HemiDave

Caught between replacing my own compressor/dryer or letting a shop do it. Difference is about $300 for labor. I will supply the parts.

What do you think?

Pros for fixing myself:

Cheaper.

Cons:

Scewups are expensive.

Pros for a shop-fix:

Warranty

Right tools.

Cons:

$300 bucks


Dave

tmills

compressor swap is not that bad. Also, it may not be the compressor, but the clutch on the front.

badme

I doubt very much that the shop will warranty this job if you supply the part. If they will warranty the job with you supplying the part I would have them do it. I would check with them first on the warranty. If they do not warranty it, do it yourself.

cumminspower79

A compressor swap takes about an hour or two. I just changed mine last week. Mistakes can be expensive, just dont make the mistake I made. A couple of weeks ago I decieded to service my a/c system, So I bought a new drier and orifice tube(liquid line), I put them on and vacuumeed it out then charged it up. A couple of weeks after that the compressor went out! Dang, I just charged it there goes 30 bucks worth of 134a. Then I swaped the compressor and charged it again, this time its only getting down to 60-65 degrees. Come to find out I put too much PAG oil in the system. So I had to discharge and charge it again! Now the compressor going out wasnt my fault but overfilling it with oil was. Moral of the stroy, the whole system only needs 6 ounces of PAG 100 oil. Oh well, its worth every penny having a good a/c in my locale as its already breached 100* outside. Just part of living in the desert. Now she gets between 40-45*

patdaly

Doubt I would take that job on unless you figured on doing more.

Buying gauges, vacuum pumps, etc. gets expensive. I do all my own work, and usually get rooked into doing a bunch for others, which has helped offset the 500 plus bucks I have paid so far for tools.

On the other hand, it might not be wise to listen to me, I have tools I bought simply because I thought they were cool.......... It is a sickness I tell ya.

high bid

If no warranty by shop, I wouldn't hesitate in doing it as long as you have a vaccum and a/c gauges. I did a 134a conversion, compressor replacement, vaccum and charge for my first time. It's really not that difficult. Remove old compressor and lines, cover a/c line ends w/plastic bag, add a/c oil to new compressor, install new compressor, re-connect lines and wiring. W/gauges attached, vaccum for 30min+, make note of gauge position, turn off vaccum wait for 30min, re-check gauges making sure they did not move, if they did you have a leak somewhere which must be fixed first. Start engine, turn a/c on high, begin filling w/freon. After adding freon for 2-3min the compressor should kick in, if not take a (+)hot lead from the batt and manually engauge the compressor via the wire leading into the comressor. This "kickstarts" the compressor. With the compressor enaguged, continue adding freon till the gauge reads about 40*. For 5min, check the air coming out of the vents w/a thermo and check the gauge again. You want the gauge to read about 35* so continue to add freon till you get to that point and check again as the system cycles..it may need more or to have some bled off. From what I've found any colder and your system might freeze up so get it as close to 35* as you can. With some systems it's tuff because by adding a little freon you go below
32* and it will then def freeze up. Hope this helps.

Junk Man

The FSM has details. Follow the directions & it works. We've made things that used to be simple & cheap complicated and expensive.

Coolride

I'd do it, but I used to own an A/C shop here in Fla.. But like already stated don't over charge the oil. If the compressor comes shipped with oil, I'd add an extra 1/2oz. for the open lines and vacuum loss or what not. You can here a dry system by listening to the compressor , kind of like a loose rocker arms on an engine, if it's fine you really have to listen hard to hear the pistons inside pumping away. The question is, what happen to the first compressor? If it self destructed by low oil, now you might have trash in the system, therefore you need to flush it completely. You don't know how many customers I've had,where I've had to clean up some other shops mess, and more than a few where the big 3 dealer repairs too. If you take shortcuts with an A/C job, your wasting you $$$, do it right. Good Luck

Busboy

There is more to "changing a compressor" than changing a compressor. Like coolride says why did the last compressor fail? Did it chew itself up? Has the system been open and if so how long and what kind of humidity has it experienced? Knowing the answer to these questions determines what gets changed and if the system needs flushing. A new compressor comes with 6 ounces of oil, that's enough oil for the WHOLE system so if you just bolt it on and charge it then the system has way too much oil in it. What you end up changing and whether or not you have to flush determines how much oil goes into the compressor. It's certainly not rocket science and if done correctly any good mechanic can do it.

HemiDave

Thanks for the great replys!!

The original compressor was working until recently. The front hub started rattling and wobbling. It's the original compressor so about 13 yrs old...done it's time, I'd think. I was starting to smell 'clutch' when I'd walk away from the truck. I think the compressor was still working, just starting to slip and the pulley was about ready to come off.

I'm prepared to buy the gauges and vacuum pump, just wondering if I should just bring the stuff to a shop or not.

Thanks!!

Dave

12VRattler

Where did you end up buying a compressor from?

HemiDave

Rockauto.com. They are about $100 cheaper than the best price from the chain stores. Usually a 5% off online coupon available if you Google it. New Four Seasons compressor.

Dave

dodgeguy71

Who said "flush" the system? Only good for removing the oil, will not remove heavy contaminants from a compressor failure. In many professional opinions ranks right up there with the engine restorer snake oils and amounts to a good customer wallet flush.

When you add your oil to your compressor and you mount it on your truck, before you pop the belt on spin your compressor over several times. To much oil in the compressor and you turn it on to charge and it makes a loud pop, that's cause it hydro locked and broke some stuff inside, seen it done by a guy.

If you buy gauges get you a set with a sight glass. Best way to charge the system without a scale is by watching the bubbles through the site glass on the gauges. Just when the bubbles disappear you'll be good. If you don't have that type just do the math from what your system requires, put in that amount and you'll be good. More is not better. You could give it a shade more to cool it down a bit but you have to remember while your checking your temp in your truck your sitting still with no airflow over the condensor, going down the highway at 70mph will be different. Humidity, outside air temp all play a role in the vent temp compared to hi/low pressure readings as well. Typically or in theory your inside air temp should be about 20degrees lower than ambient.

I've had things in the 30's before and did a Peterbilt one time that the driver complained was not cold enough after I did a compressor repair. Got it cold enough to hang meat in and he came back groaning about how he needs a coat now.

Charging the system, obviously don't charge on the high side unless you want a can full of 134a and all the shards from the can that go with it. Charge on the low, I usually get by with turning my can upside down on the front cross brace.

And the all important thing to remember, discharging refrigerent into the atmosphere is illegal and there is the little thing to do with the $10,000 fine and 5 or 10 years in prison.

nkennedy

I got a friend who does auto AC on the side. He has the knowledge to make the job go smoothly.

s-cube

I'm a commercial refrigeration tech, but if(when) my ac goes out I'll take it to my buddies shop. He's an auto and tractor ac tech.