The AC went out last year (catastrophic compressor failure) and I finally got the cash and time to fix it about a month ago.
I followed the instructions in the AC FAQ thread, only deviating where it conflicted with the compressor manufacturer's instructions. That, and I had a local shop pull the charge, pull the vacuum and recharge since I don't have the equipment. Replaced the compressor with a new 4 Seasons from Rock Auto, new dryer, O-rings and O-tube, plus 9oz. of oil. I took it to the shop and they tell me they put the 1.75lbs of R-134a in it.
Well I get a call from the Mrs today on her way home from work and she tells me she heard something that sounded like a 'pop' and then got this really strong odor in the cabin she had never smelled before. She pulled over and popped the hood but she tells me she doesn't see anything weird or leaking. She gets back in the car and drives home. The car drives normally but now we have no AC.
When she gets home I check to see if there is anything obvious going on. Belt is on and looks OK, no obvious signs of leakage, all the hoses and tubes appear to be tight and where they belong. I turned on the system and the compressor cycles but only for a couple seconds and switches off, blows hot air. I shut the system down and spun the compressor over by hand, well ratchet, and the compressor turns smooth.
Is it possible the shop overcharged the system and popped my evaporator? [EDIT: upon further reflection, this just doesn't seem possible. The evap should be low side, 55-60psi max. Unless something was already weak, I just can't see how anything would give. But I have checked all the external lines for signs of oil or looseness and found nothing) I have some AC knowledge and followed the instructions but what could I have done? The thing that gets me is she said she got the smell really strong in the cabin. She had the system on recirc so it almost seams like whatever let go was inside the cabin, either the evap core itself or one of the lines. Of course, I wasn't there so I really have no idea what it sounded like or how it smelled.
Thoughts?

 

If it doesnt stay on, sounds like you lost your charge. The question is where? Need to take it back and find out. I've never seen this one before? Sure hope its not your evaporator,$$$$

 

Yesterday I had the shop put gauges on and found we had a blockage. He pulled down my charge and I pulled the orifice tube, filled with metal flakes. The previous pump just filled the condenser with crap. I sure hope my dryer/filter has done it's job. I will replace the condenser entirely. When I did the job initially I douched the absolute bejeezus out of the condenser while I had it out. Still didn't get all the crap out.
For those of you who do this job yourselves, if you have a catastrophic pump failure, do yourself a favor and just replace the condenser to start with.

 

very good tip

 

When you have a cata$trophic compressor failure you will usually have to replace everything but the evaporator and lines--and those will have to be thoroughly flu$hed. The conden$or, drier and orifice usually get trashed with debri$--oh yeah, this is expen$ive