AC Compressor

[dgoodhue]

My A/C compressor started making noise this weekend. (I initially thought it was the water pump because that was leaking) It sound more like a bearing problem (since I mistook the water pump for it intially), but I really don't know.

Should I go to the junk yard and try to find a new one? It appears as though these are used on other s10/s15's are they used on any other vehicle? Am I wasting my time with a used AC compressor?

Autozone has rebuild one for $150 and Clutches for $110, should go that route?

 

[MikeRenz]

just buy the ac delete pulley for $20. It never gets that warm in MA anyway.

 

[sytyguy]

I definitely wouldn't mess with a salvage yard compressor. Unless the vehicle can be started and the A/C system can be tested, you stand a chance of getting a bad compressor. Not necessarily one that will prematurely die on you (although that might happen too), but more one that might contain contaminents/trash that could ruin other parts of your A/C system. You could pick up a $10 compressor and it could cost you hundreds if it's bad. Not worth the risk IMO.

For the price of compressors these day, I'd just pick up a reman with a good warranty (like the ones I sell :wink: ). Just remember to change your accumulator/drier and your orifice tube/exp. valve whenever you change a compressor. If going to R134a, remember that the gas has oil in it and you need to subtract ~2oz from the initial compressor fill-up. Use ester oil if possible, as it's much more versatile than pag.

HTHs

Michael

 

[InvisiBill]

A search should bring up a few recent threads by me on this same topic. Mine started making noise, then the bearings on the pulley were completely destroyed. The pulley shifted off-center and wouldn't turn at all.

I got the compressor, accumulator, and orifice tube from gmpartsdirect.com for just over $300 shipped. The compressor was $200, and I've gotten used to other AutoZone "lifetime warranty" parts needing to be replaced every year, so I paid a few extra bucks for the GM one. If you get a salvage one, make sure the entire system is still sealed up, or you'll probably have junk in it and end up replacing it (and maybe more parts) later as was mentioned.

The actual replacement isn't too hard. The biggest problem I ran into was needing a deep socket to get to the nuts on the back, but limited clearance for a deep socket. I used an open end wrench for some of them. There are also like a dozen other brackets on each stud behind the compressor, so you have to undo a bunch of those to get down to the compressor.

My advice: change it now. Mine became many times harder when the bearings went and that pulley shifted. I had to grind a chunk out of the pulley since it was covering one of the bolts. Since the pulley didn't turn, it burned through the serpentine belt, making it impossible to drive it anywhere.

 

[Lynn D. Brown]

AC overhaul

AC overhaul

Bill,

How did U evacuate the system prior to putting in the refrigerant ? This is not normally a job that a guy can do in his back yard because U need a vacuum pump to get all the air out, and special hoses to recharge the freon.

Quite an investment in Tools.

 

[InvisiBill]

Re: AC overhaul

Re: AC overhaul

How did U evacuate the system prior to putting in the refrigerant ? This is not normally a job that a guy can do in his back yard because U need a vacuum pump to get all the air out, and special hoses to recharge the freon.

Quite an investment in Tools.

I didn't yet. I simply bolted the new compressor in place of the old one, and will have a shop handle the other stuff when I get around to it. If you do this, remember to leave the clutch unplugged, so that it's not possible for the compressor to engage. I don't plan to try it, but I'm pretty sure running a dry compressor wouldn't lead to anything good.

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: AC Compressor

So far the AC compressor is ahead 2-0 I hope the AC compressor is up for a trip to NY because that is where I am attempting to go this weekend with it.

I can't get the damn AC clutch off to slide out the mounting bolts. I broke 2 pullers and I heated it up to best of my ability, the clutch is not coming off. Off to plan B, it may have won the battles so far, but I haven't given up...

 

[InvisiBill]

Re: AC Compressor

So far the AC compressor is ahead 2-0 I hope the AC compressor is up for a trip to NY because that is where I am attempting to go this weekend with it.

I can't get the damn AC clutch off to slide out the mounting bolts. I broke 2 pullers and I heated it up to best of my ability, the clutch is not coming off. Off to plan B, it may have won the battles so far, but I haven't given up...

You shouldn't have to take the clutch off to get the bolts out. There's a flat side on the bolt head, so that you should be able to turn the bolt the right way and it will slide past the pulley/clutch. On mine, the whole pulley was shifted so I had to grind off a good 1/4" to be able to get the last bolt out. I'll try to get some pics...