AC Compressor New vs. Rebuilt
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 3,204
Likes: 4
From: Midland Georgia
St. Jude Donor '06
AC Compressor New vs. Rebuilt
I have been putting off getting my AC compressor repaired/replaced for months. Primarily because of money issues. Tough economy and dollars are in short supply.
Prices are all over the place. $249 for a rebuild all the way up to a $1,000+ for a new one. I currently have two cores. I have seen the Partsladi on Flea-Bay offer some pretty good prices for an OEM compressor and clutch (was $495). Those prices appear to be gone. The prices have increased, The Partsladi sells the Clutch ( Now $500) and the Compressor ( Now $250) seperately. So I am considering a rebuild on my compressor. I am curious to know if the rebuilt's are any good or if I am simply wasting my money. I will need to start looking at this decision. As we all know you cannot drive a car in Georgia from June through October without AC.
Give me your feed back please.
Prices are all over the place. $249 for a rebuild all the way up to a $1,000+ for a new one. I currently have two cores. I have seen the Partsladi on Flea-Bay offer some pretty good prices for an OEM compressor and clutch (was $495). Those prices appear to be gone. The prices have increased, The Partsladi sells the Clutch ( Now $500) and the Compressor ( Now $250) seperately. So I am considering a rebuild on my compressor. I am curious to know if the rebuilt's are any good or if I am simply wasting my money. I will need to start looking at this decision. As we all know you cannot drive a car in Georgia from June through October without AC.
Give me your feed back please.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 7,839
Likes: 22
From: San Diego, Ca
I've never bought a rebuild, but the last new I bought - from Autozone for my truck - was broken out of the box. If yours isn't seized and maybe only needs a shaft seal, you can fix that for about $50.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 3,204
Likes: 4
From: Midland Georgia
St. Jude Donor '06
Clutch rebuild? Just buy new?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 7,839
Likes: 22
From: San Diego, Ca
I don't know what year or compressor you have, but assuming it's a Nippo ('88 up), here's a link I've posted in the past: http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarti...so_rebuild.htm The fundamentals are the same. You don't need any special tools. Clutch is removed by holding it with a strap wrench or oil filter wrench pliers while you loosen the shaft bolt with a 10mm socket. Pulley and coil are held on with snap rings. Pulley bearings are servicable but they're pressed in - a Napa with a machine shop could probably handle it for a few bucks. More info is available on the Board at www.ackits.com - their FAQ's come in handy and they're more than happy to help.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 62,137
Likes: 1,727
From: Athens AL
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I bought a rebuilt one from The Last Detail, and its worked fine for 6 years. I'd go that route considering the prices they ask for them.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 3,204
Likes: 4
From: Midland Georgia
St. Jude Donor '06
I don't know what year or compressor you have, but assuming it's a Nippo ('88 up), here's a link I've posted in the past: http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarti...so_rebuild.htm The fundamentals are the same. You don't need any special tools. Clutch is removed by holding it with a strap wrench or oil filter wrench pliers while you loosen the shaft bolt with a 10mm socket. Pulley and coil are held on with snap rings. Pulley bearings are servicable but they're pressed in - a Napa with a machine shop could probably handle it for a few bucks. More info is available on the Board at www.ackits.com - their FAQ's come in handy and they're more than happy to help.
Last edited by jakers; Jan 7, 2009 at 01:53 PM.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 3,204
Likes: 4
From: Midland Georgia
St. Jude Donor '06
I don't know what year or compressor you have, but assuming it's a Nippo ('88 up), here's a link I've posted in the past: http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarti...so_rebuild.htm The fundamentals are the same. You don't need any special tools. Clutch is removed by holding it with a strap wrench or oil filter wrench pliers while you loosen the shaft bolt with a 10mm socket. Pulley and coil are held on with snap rings. Pulley bearings are servicable but they're pressed in - a Napa with a machine shop could probably handle it for a few bucks. More info is available on the Board at www.ackits.com - their FAQ's come in handy and they're more than happy to help.
Last edited by jakers; Jan 7, 2009 at 01:59 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,141
Likes: 76
From: Santa Maria, CA
Avoid rebuilt if at all possible. I installed one that lasted a month. That wasn't bad enough, it scattered crap through the whole system. I ended up replacing the compressor, receiver, orifice and condenser. They gave me my money back but that didn't cover the cost of all the other new parts, flushing, evacuating and recharging.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 7,839
Likes: 22
From: San Diego, Ca
The Porsche, Lexus and all the Nippos seem to come apart the same way - the only thing you can't find are the internal specs but the weak link seems to be the shaft seal and if you catch it in time (before all the oil is gone or it's grooved the shaft) it's not difficult to fix. If you go over to the ackits board they pretty much rag on the discount warehouse rebuilds (which is why I thought I'd try a "new" one). I too bought new from the Last Detail. It came sealed and with oil in it. The clutch assembly was a separate deal and it bugs me that you have to shell out another 9 to 12 Bucks for the shim kit.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,408
Likes: 13
From: Dayton, Ohio
I've been looking into the same thing for my '88. When I got the car in '94, BUD'S rebuilt the compressor for me and got the AC runing right.
Now 14+ years later it's starting to throw oil out from behind the clutch.
The price I got from the local dealer was in the high 400's, and that includes the installed clutch. If you guys know how to change the front seal, I might look into doing just that. Can this be done on the car, or is it a remove for surgery type deal?
Now 14+ years later it's starting to throw oil out from behind the clutch.
The price I got from the local dealer was in the high 400's, and that includes the installed clutch. If you guys know how to change the front seal, I might look into doing just that. Can this be done on the car, or is it a remove for surgery type deal?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 7,839
Likes: 22
From: San Diego, Ca
You need to discharge and remove it - see the link I posted for how to repair it. Seal kits are about $50. You will also want a new Accumulator and you should R & R the orifice as that leak creates more wear and all the little shavings end up in the orifice screen plugging it up. If you don't clean or replace it (like I did the first time I fixed one) good possibility it won't make cold air meaning you'll have to take it all back apart and recharge.
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