4th gen crap aircon. What are my options?

[Jack]

As some of you will have seen in my build thread, I'm swapping ATR running gear into my BB1.

My a/c has never really worked, I think the compressor engages and does something as there's a smell like dog food when the a/c is 'on'. No cold air.

When stripping it, there was no gas at all in the system, not even a hiss, so that'll be why! The a/c rad literally fell apart in my hands when removing it. So that may have been leaking.

I have the pipework and compressor from a BB8 donor car, will any of this fit my BB1? The ATR a/c rad has the inlets and outlets in different places to the BB1 so I don't think I can use the ATR rad or pipework. I assume I can use the ATR pump though? The ATR and BB8 both had perfectly working, ice cold a/c before they were stripped.

What's likely to have failed on the BB1? If its the rad then I can get a non-genuine replacement for £30 brand new. But I'd like to use tidier pipework if possible, the standard BB1 ones go over the top of the manifold and just look crap and cluttered!

If I can find the BB8 rad I'll offer that up with its pipework and see if its anywhere close to fitting.

Anyone have any experience of sorting this? And no, I'm not removing it haha.

[wurlycorner]

Don't think anyone has used anything other than 4th gen a/c bits on 4th gens, TBH.