Insulation of the refrigerant low side(compressor suction) line
I've seen some foam insulation on the refrigerant low side lines on the old Hyundai i20 and the XUV500, and have been wanting to try this out. This car presented a perfect opportunity to try this out on the portion of the refrigerant low side lines that run very close to the hottest zone viz. exhaust and turbocharger turbine side. I got a meter of domestic split AC foam tube, split the tube along its length, wrapped it around the low side line, and ensured a proper fit using multiple cable ties. This job can be done only when the engine bay is cold, else the hot surfaces of the exhaust and the turbine side can be quite killing.
Stock
Insulated
List of defects
While the project has finally been officially closed, the list of defects that were encountered during and post the Aircon service are summarised below:
1. Turbo boost error when turbocharger would kick in - hose found loose - rectified, CEL scanned and removed
2. Dash lights didn't come on at first start up - rectified but left the airbag warning light on
3. Airbag warning- scanned and removed
4. Misaligned wiring couplers - rectified
5. AC drain pinched - rectified
6. USB connected to the stereo - working but one side of the USB drive found broken
7. HVAC Unit wasn't even cleaned before installation - I observed this and had to admonish them for this
8. One bolt of the dash bar frame was loose - rectified
9. CTC flushing scam
10. Air filter inlet duct bolt not fitted - rectified
11. Headlamp leveller not connected - rectified
12. Lower than recommended refrigerant charge- topped up
13. Heater core hoses connections not clamped properly - rectified
Cost of Poor Quality
While the monetary loss to rectify these errors was trivial,
a. approx. 5 liters of diesel was burned on trials that could have been avoided
b. time spent in rectification was over 8 hours, with approx 2.5 hours spent only on the pinched drain hose
c. had to top up 150g of refrigerant which should ideally have been done right the first time
d. OBD scans had to be performed to clear 2 errors
e. the amount of time I spent supervising the job even during the aircon service
So much for a "highly rated" service provider who enjoys a 4.8 rating on Google with a large number of respondents and a great clientile that includes doctors too.
Closing comments
I can only console myself by saying Thank You, 'coz I wouldn't have learnt this much if I was left with no issues to sort out. I'd urge all of you to pass it on - not the headaches that I experienced
![Big Grin](https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/images/smilies/biggrin.png)
, but the knowledge that one gains from such pains.
Here's wishing you all a Happy Teachers' Day. ![Thumbs Up](https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/images/smilies/thumbs up.png)