Quick car help. wifes car at dealer right now

[ray1970]

If you do it yourself make damn sure you flush everything you aren't replacing. Sounds like the compressor itself probably seized which caused the shaft to twist off at the clutch or hub or whatever. Probably metal all through the system.

I'd replace the drier and orifice tube and flush all of the lines, the condenser, and the evaporator core with mineral spirits or something. Make sure to blow everything out really good with compressed air and then pull a vacuum on the system for a really long time before you charge it.

I doubt the compressor is that bad to change. Just go through the wheel opening or from the bottom.

Good luck.

[Dr_Fwd]

Normaly the ac compressor + orifice tube are around $400-$500...

[Clint45]

Normaly the ac compressor + orifice tube are around $400-$500...

$500 for parts and $500 for labor sounds about right . . . that's probably at least a 3 hour job to get to the compressor, replace it, charge it, replace whatever needed to be removed to get to the compressor, then test it. I'm guessing the compressor is about the same amount of labor as a heater core. If it isn't under warranty, you could've probably saved a hundred bucks or so by taking it somewhere other than the dealership. NOT a job to attempt yourself, and not something you want to take to a service station that'll do the work for half price (with used parts and improper tools).

[tmleadr03]

$500 for parts and $500 for labor sounds about right . . . that's probably at least a 3 hour job to get to the compressor, replace it, charge it, replace whatever needed to be removed to get to the compressor, then test it. I'm guessing the compressor is about the same amount of labor as a heater core. If it isn't under warranty, you could've probably saved a hundred bucks or so by taking it somewhere other than the dealership. NOT a job to attempt yourself, and not something you want to take to a service station that'll do the work for half price (with used parts and improper tools).

About 2-300 in labor at the dealer for that job.

If the dealer prices are too much take it to a local independent shop.

I would say come see me but I am booked till the 5th. And if I take another car in before J gets his car back he is going to ban me.

[ChunkyMonkey]

About 2-300 in labor at the dealer for that job.

If the dealer prices are too much take it to a local independent shop.

I would say come see me but I am booked till the 5th. And if I take another car in before J gets his car back he is going to ban me.

You meant to say.. if J doesnt give you some kind of special treatment, he ain't getting his car back.

[ChunkyMonkey]

Normaly the ac compressor + orifice tube are around $400-$500...

Sexy.. happy ending?

[sniper7]

I'd let the pros do that one or trade the car in on something new or newer.

[BushMasterBoy]

I replaced a compressor in a Nissan Altima a couple years ago. Hose was leaking and it lost a lot of lubricating oil. The compressor had seized I bought a compressor used on ebay for $80, got a new hose from rockauto.com for about $80. I bought a vacuum tool that connects to a air compressor for power, and evacuated the entire system for 30 minutes. I had also bought a set of A/C gauges from ebay for $40. Jacked the car up and removed and replaced compressor. Connected the new refrigerant hose. Then I set the vacuum pump to purge the system. Added some oil according to manufacturers specs. Added some refrigerant to specs. Checked the pressures. And the A/C worked good. Talked her into selling it and buying a jeep. Thank god she got the jeep, these dirt roads were beating the Altima to shit, struts were gonna be next...but hey the cheap Chinese gauges and vacuum pump did the trick!

[Dunecrazzy]

i have had the clutch lock up and break the shaft off of a couple vehicles compressors. it happens. i never paid to fix one though. i just pulled from the junk yard or ordered the part online, reinstalled and recharged.

This happened in a work van of mine too.

[OtterbatHellcat]

Chad, I bet half of that cost is for the labor and the 2.3 lbs of 134A. The compressor is probably buried way down at the bottom of the belt drive system, and is probably a real pain in the ass to get to.