Mohamed

changing the compressor out?

I finally figured out what was wrong with my mom's camry last night in class, huge compressor leak (luckly I used Nitrogen to pump the system and soay water so I don't waste refrigerant). I am looking at compressor prices, but a website states that for their compressor to be warrantied, a new reciever-dryer/accumulator must be purchased and installed at the same time, and from them, but they seem to have whole units for cheap (compressor + clutch). So for those of you that know a/c, did you indeed replace the reciever-dryer? Also, anyone have good experience with a particular brand? The toyota ones are remanufactored and don't come with a clutch, plus quite expensive.

hatcoleman

I WOULD REPLACE RECIEVER/DRIER AND REF. ORIFACE (METERING DEVICE)
AND I WOULD BUY A COMPRESSOR WITH CLUTCH. UNLESS YOU HAVE THE TOOLS TO REMOVE AND INSTALL OLD ONE. THE COMPRESSORS ARE SHIPPED DRY, SO YOU WILL ALSO HAVE TO PURCHASE REF. OIL. BEFORE INSTALLING THE COMP. YOU POUR IN THE OIL AND TURN COMP. BY HAND TO DISTRIBUTE THE OIL IN COMP.. DO YOU HAVE A VACUUM PUMP AVAILABLE ? YOU MUST PULL A VACUUM FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR BEFORE CHARGING SYSTEM. IF YOUR CAR HAS A SIGHT GLASS CHARGE SYSTEM TILL SIGHT GLASS CLEARS. IF IT DOES NOT I USE AN ELECTRONIC CHARGING SCALE AND CHARGE BY WEIGHT. THE WEIGHT IS UNDER HOOD ON STICKER. IF THE COMP. IS LEAKING AROUND THE SHAFT AND OTHERWISE STILL GOOD THE BEST THING TO DO IS SIMPLY REPLACE THE SEAL. HAVE NOT HAD VERY GOOD LUCH WITH REBUILTS MYSELF.

Yoda

I always replace the receiver/drier. Like he said, you need to evacuate the system with an A/C vacuum pump (very high vacuum pump, to get out all the air and any moisture). What year car? If it uses R12, you're out of luck on getting a DIY kit. If it uses R134a (cars after about 1995), most auto parts stores have kits.

Mohamed

Ya I forgot to check on this thread, I found the answer the next day. Reciever dryers should be replaced if it is over 5 years and the system has been opened up. I order a complete unit (I know they come seperate kits) w/ reciever dryer and ester oil for the compress, and right now I haven't learned yet how to put the two together. My class does have an evacuator, vaccuum, and recycler machine all in one. This is actually for a '91 Camry so the only one there that manages R-12 is the Mactool version machine. We also have Robinair and some other funky company, but used for R-134a. Stuff is expensive, I get it at $3.00 an oz, and that's stock price, which is damn cheap.

For those of you that don't know what i am taking about, say your system needs 1.61 lbs...let's just say 2lbs for easier purposes. 16 oz to a pound, I need 2 lbs to charge, 32 oz x $3.00 = $106, most shops charge $6.00 an oz for R-12.

Another 6 weeks and I'll have my liscense for refrigerant handling and recovery...

Mohamed

By the way any of you guys work at a toyota dealership, I wanted to ask on the o-rings at the compressor low side and high sides openings where the lines connect, did you guys use mineral oil to lube the rings or just the ester oil that Toyota recommends.

Mohamed

Okay well I used mineral oil on the o-rings, and I just inserted a 100 weight POE (ester oil) as some company sent me this oil as the recommendation. Dang a/c is extremely cold, shot a raytech gun with the center duct at 26.7 F...(no nothing is wrong, the clutch cycles for anti-freeze protection, and I know it supposed to be around 32 F usually). No leaks so far, using a sniffer from Mac Tools (works pretty good), but I inserted die into the system as a precaution, and will let my mom work the a/c for a week and see if there are any. Shouldn't according to my teacher since I replaced the compressor, reciever-dryer, the high and low side "o-rings off the compressor fittings, both sharder valves, and the o rings on the reciever-dryer, and the sniffer didn't detect anything, even around the fittings.

It makes a big difference when you have the right parts!