Author Topic: Replacing AC Compressor  (Read 1259 times)

Snowman99

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Replacing AC Compressor
« on: April 15, 2018, 04:31:00 AM »
I have a 2007 Civic with 168k miles on it.  2 summers ago, my AC compressor went out and my very trustworthy mechanic gave me a repair quote for $900.  The trade in value of the civic is about $1500, and the repair to value just has not justified it for what I consider a "luxury item." 

I have gone two summers without AC and it is rather brutal considering I have to commute in rush hour traffic for about 2 hours/day.  I've also looked into repairing this myself and it appears to be a very difficult task on account of the location of the compressor.  My friend who has far more mechanic skills than I do (I do oil changes, coolant flush, and tire rotation, but not much more than that), told me that he believes it is a major pain in the a$% and to get a new car.  This friend however has not performed the task himself.

I was wondering if anyone here has actually replaced an AC compressor themselves, and if so, could fill me in on just how difficult it is and to point me in the direction of any helpful "how tos" Thanks.

zolotiyeruki

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Re: Replacing AC Compressor
« Reply #1 on: April 16, 2018, 10:03:12 AM »
I replaced the AC compressor, evaporator, and filter on my '94 Civic about 10 years ago.  I got a similar quote from a mechanic, and ended up doing it myself.  It wasn't terrible, but it was a fair amount of work.  Youtube is your friend--you'll find step-by-step walkthroughs of  the process.  You'll probably need to borrow a couple of tools (like vacuum pump) from your local Autozone.

ncornilsen

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Re: Replacing AC Compressor
« Reply #2 on: April 16, 2018, 04:13:57 PM »
The key thing is understanding what components needs to be replace when opening the system, and keeping it as clean as possible. (I think you have to replace the dryer when the system is opened up? Not sure.)

A company could recharge your system for $100 to $200 after the parts were swapped, I'd think.

-Nick

zolotiyeruki

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Re: Replacing AC Compressor
« Reply #3 on: April 16, 2018, 07:14:36 PM »
The key thing is understanding what components needs to be replace when opening the system, and keeping it as clean as possible. (I think you have to replace the dryer when the system is opened up? Not sure.)

A company could recharge your system for $100 to $200 after the parts were swapped, I'd think.
Yeah, you're supposed to replace the filter/dryer whenever you open the system.  When I did mine, I used a borrowed vacuum pump to evacuate the system, and then the inexpensive cans of refrigerant from the auto parts store to refill it.  That part was really quite easy, compared to the rest.