A/C leak help

A/C quit working, blowing hot air. Recharged with 3 cans. Blew cold for a couple of days then hot again. Bringing into shop next week. Apparantly a leak (the low pressure switch kept compressor from engaging).
1998 extended with rear A/C.
Any rough ideas on $? I'm bracing myslef for $500 - $600. Am I even close?
Anyone with simalar situation recently please advise!
Thanks in advance!

A/C quit working, blowing hot air. Recharged with 3 cans. Blew cold for a couple of days then hot again. Bringing into shop next week. Apparantly a leak (the low pressure switch kept compressor from engaging).
1998 extended with rear A/C.
Any rough ideas on $? I'm bracing myslef for $500 - $600. Am I even close?
Anyone with simalar situation recently please advise!
Thanks in advance!

You need some proper testing to find the leak.
Have the shop look it over and find the leak first and go from there.
Most shops will give you a estimate.
But when you find what the leak is or at post back and the good people will help with it.
Could be anything from a 0 ring leak to the hole thing bad.
Good Luck MT.

Well, after a day in the shop for diagnosis.....bad compressor. Mechanic thought for sure it would be the rear lines, but no. They were in excellent condition. Took all of yesterday and some time this morning for the leak dye to start being flung all over by the compressor.
So a day for diagnosis, vacuum down system, recharge, re "oil" system, new serpentine belt (w/85,000 miles on it....what the heck, why not!) total was $700 and change. Lots of $ but I figure thats about 2 payments on a new van.......right?!?:screwy:

Well, after a day in the shop for diagnosis.....bad compressor. Mechanic thought for sure it would be the rear lines, but no. They were in excellent condition. Took all of yesterday and some time this morning for the leak dye to start being flung all over by the compressor.
So a day for diagnosis, vacuum down system, recharge, re "oil" system, new serpentine belt (w/85,000 miles on it....what the heck, why not!) total was $700 and change. Lots of $ but I figure thats about 2 payments on a new van.......right?!?:screwy:

Right on there.
Only money. :grinyes: :rofl: :lol:
As long as they got it fixed right and you have cold air.
Thanks for letting us know how it went.
Glad you got it fixed.
MT

I was under the van yesterday changing the oil and noticed the bright green lubricant from the A/C system. I removed the black plastic protector, and sure enough, the compressor is starting to leak oil at the outer seal near the pulley. Dang, the warranty just ended 1 month ago!

Anyway, I won't be replacing this until at least next summer (or when it dosen't cool) but I was wondering what brands of compressors you have used or gotten as replacements. At this point, I don't have much interest in the Mitsubishi OEM compressor that came with the van because 5yrs/60k miles seems a shorter than average lifespan.

I did go new (instead of rebuilt) with my last compressor replacement on my 7 year old Mazda in 2002 and it has worked flawlessly since. I believe it was about $550 with labor and it was an American company who made it. I'll have to check the brand.

I was under the van yesterday changing the oil and noticed the bright green lubricant from the A/C system. I removed the black plastic protector, and sure enough, the compressor is starting to leak oil at the outer seal near the pulley. Dang, the warranty just ended 1 month ago!

Anyway, I won't be replacing this until at least next summer (or when it dosen't cool) but I was wondering what brands of compressors you have used or gotten as replacements. At this point, I don't have much interest in the Mitsubishi OEM compressor that came with the van because 5yrs/60k miles seems a shorter than average lifespan.

I did go new (instead of rebuilt) with my last compressor replacement on my 7 year old Mazda in 2002 and it has worked flawlessly since. I believe it was about $550 with labor and it was an American company who made it. I'll have to check the brand.


Beware of murry and 4 season stuff.
Also proper installation is importain on compresser repair or replacement.
Here is a good AC link tha can give you repair info and they have good parts to. They will point you in the right dirction.
http://www.autoacforum.com/
Good Luck
MT

Thanks for the info MT.

Joe

if the warranty is only up by one month, go into the dealer and raise 10 kinds of hell.....maybe they will goodwill it, or at least give you a break...if u wait till next summer, then it will be too late.

I've scheduled an appointment with the GM dealer who did the last A/C repair. We'll see what happens.

After researching the whole A/C issue, it seems that on the 2001 GM minivans Mitsubishi OEM scroll compressors (and their AC/Delco dealer part equivalent) are the only option for a new compressor. In addition, no replacement parts are available like with the older style piston compressors. So it is either a new one through a dealer or a rebuilt compressor. Unfortunately, the high dealer price on these compressors ($500-$700) makes the rebuilt units quite expensive too.

I checked on my Mazda yesterday and it has a Sanden replacement scroll compressor. I'm hoping to get 2-3 more years out of it before failure. The original lasted 7 before the A/C clutch failed. There were no replacement clutches available (according to the independent shop who did the work), so I got a new compressor with clutch.

Good News!

The dealer verified that the A/C compressor was leaking at the outer head gasket. The diagnosis was part failure. GM, throught their customer service department, agreed to pickup the majority of the cost for replacement with a new compressor. The van's 5 yr./60K warranty ended on 8-13-06 but the milage was only 59,650 miles.

Way to go GM! I am a happy customer.