Re: Milano A/C

["Eric H." <ejham@domain.elided>]

Just an advance warning: some of this may sound like a jab against
APE...it is not in any way meant this way.

Ralph,

One of the best things you can do is find a really good A/C shop. The
type that rebuilds compressors and often deals mostly with auto
dealerships. There's a shop here in Clearwater that has no major
thoroughfare frontage and because it's making its money from dealers
has only limited profit interest in many things. Case in point: they
were very happy to hear me say, "I'd like to do the compressor
pull/install labor on my GTV6" because it would save them time
(billable time no less.)

As a A/C-only shop, they immediately recognized the components and
suggested several alternative, less expensive items which are
functionally identical. The drier, for instance. Also, they fabricate
the hose assemblies in-house at a very low price and insisted most
hoses be replaced due to age and wear. Then there's the compressor...

On a Milano, you have the far more efficient rotary Sanden compressor.
This is a good thing. I thought it prudent to make the switch. I
bought the conversion kit from Alfa Parts Exchange. They promised to
provide the compressor and the mounting hardware. I received the
compressor without hardware, but after notifying them of the omission
they sent the hardware via 2-day air.

My A/C shop checked out the compressor. Their diagnosis was, "it turns
very well (good bearings) but it leaks...depending on how the oil
reacts with the seals it may hold a charge or may leak it quickly."
They demonstrated the leaks by submersing the unit an pressurizing it
with compressed air. Lots of tiny bubbles bloomed from the seams. They
offered to rebuild (reseal) the compressor for $70. When contacted,
APE offered a refund but not a swap -- either I take my money back and
find another source or I could have the unit rebuilt. I can understand
APE's position...it costs a fair amount of money to send a heavy
article back and forth across the US.

I elected to have the compressor rebuilt. And I'd suggest that be your
course of action if you can find a competent A/C shop to do the work.
Before I bought the Sanden unit from APE, the shop did some research
on replacing the Mini York unit with an updated, more common
compressor. They couldn't find any solution that would be less
expensive than the combined cost of the kit from APE ($150) and a
possible rebuild ($70).

The shop's charge for flushing/charging the system, replacing about 7
feet of hose, drier, and belt was $120. All told, I've got superior
system composed of mostly new parts for $330.

The main lesson learned from this endeavor was that it's very
beneficial to find a shop that will work with you. When I initially
spoke with them, they didn't balk at the words 'Alfa Romeo' nor did
they elevate their rates. In their words, "A/C systems are basically
all the same, simple systems." When you run up against something you
can't fix yourself, call and shop around for such a shop. In a city
the size of Houston, there's got to be a similar operation. And that
Sanden compressor can easily be rebuilt.

Good luck,

- - Eric H., Clearwater, FL

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