalogue/

The Denso catalogue with picture guide is here - go to around page 515:-


If yours is a 3 pin then you don't want DPS09003 - that's the one I've got.

Goods news is they couldn't be easier to change, just unscrew them off, they sit on a Schrader valve so no gas will escape.

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[BobtheBass]

Many, many years ago I needed a part for a Volvo Penta outdrive on my boat. A single stainless nut and bolt of an odd size. I was quoted £40+vat by the local VP dealer (this was in the '80s). When I asked how they could justify the ludicrous price matey on the parts desk looked me in the eye and said "we've got them and you need them". Sad to say this attitude prevails nowadays.

 

[Flamenca]

Many, many years ago I needed a part for a Volvo Penta outdrive on my boat. A single stainless nut and bolt of an odd size. I was quoted £40+vat by the local VP dealer (this was in the '80s). When I asked how they could justify the ludicrous price matey on the parts desk looked me in the eye and said "we've got them and you need them". Sad to say this attitude prevails nowadays.

Yes, I recall Volvo marine prices from my sailing days. I was told that Volvo dramatically inflate the retail prices to support their dealers. Nowadays that seems to happen everywhere.

 

[BobtheBass]

Once on a slow fishing trip in the Bristol Channel, to pass the time of day I started to add up the individual parts prices of the bits needed to build a whole engine as fitted in my boat, using the agents price lists. The engine new would have cost something in the region of £3000 to buy in it's entirety, but I stopped adding up my list when I got to £25,000.

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[Flamenca]

Once on a slow fishing trip in the Bristol Channel, to pass the time of day I started to add up the individual parts prices of the bits needed to build a whole engine as fitted in my boat, using the agents price lists. The engine new would have cost something in the region of £3000 to buy in it's entirety, but I stopped adding up my list when I got to £25,000.

It is hardly surprising that there are people buying a complete engine and breaking them for spares. Seems to happen across the marine and motorbike 'industries'.

 

[PeteH]

With FIAT parts it`s not just the cost, it`s also availability!. Recently the final section of the Exhaust went "walkie`s" on the A1! Guess what even the Main agent for the Motorhome manufacturer could not trace one!. FIAT where worse that useless, though to be fair the guy I spoke to in the local dealership was just as frustrated as I!., End result?. I got a length of Stainless exhaust pipe of E-Bay, swagged to 63mm and fitted it!! at a total cost of £18!!.

Pete

 

[Flamenca]

With FIAT parts it`s not just the cost, it`s also availability!. Recently the final section of the Exhaust went "walkie`s" on the A1! Guess what even the Main agent for the Motorhome manufacturer could not trace one!. FIAT where worse that useless, though to be fair the guy I spoke to in the local dealership was just as frustrated as I!., End result?. I got a length of Stainless exhaust pipe of E-Bay, swagged to 63mm and fitted it!! at a total cost of £18!!.

Pete

I renewed my complete exhaust last year and I found a guy in Poland who supplied the complete exhaust at an unbelievebly low cost. My garage said it was so easy to fit they would not charge me anything extra to the 'trade' MOT fee. There are some good guys in this world!

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[Emmit]

And my recent MOT post when I found out that a Catalytic Converter for a Fiat 2.8 is over £1000.00!!!

 

[SandraL]

Mine isn't the same as yours - mine is a 5 pin plug. If you search on Ebay for Ducato Pressure Switch Air Conditioning, there were quite a few 3 pin ones shown.

I got mine from Ebay, "The Green Spark Plug Company", they have a website but oddly the pressure switches aren't on there!

Denso have a "search by reg number" facility on their website:-
http://www.denso-am.co.uk/e-catalogue/

The Denso catalogue with picture guide is here - go to around page 515:-


If yours is a 3 pin then you don't want DPS09003 - that's the one I've got.

Goods news is they couldn't be easier to change, just unscrew them off, they sit on a Schrader valve so no gas will escape.

@Feltwell Thanks for your reply, exactly sort of info I was looking for. I had been reluctant to remove pressure switch as I assumed it meant loss of gas, need to vacuum system and refill. Now I know theres a schrader valve under it a new one will soon be on its way. One of the problems with an unofficial import is the reg number does not work on spare parts websites, this can be a bit of a pain! Great info, again well worth being on the forum

 

[Billggski]

Fiat x250 fuel filter housings are very difficult to seal after a filter change.
A new one from Fiat can be £240, so I bought the identical one from eBay for £64 and keep it as a spare. Two clip off pipes and one clipped in electrical plug and it lifts off. Five minute job.

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[Jaws]

On the other side.. Darrell has recently had an air con pipe go in his VW Transporter.
It is about 2 ft long with a rubber bit in the middle
Including re-gassing £320 !!!!!!!!!

