AC Compressor
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2023
Posts: 38
Likes: 12
From: Ohio
AC Compressor
Ac compressor went bad coming home from Hot Rod Power Tour last night. Started making a grinding sound and vibrating whole car. Cut belt off and it stopped. Made it home ok. So my question is what brand ac compressor and how much this usually cost to have done?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,491
Likes: 806
From: West coast CA
It's possible the compressor is okay, and something else is causing it to be noisy like the belt tensioner or expansion valve. On the other hand, if it's blown up internally, you could have debris throughout the refrigerant loop requiring replacement of everything.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 12,502
Likes: 3,628
Yep, since down the rabbit hole of how deep the problem is.
Hence could just be a bad pulley bearing that is cheap, with just pulling the clutch assembly off the compressor with the lines still charged, changing out the bearing in the pulley, and putting the clutch back together on the compressor to solve the problem. if just the pulley bearing, you can get a new one from amazon for under $20.
Same goes for it the problem is the lower tension pulley bearing seized up, since new tensioner is not that much money, or can just replace the pulley with new bearing on that assembly instead.
The more expensive side is problem in the compressor, since lines need to be discharged (Freon reclaimed) to replace it, parts down line if it sent shars into the system, system vacuumed to pull all the moisture out of the system, and then recharged to the correct pressure (high pressure switch in the system and if over pressured, will kick the system off.
Hence could just be a bad pulley bearing that is cheap, with just pulling the clutch assembly off the compressor with the lines still charged, changing out the bearing in the pulley, and putting the clutch back together on the compressor to solve the problem. if just the pulley bearing, you can get a new one from amazon for under $20.
Same goes for it the problem is the lower tension pulley bearing seized up, since new tensioner is not that much money, or can just replace the pulley with new bearing on that assembly instead.
The more expensive side is problem in the compressor, since lines need to be discharged (Freon reclaimed) to replace it, parts down line if it sent shars into the system, system vacuumed to pull all the moisture out of the system, and then recharged to the correct pressure (high pressure switch in the system and if over pressured, will kick the system off.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,491
Likes: 806
From: West coast CA
I would probably take the car and a new belt to an A/C shop for diagnosis.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 3,789
Likes: 1,694
From: Summerville SC
I had to have my compressor replaced. Dealer wanted about $800 just for the part. But he was OK with me getting a brand new AC Delco unit, in a sealed box from Rock for about half the price. They did the install and will honor the warranty. FWIW they had just done a good ($$$) amount of work on the evap core replacement, so I think he felt some pity for me. Just to give you an idea, but hopefully you won't have to go the replacement route. 
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2023
Posts: 38
Likes: 12
From: Ohio
Made an appointment to get it checked out at Corvette Care in Columbus,Ohio. They’ve done other work for me and done a great job so I’ll just take it there. Was just trying to get an idea of about how much of the green lettuce of salvation it was going to be. Thanks for the reply’s ✌🏻🤙🏻
