A/C repair

[rocket]

The compressor in my Jetta is shot; and I would like to know if anyone has an idea of a good shop for A/C work?  Or if anyone has the tools/experience to do the freon work.  Swaping the compressor isn't that hard, but I've never done A/C work before.

[Mr Rock]

Was the refrigerant already converted to 135a? if your system was not left open for a long time and it didn't get to contaminated, you can buy a filter dryer when you change it out the compressor and they sell a kit that gives you the gauge an a couple of bottles of 134a to charge it back up.
I've had luck doing this.

[skibum]

If an A/C compressor is seized then before it seized it will send debris through the entire system(Evaporator,Condensor,Reciver/dryer & H block(or sometimes called an Expantion valve) & these components can't be cleaned out. All the A/C lines can be cleaned out with Brake Clean & compressed air. If the system is not cleaned out compleatly then there is a good chance the Expantion valve will get plugged. Trust me. I have seen this many time. Another BIG thing is after you put everything back together you MUST pull a vacume on the system (30in) for atleast 30min to boil out all the moisture. This is very important so the system will work properly. Also NEVER reuse any seal or O ring on any conection because it will most likely leak later on down the road.

All cars & trucks by Federal law started using R134A in 1994. R12 is very hard to find & VERY Expensive.

 Repairing A/C is usually not cheep even for me because the parts are expensive but the BIG cost is labor because replacing an Evap involves removing the entire dash on many cars. I have no experince doing A/C repair on VW's & wan't to keep it that way because every time I get stuck working on a VW it always turns into a nightmare. There's always some sort of special tool needed to do a repair on thoes Germin cars. No wonder they lost the WOR!!!  I can definetly say replacing Evaps on "most" Honda's & Toyota's involves just removing the glove box & 2 of 3 halves of the heater box asembly. I gota say thoes Jap's got some good ideas sometimes but then again they also lost the WOR. Goes to show ya not to mess with the Good Ol USA.

[gearhead1985B]

All cars & trucks by Federal law started using R134A in 1994. R12 is very hard to find & VERY Expensive.

 

really so i should hang on to the r12 that i have lying around

[rocket]

All cars & trucks by Federal law started using R134A in 1994. R12 is very hard to find & VERY Expensive.

 

really so i should hang on to the r12 that i have lying around

I wouldn't if I were you; I'll come by and pick it up this week and deal w/ it

[skibum]

Not even shure you can get R12 anymore but not shure how much you could sell that stuff for becauce it's not that expansive to get a retro kit for R12 to R134A & R134A is cheep. I have 3 12LB cans & not quite shure what to do with it. Gess ill just hang on to it cuzz I might need it some day. Ya never no.  I always felt R12 worked better than R134A.

[zjchef25]

The compressor in my Jetta is shot; and I would like to know if anyone has an idea of a good shop for A/C work?  Or if anyone has the tools/experience to do the freon work.  Swaping the compressor isn't that hard, but I've never done A/C work before.

this is ironic i just did my jetta ac pump lol drop me a line lol

[kirksjeep]

When the AC clutch siezed on the Liberty I did the job myself. I had the R143 reclaimed and then swapped out the compressor (can't swap just the clutch with the Liberty).  I had to by the air dryer and the evap line to get the warranty through Advance Auto.  After the repairs I had the system recharged.  When I called the dealer it was estimated at $1200 and a 1 year warranty.  I did the project for a little over $400 and I still got the 1 year warranty.