Just got my timing belt replaced, now my a/c line has a hole in it -- any connection?

[loukytdi]

I wanted to appeal to the gathered wisdom here. I got my timing belt replaced two months ago, did a couple thousand miles of driving, now my a/c line has a hole in the bent rubber part in front of the engine. It's supposed to drop down between the radiator and the engine but was rubbing against the edge of the radiator to the point of wearing a hole in it, at which point the A/C stopped working. Could this be the result of a hurried timing belt job? Any connection?

 

[pedroYUL]

Low pressure or high pressure?
The high pressure line doesn't really connect with the "engine" it goes from the condenser to the evaporator, and if you drop the engine that line doesn't care.

Now the low pressure line, from compressor to condenser will be stressed if the mechanic tries to drop the engine or raise it too far, as the line has just some give but not infinite.

 

[loukytdi]

I'm pretty sure the line got cut from rubbing the edge of the radiator over the last couple thousand miles.

There's a few pictures over in the Golf media upload section, currently trying to figure out how to link them over here.

 

[loukytdi]

Here's a link to some pictures.

VW Golf MK7 Cut AC Line

 

[adjat84th]

Something is causing that line to sit incorrectly in the engine bay, there is plenty of clearance between the fuel pump and the radiator fan on mine. Any work done to the radiator/fans in the past? Accident?

 

[loukytdi]

The previous owner hit a deer and had front end work done afterwards, maybe that's why it's cramped in there. But the car's been great since I got it 6 months ago. Super clean engine.

 

[adjat84th]

The radiator "module" that houses both radiators and AC condenser has a slotted bracket to allow for about 1.5-2" of travel forward and back. Likely it was pushed too far back, or that was needed to make other bits stay lined up nicely.
I have mine pushed as far towards the engine as possible (to account for my larger intercooler), but still have plenty of clearance of that line.
I would just trim the plastic of the fan assembly to clear the line, unless you feel up to pulling the bumper off and checking the alignment of the radiator support core in the crash bar.

 

[pedroYUL]

Yeah, like adjat84th says, it is not related to the TB job, but rather that body work.

I have replaced the condenser in a 2012, not a fun job, lots of bolts and screws to take off.

 

[oilhammer]

That's likely from the crash. The A7's engine bay is really tight with the excessively complex CRUA stuffed under there. Everything needs to be perfectly clipped and routed and secured. I suspect there are other things that may be off, too.

 

[Nuje]

The previous owner hit a deer and had front end work done afterwards, maybe that's why it's cramped in there. But the car's been great since I got it 6 months ago. Super clean engine.

That'll explain it. Could be just coincidental that the line finally wore through just after the TB job, or moving the engine tweaked it just enough that it pushed it into contact with the metal.

My car similarly came to me after front-end damage/repair, and while installing some air horns and looking for a mount location, I noticed that one of the AC lines was in contact with a bolt and was wearing through it.

Cribbing from my thread there:
First retrofit I've done which has undoubtedly SAVED me money. I noticed when I was under there looking for a spot to mount the compressor that one of the AC lines had been bent and was rubbing up against a bolt. You can see in this photo (after I pulled it away) the doink in the aluminum line already and the bolt it was rubbing against. Minimum $1000 saving vs. the $150CAD total in parts, shipping, import fees, etc.

 

[loukytdi]

Thanks for the help, everybody! I'm looking for a good source for the part now, which is A/C Refrigerant Suction Hose Part Number: 5Q0820743G. Are these the same ones used on the gas MK7s? Looks like there are OEM/VW ones in the $300 range, but I also see some on partsgeek and amazon in the $20-45 range 15 2015 Volkswagen Golf A/C Hose - Climate Control - Autopart Premium, Four Seasons, Vemo - PartsGeek

 

[oilhammer]

Get the OEM one. Aftermarket A/C lines are garbage. For anything.

 

[pedroYUL]

Search Car-Part.com for a second hand one.

 

[loukytdi]

I was kind of figuring that...

 

[loukytdi]

Does it matter whether the part is off a gas / diesel or Golf /Golf Sportwagen? The part numbers seem to be the same, and there looks like there are good prices on car-part.com

 

[oilhammer]

The hose is engine-dependent, the part numbers are different. G suffix and E suffix. There's also another one for another gas engine (there were a total of five engines sold in the 2015 non-GTI/non-R Golfs).

 

[loukytdi]

I'm seeing more E's than G's, and from what you're saying I need the G, correct? I will limit my search to TDI only. Many thanks!