I did a strong pull with the AC on and then the A/C stopped working and I started hearing a rattling noise. I took it to the dealer and they said the compressor internals are bad and I have to get the condenser too. The mechanic said that the accumulater/dryer is in the condenser. Is this true? They want $2100 to fix it. I want to get the parts and take it to a A/C shop but I wanted to know about the condenser first

 

forgot to mention it’s a 2008 base model

 

After some reading on here I found the answer.

 

I would invest in in-line secondary filter also....especially if your compressor generated some trash in the system.

 

And...you went to a dealer because......

 

And would you be so kind as to share this with the rest of us?

 

This is my first vette and I was a little intimidated because it’s a high performance sports car but after reading some posts on here I think I can do the job myself. I work on all my other cars. I feel comfortable with doing anything but taking the engine or transmission out. I’m thinking I can get somebody to get the Freon out, then I can replace the parts and then get a shop to recharge. By the way the accumulater/dryer ARE built into the condenser. I’m thinking I can get the parts for $300ish and pay for Freon removal and recharge for about $200ish and save $1500.

 

You can recharge your AC system yourself with a bottle of Freon from Autozone for $40. Ideally, you can get the Freon removed properly from your system. Freon never goes bad and it's horrible for our atmosphere if just leaked into the air.

 

Yes, the condenser needs replaced for sure. Make sure you retrieve the strainer in the liquid outlet of the condenser. Mine was plugged solid with aluminum mud. The new condenser should have a new strainer, if not the old one can be cleaned up and reused. One of the compressor bolts is a little tricky to deal with I recall. Mine had headers and made it easier to remove that side for compressor access. Don't mess with the expansion valve, it's a real bear to get too. I didn't and the a/c worked great for a couple years until I sold it.
I did this same job on a 2005 base I had a couple years ago. Lots of help online and YouTube. I'm in the hvac business so I was able to do the complete job.

 

If you have someone remove the existing freon, I would take it back to him for pulling a vacuum, and checking for leaks. Also you should run some cleaner through the lines. I have an AC expert friend I use as a sounding board. His machine does it all. I've been doing my own AC work for 15 years on older GM cars and trucks. One thing I learned from my friend when trying to charge a 97 Z-28 of ours was, it would not engage the compressor to pull in the new charge. He told me the OBD system had to be accessed with a scanner. He showed me you have to tell the computer to turn on the compressor. I was used to using the old paper clip trick to bypass the low pressure cut off switch. On a C6 I have no knowledge, as mine has never needed any work, but I would expect it would also need scanner prompting. I would ask a professional before I would attempt to charge. You do want to make sure you pull a vacuum for thirty minutes, then turn off your pump and make sure it holds for at least 30 minutes with no change. That's where a professional's machine could do it all for you. My friend doesn't charge much to flush, check and recharge . I told him except for having to drive over there to his shop, it's cheaper to have him fill and check than doing it at my house. Good luck, friend !

 

Parts stores have free loaner AC vacuum pumps and guage sets. You can evac and recharge yourself for the price of 2 cans of freon. Make sure you replace whatever PAG oil is lost in the swap.

 

Don't use those cans of refrigerant the parts stores sell that have 'sealer' in them. They make it sound like it's a magic pill, will fix all of your woes. Keep looking on the shelf until you find something that is straight R134A, usually on the very bottom, hidden away from everything. Unfortunately, you still have no way of accurately measuring how much refrigerant to put in the system without a measuring scale. These systems have 1.1 lbs in them if I remember correctly. Not a whole lot of room to guestimate there....

 

Yeah, that leak stuff just gums the internals up. I've got access to a scale, but always charge cars to discharge air temp.

 

Try "Frosty Cool" in Canada.

 

Kind of hijacking this thread, but I just bought a C6 and the owner had nicked the condenser when installing the Vararam intake which is apparently super common. Anywho the AC hasn't worked for him since, and he knocked a lot off the price because of this.

I just ordered a new condenser -- I know I will need to evac and refill the system once I install the new condenser. But what's all this about refrigerant oil? I've never heard of this stuff -- biggest AC job I've done is recharging the freon. So do I need to add some oil to the condenser?

 

You'll want to see how much oil you can drain out of the existing condenser. GM spec chart says add 2 oz of oil to the replacement condenser, unless you drained more than that from the old one. If so, add that amount instead. You'll want PAG 46 oil.

 

Thanks!

So I have no idea how many miles it's been driven without the AC condenser. My guess is at least 5,000. Would I be better off having the AC shop top off the PAG46 oil? I'm not sure if they would have any way to measure. I would be going there anyway to evac/refill the refrigerant.

 

If the refrigerant got low enough, the system shut down and wouldn't pump any more oil out. You could use a small measuring cup to add the oil to the condenser before installation. Keep in mind, PAG oil is hygroscopic like brake fluid. Don't keep it exposed to air any longer than necessary.

Or, you can bring it to a professional and then you'll (hopefully) get it repaired properly, with no worries.