Quick car help. wifes car at dealer right now

[970TJ]

Yep, they're in the ballpark. As for doing it in your driveway.......I'd rather pull and replace a transmission than replace an A/C compressor. Mostly because I've never done one, and all of the specialized tools involved. And in a FWD car? Nope. Money well spent IMO. And it'll have a warranty on the parts and labor.

Although I'd probably leave it and go without A/C because I'm a cheap bastard. But I couldn't get away with that in the wifey's car......she'd flat loose it.

[Chad4000]

^^ thanks guys..thats cool info. I heard $1100 and almost drove down to the dealership myself... especially after hearing the "axle" broke. still not sure that $600 is the correct labor rate but eh...

[OtterbatHellcat]

You're welcome, brother.

[Bailey Guns]

I had an AC unit installed in a new Pathfinder at the dealer in the early 90s. The car didn't come with AC. Even back then it was right around a grand. That doesn't sound unreasonable to me at all when you figure AC was always a $700 to $900 option on new cars before it started to be standard on pretty much everything.

I gotta say...I'd pay twice that much to make sure I had a working AC in my truck.

[newracer]

If you want to have AC pay the pro to do it.

[trlcavscout]

That is to replace the compressor and maybe orifice, evac and recharge the system. Once the systems been opened it requires machine to properly evac the air out of the a/c system then charge it for proper operation. $1100 sounds like a lot and it is, but I wouldn't half ass it or it will cost you more the second time. Their price sounds like its at least in the ball park.

[rondog]

If you want to have AC pay the pro to do it.

I have to agree, I'm too old and fat to work on shit like that anymore. I bought my 2000 Silverado used at 100K miles, and the temp control didn't work on it. Drove it like that for years, unable to change the temperature, sucked balls. Mentioned it here, and tmleadr03 said he'd fix it. All I had to do was leave it in the driveway, and send him a check. Works like new! And no pain on my part. VERY worth it.

[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).