AC repair - parts to replace?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,105
Likes: 114
From: Lawrenceburg, KY
AC repair - parts to replace?
My 2004 coupe has developed a massive AC leak. I'm not sure yet where it is (I'll take it in to diagnose it), but it's bad enough that I put a full can in it to make it work and it was dead empty in about 10 minutes.
I've been reading and beyond the obvious o-rings and such, the compressor kept getting mentioned as a highly possible cause (shaft seals go out). IF it turns out that it really is the compressor, then I'm also going to have to replace the accumulator. At that point, do I also replace the condenser? The car has 150K miles (mostly highway) but prior to (AZ) winter the AC worked fine (blew ice cold last summer), so I don't see it NEEDS it but also don't want to skip something at regret it later.
I was already needed to do a steering rack (it's leaking bad) so I was going to do a balancer and cam at the same time, so the radiator will be out regardless.
I've been reading and beyond the obvious o-rings and such, the compressor kept getting mentioned as a highly possible cause (shaft seals go out). IF it turns out that it really is the compressor, then I'm also going to have to replace the accumulator. At that point, do I also replace the condenser? The car has 150K miles (mostly highway) but prior to (AZ) winter the AC worked fine (blew ice cold last summer), so I don't see it NEEDS it but also don't want to skip something at regret it later.
I was already needed to do a steering rack (it's leaking bad) so I was going to do a balancer and cam at the same time, so the radiator will be out regardless.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 674
Likes: 102
IF YOUR COMPRESSOR IS ONLY LEAKING I would say no you dont need to change the condensor
iF YOUR COMPRESSOR IS BAD FOR ANY OTHER REASON I would change it and the orifice tube and flush the system
You should be able to put a can of dye in the system and find a leak that big before tearing it apart
iF YOUR COMPRESSOR IS BAD FOR ANY OTHER REASON I would change it and the orifice tube and flush the system
You should be able to put a can of dye in the system and find a leak that big before tearing it apart
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 10,943
Likes: 478
From: EAST TENNESSEE
IF YOUR COMPRESSOR IS ONLY LEAKING I would say no you dont need to change the condensor
iF YOUR COMPRESSOR IS BAD FOR ANY OTHER REASON I would change it and the orifice tube and flush the system
You should be able to put a can of dye in the system and find a leak that big before tearing it apart
iF YOUR COMPRESSOR IS BAD FOR ANY OTHER REASON I would change it and the orifice tube and flush the system
You should be able to put a can of dye in the system and find a leak that big before tearing it apart
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,105
Likes: 114
From: Lawrenceburg, KY
Update:
I took the car to a local shop this morning and they quickly located the issue. It turns out the O-rings on the schrader valve in both the high and low sides test ports had deteriorated. New schraders, a full evac/recharge and AC is back to working like it should (and my wallet is $250 lighter too...).
SOOOOO, if anyone runs into an issue where they are getting a major AC leak, don't forget to check your schraders.
I took the car to a local shop this morning and they quickly located the issue. It turns out the O-rings on the schrader valve in both the high and low sides test ports had deteriorated. New schraders, a full evac/recharge and AC is back to working like it should (and my wallet is $250 lighter too...).
SOOOOO, if anyone runs into an issue where they are getting a major AC leak, don't forget to check your schraders.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 3,771
Likes: 940
From: Orlando Florida
Excellent observation. Many of us have our Harbor Freight or Amazon gage sets, but Schraders are often over looked. Another small note: the FSM notes the Schrader valves as secondary seals. The caps, believe it or not, are the primary seals. Important to make sure the caps are in good condition with good seals.
$250 sounds pretty reasonable, all things considered.
$250 sounds pretty reasonable, all things considered.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,105
Likes: 114
From: Lawrenceburg, KY
Excellent observation. Many of us have our Harbor Freight or Amazon gage sets, but Schraders are often over looked. Another small note: the FSM notes the Schrader valves as secondary seals. The caps, believe it or not, are the primary seals. Important to make sure the caps are in good condition with good seals.
$250 sounds pretty reasonable, all things considered.
$250 sounds pretty reasonable, all things considered.
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,105
Likes: 114
From: Lawrenceburg, KY
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,105
Likes: 114
From: Lawrenceburg, KY
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 65
Likes: 25
$150 is reasonable. That is the going rate.
Schrader valves take less than 20 seconds to replace and are almost always done every time the system is recharged for free. (I have it done for free at several places including the rip offs like big o tires and jiffy lube). I wouldn’t be going back to that place again.
Schrader valves take less than 20 seconds to replace and are almost always done every time the system is recharged for free. (I have it done for free at several places including the rip offs like big o tires and jiffy lube). I wouldn’t be going back to that place again.
Last edited by tommyallen; Mar 16, 2020 at 03:16 PM.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 607
Likes: 141
ooofff $250... What shop was it? I live in the east valley.... I have an entire box of Schrader valves I bought from amazon for $11, I would have given you two for free. Last week I had a shop near me check the pressure and pull and fill for $110, and I handed them two new schrader valves to install. IMO charging you $75 for that part was not ethical...
Last edited by C6Z_LS7; Mar 16, 2020 at 03:43 PM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,105
Likes: 114
From: Lawrenceburg, KY
ooofff $250... What shop was it? I live in the east valley.... I have an entire box of Schrader valves I bought from amazon for $11, I would have given you two for free. Last week I had a shop near me check the pressure and pull and fill for $110, and I handed them two new schrader valves to install. IMO charging you $75 for that part was not ethical...
The $150 for an evac and fill was high, but it didn't ruffle me TOO much. If that had been all they did, I wouldn't have been upset. I really wasn't happy with the $75 schrader valve but I wanted it fixed so I could move on with my day.
Last edited by ChrisLSx; Mar 18, 2020 at 12:29 AM.