Air Conditioning Problem

[camarocamaro]

I am having a problem with My A/c in my 1997 Camaro. A couple days ago the AC was working fine and then it all of a sudden made a gurgling noise and the ac started pumping out hot air. When i got home i opened the hood and the big silver tank didnt have any condensation on it and it wasnt cold like normal. I brought it to an a/c specialist guy and he said it was a problem with the compressor and it would be $650 to replace. I obvoiusly said heck no and left. Later that day when i looked in the hood again at the compressor i noticed that the clutch wasnt engaging and it was shooting sparks.
So today rolls around and im driving the car and the power steering is shut off and the battery has low voltage.

What should I do? How much would it cost to replace the compressor or the part that is affecting the AC


Thanks

[hockeyman]

Re: Air Conditioning Problem

Ebay to the rescue!

Check your serpentine belt! It may have broken causing the power steeirng pump and alternator to lose their abilities.

[1996CHEVCamaro]

Re: Air Conditioning Problem

My Compressor is going out also, I bought a new one at O'Reilly's for around $270. Does anyone know how hard it is to change one out?

[camarocamaro]

Re: Air Conditioning Problem

its not the serpentine belt. I imagine its like changing out the alternator, but on steroids.

[BLLDOGG]

Re: Air Conditioning Problem

your compressor is begining to lock up causing a lot of strain on everything else. replace it now! being in the car business, i have never had a lot of luck with aftermarket compressors including o'reillys

[CDNFB]

Re: Air Conditioning Problem

Your A/C compressor clutch bearing is gone. It has probably seized up and is now spinning on the compressor housing. I had one seize up so bad that the bearing chewed right through the housing and caused the clutch assembly to **** over to one side and the serpentine belt threw off. Lost all rotation units (power steering, water pump, alternator).

The failure of the bearing as well as the leakage of the compressor drive seal are common problems.

Replacement shouldn't be to bad on our cars but it is kinda tight. If you are going to do it yourself, make sure that you take your car in to have the system evacuated by a service shop that has a proper recovery unit. Then take the car home and replace the compressor, the dryer/accumulator (the big silver tank), clean the expansion tube (in the high pressure line just before the evaporator), and replace all the O-rings in the system. Then take the car back to the service shop to have it properly charged.

For me, my compressor bought the big one on Saturday. It's just plain worn out and doesn't produce pressure anymore even though theres lots of refridgerent in the system. Gotta change the compressor and dryer/accumlator. Instead of running back and forth to the shop, I'm just going to get them to do it. Looks like a $700 job (rebuilt compressor) , so they tell me. Still looking around for a better deal.

[camarocamaro]

Re: Air Conditioning Problem

I put a bid on ebay for one so try not to jack it from me :)

[camarocamaro]

Re: Air Conditioning Problem

why is it important to have a service shop do the proper recovery unit to evacuate the refrig. ? environmental? also why replace the accumulator?

[CDNFB]

Re: Air Conditioning Problem

No worries, I don't think I'll get mine from ebay.

Although most important in R12 systems from an enviromental positon, should do same for R134A (just doing the tree hugging responsible thing). Don't want to be the one liable cause I told you to dump it into the air.

The drier/accumulator because it losses it's efficiency as the sytem ages, (becomes a collection point for worn materials from the compressor). And especially if you have had an internal failure of the compressor because you can't clean it out and it can re-contaminate the system when you put it back together.

[camarocamaro]

Re: Air Conditioning Problem

how much does it cost for the accumulator and is it a certain part for the camaro? I looks like it could be propreitary

[CDNFB]

Re: Air Conditioning Problem

(this is in CDN $$$, which is .90 to your 1.00)

Compressor: 287.00
Accumulator: 139.00

Any parts store would have that accumulator. Doesn't look any different that many that I've seen.