a/c compressor installation

[darrennovacek]

hello everyone,

i know this has nothing to do with performance but someone on here must know how to replace the a/c compressor on a 95 gsx. mine just took a dump on me this weekend and i NEED a/c. i took it to a place in town and they wanted $1000 bucks!?! I already found a replacement compressor from a store on ebay for $160, not too bad. but i have no idea how to install it and my Chilton's book is no help. if anyone knows how to replace it or knows of a good site that would save me a whole lot of money.

thanks for any help,
Darren

 

[ddavisaf]

There are four bolts that hold it on.

First get the system professionally discharged. Then remove the lines going into the AC compressor. Remove all sensors. Remove brake fluid resivouir. Place a jack with a piece of wood under your oil pan. Jack the car up to take the pressure off of the motor mount. Remove the motor mount. Lower the engine enough to remove the compressor. Aftermarket exhaust you may have to remove the down pipe. Then remove the four bolts holding the compressor to the bracket. Compressor is remove, new one is installed.

 

[Lordpaxin]

Holy Crap that sounds like a lot of work.

When i pulled my motor I foolishy Removed the AC compressor first. i just pulled the coil pack. moved the wires and junk out of the way, unhooked the lines from the compressor (professionally removing the gasses ) took out the 4 bolts and wiggle and waggled it out.

but I did have several things already removed with the engine pull, perhaps the method mentioned above is better for you. I dont know.

but 1000$ to replace it? please.
Do you already have the compressor bought? I have 3 you can have for shipping.

 

[n0c7]

They probably want $1000, $100 for parts and $900 for labour What a hassle just to remove a 4 bolt part.

 

[Defiant]

I already found a replacement compressor from a store on ebay for $160, not too bad.

If that's Click n Get, make sure they send the right one. They sent me an n/t compressor, twice. I gave up and just got one from M&S Recycling.
I did this job three weeks ago:

Originally Posted by L2RTSiAWD
How did you manage to unbolt it without pulling an axle off? Maybe when it's not 115 out I will take a closer look at it. Every year I say "I'm going to make it work by next summer" but alas something always comes up.
My reply:
Well, there is the screen name. The manual just says to pull the brake resevoir and move it out of the way. Aren't manuals wonderful? Another guy said he'd just done it in the forums, so I wrote him and asked if there was anything special to it, and he didn't let-on. When I first got this car, the AC was out of commission (needed the thermo switch in the compressor), and the shop who did it took it out the bottom. I got the compressor from M&S Recycling here in Rancho Cambodia (about 30 miles away), and asked the counter guy. He said, yeah, it looks like it should come out the top, but it won't. (Re-refer to screen name.) So, I pulled the two resevoir bolts and laid it over, four bolts on the compressor, two on the refrigerant lines (and the one on the fender that holds the low-pressure line, and laid it up over the radiator), and then had to pull the AC belt tensioner bolt (the big long one with one flat spot that won't let you just unscrew the fcker with your fingers), and the bolt that locks the tensioner. Then loosen the lower tensioner pivot bolt so the whole idler assembly can fall forward out of the way. Pull the bolt holding the power steering line, pulled the ones holding the loom guide on the intake, unsnapped connectors and put them out of the way, and tried to get enough of a grip on the oil-covered, greasy, filthy, stinking sonofabitch compressor until in a Hulk-like rage I was able to pull it up. It really does fit, and it really is that close. Kind of like one of those puzzles made out of horseshoes where you have to get the ring over the bit. I've not been that goddamned exhausted in the last decade. I didn't have to pull the strut bar. I did all these bolts from the top, used a deep socket only for the two bottom compressor bolts (oh, and only to loosen, because the bolts will trap the socket as they unscrew), and did the whole thing otherwise with two sizes of flex-head Gear Wrenches. Didn't even bother running up the air compressor for the air ratchet. Actually, now that it's over, one of the biggest pains in the ass was getting the stupid belts back on, having to wrestle them sideways through the ½" of clearance between the pulleys and the frame. Remove the plastic fender skirt so you can see what the hell you're doing.
But after it's all hooked up, here's the kicker: vacuuming down the system. Oddly, I don't have a $600 vacuum pump here.... but, I do have a $7000 vacuum pump, right here in the engine. I hooked the AC up to the manifold port and used the idling engine to pump it down. Not quite to the requested 30", but over 20". Recharged it, and back out of the pits down the Mulsanne Straight. (Refer to screen name.)
The R&R took me about three hours, and I'm such a hideous dough-boy anymore I was in agony for days. A normally fit human should be able to get it in about two hours. No need to mess with engine mounts nor exhaust stuff.
You may find it worthwhile to have a real AC shop do the pump-down and recharge. Your call.

 

[Fool904]

1000 sounds rediculous ......mine went out about a month ago and about 2 weeks ago i bought a compressor from my friend for 40$ and he put the new compressor in for 150$ and also converted mine to r134 too

 

[S_Ranger]

Don't mean to bring an old thread back but my compressor went out too. I thought my free-on was out but the guy who inspected it said it was the compressor. I was like ok, not too expensive...how much for installation? "uh, bout 900 bucks for you." I was like ok...seriously? "Yeah man, that's a good deal." I didn't say nothing, my facial expression did the talking. Gave him $10 for inspecting it and took off.