I suggested that as the standard one has a bit of hose in it why not cut the manky bit out and stitch it back together with a bit of hi pressure hose..
Total cost including re-gassing £45

 

[martin2603]

Air Con packed up on SWMBO S Hyundai i10 Hyundai compressor, price 950.00 from Hyundai 240.00 fro local Factor. Yes they do specialize in trying to tuck you up.!

 

[Feltwell]

I spoke (or rather typed) too soon!

The place I chose to buy the switch from, chosen because of a promised quick delivery time, haven't actually got any stock and can't get any until the middle of August. Of course it's taken them from Wednesday to today to tell me that

So I ring round and it seems everyone else is the same - they don't actually hold stock. So I phone Denso themselves, just to check, who tell me they don't have any and they have no date for when they will be available. I find another maker - they also have none, turns out they get them made under their brand name at the same factory Denso uses.

Amazon claim to have 1 Valeo branded unit in stock, bit more expensive at £40 but hey ho, it's still a decent brand and a damn sight cheaper than Fiat, just ordered it and hope that turns up OK!

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[Feltwell]

@Feltwell Thanks for your reply, exactly sort of info I was looking for. I had been reluctant to remove pressure switch as I assumed it meant loss of gas, need to vacuum system and refill. Now I know theres a schrader valve under it a new one will soon be on its way. One of the problems with an unofficial import is the reg number does not work on spare parts websites, this can be a bit of a pain! Great info, again well worth being on the forum

No problem, I'm presuming of course that yours is the same as mine. The pressure switch on mine is located up under the front bumper, in front of the offside wheel, behind where the front foglight would go. My switch came off with no appreciable loss of gas, there is still some in my system.

 

[SandraL]

No problem, I'm presuming of course that yours is the same as mine. The pressure switch on mine is located up under the front bumper, in front of the offside wheel, behind where the front foglight would go. My switch came off with no appreciable loss of gas, there is still some in my system.

Aaah, slight snag. X250 van and pressure switch is mounted high up on bulkhead in centre of van. Will need to make sure it does have schrader valve underneath it. Thanks again for taking the trouble to post.

 

[Cyclewalkbob]

Just paid £60 Vat for a replacement cartridge for the Fiat Fix and Go system!!

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[Feltwell]

SandraL, I'd be very surprised if it doesn't have the valve under it, as it was so on the older X244 like mine. I had an aircon specialist look at why mine wasn't working - it was he who re-gassed it with the UV dye in a couple of months ago. First thing he said was "it should be on a Schrader valve" - I got the impression that was standard.

Makes sense, as you're not supposed to release the gas. I'd try unscrewing yours, wearing gloves and safety specs, and see if you get gas escape - you can always nip it back up again quick!

 

[SandraL]

SandraL, I'd be very surprised if it doesn't have the valve under it, as it was so on the older X244 like mine. I had an aircon specialist look at why mine wasn't working - it was he who re-gassed it with the UV dye in a couple of months ago. First thing he said was "it should be on a Schrader valve" - I got the impression that was standard.
Makes sense, as you're not supposed to release the gas. I'd try unscrewing yours, wearing gloves and safety specs, and see if you get gas escape - you can always nip it back up again quick!

Well i have changed it. If there was a schrader under the switch it didnt close fully, lots of yellow dyed refridgerant. New valve quickly screwed on, air con still works but it must be a bit low on refridgerant. So is there a schrader under pressure switch on x250?, this is on bulkhead high up where aircon pipes go into alloy block.

 

[Feltwell]

Ok. The yellow dye is an ultraviolet dye - if you get yourself an ultraviolet torch (mine was £2 off Ebay!), it's easier to wait until it's dark, then shine round inside the engine bay at all the aircon bits then any leaks glow pretty obviously. You often see the splatter on other parts where the dye has landed.

The Schrader valve should have closed completely - but if you've got the new pressure switch screwed on and it's not leaking, I wouldn't fuss.

Mine's an X244, but I have recharged my Dad's X250, it's much the same. You can take it to a garage or Halfords and they'll charge you about 50 quid for the privilege. I have found that a lot of places don't put the dye in as standard though, you have to ask for it.

You can recharge them yourself with a simple kit - which is what I've done - it connects to the low pressure port on that alloy block. Don't fiddle with the high pressure side, it's dangerous I'm told. You can't connect to the wrong side if you buy one of the kits, the connectors are different. Halfords sell them under the EZ Chill brand, or you find them a bit cheaper on Ebay under STP Auto Freeze brand. If you google it you'll find videos on YouTube of people using it.

I finally got a working pressure switch - fitted it, recharged the gas and all has been well since, I've been glad of it, I'm in Switzerland at the moment, it's getting near 30 degrees which is way too hot for me!

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