Aircon compressor seized, any help please!!

[Ghiagirl]

Can anyone recommend someone around south east Melbourne to replace, re-gas etc, a new aircon compressor for a Series 1 5.0L Ghia. Had a few quotes but quite pricey, so trying to find out if they're high or in the right ball park.

Any suggestions welcome :
Cheers

[Mr Hardware]

A replace and regas of a compressor is always going to be several hundred dollars. For a brand new compressor (supply, fit and regas with warranty) you're gonna be looking around the $7-800 mark or thereabouts.

[JC]

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

A replace and regas of a compressor is always going to be several hundred dollars. For a brand new compressor (supply, fit and regas with warranty) you're gonna be looking around the $7-800 mark or thereabouts.

Last time I checked, it was around 50% more than that for the V8 - not cheap at all!

[Ghiagirl]

Unfortunately you're right JC, been quoted between $1000-$1300 depending on whether or not I just change the compressor or replace all components, condenser etc.

For now I've removed the belt and replaced it with a shorter one to bypass the compressor so I can at least use the fan for my windows so I can see on these foggy mornings!

[peterban]

I have a supposedly new compressor and condenser I bought from e-bay awhile ago when I was having problems which turned out to be the orifice tube.
I think I paid $230 for compressor (with clutch ) and $120 for condenser.
You would still need the dryer, orifice tube and somehow clean out the connecting pipes as they told me when the compressor dies it usually puts small pieces of metal through the system.
If you were handy enough to change your belt to a shorter one then refitting the aircon stuff shouldn't be too much of a hassle.

[Ghiagirl]

Originally Posted by peterban

I have a supposedly new compressor and condenser I bought from e-bay awhile ago when I was having problems which turned out to be the orifice tube.
I think I paid $230 for compressor (with clutch ) and $120 for condenser.
You would still need the dryer, orifice tube and somehow clean out the connecting pipes as they told me when the compressor dies it usually puts small pieces of metal through the system.
If you were handy enough to change your belt to a shorter one then refitting the aircon stuff shouldn't be too much of a hassle.

Thanks for the offer, only prob is I think you need a licensed guy to remove the hoses from the compressor so that the gases are captured and not released into the air (something along those lines) then there is also the regassing issue, I have no idea how to do that myself (none to confident with that one!)

But you're right about changing everything and cleaning it out, due to the metal shards that have more than likely gone through the system would just cause it to seize again within a short amount of time.

I think unfortunately I will just have to fork over the bucks to get it done for me! :yeees:

[buster33]

After reading through some threads on air cons, it seems to me my NL '97 Fairlane Ghia V8 has just had it's death warrant signed.
I went to have it regassed and serviced yesterday, but the mechanic started rattling off just about everything mentioned here and then some, right after he told me the compressor had seized up
I guess my aircon will now depend on how wide I open the windows
It has been a great car and if I had the money I would restore it, but to spend $1000+ on a $2000 car doesn't make much sense does it.
You guys couldn't help me out this time around, but the comments and suggestions proved to be the info I was needing to make an informed decision.
Thanks,and all the best in 2019 for you all.
b33

[aussiblue]

You can get a mobile air con man to come and degass and later return to regass. once you have fitted new parts (in addition to the compressor usually and least a new drier and condenser see https://speedyairspares.com.au/produ...yl-77-172.html etc).


Compressors around $350 e.g. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Brand-Ne...sxd:rk:21:pf:0 or https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/New-Air-...MsxS:rk:6:pf:0 This $300 may even fit https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Ford-AU-...rlm-:rk:2:pf:0

Buy the Haynes Tech Book https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Automoti...GZL3:rk:2:pf:0 and some O rings https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Automoti...GZL3:rk:2:pf:0 and oil to lubricate the O rings https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Air-Comp...yoq:rk:12:pf:0 and some crows foot flare nut spanners you can use to tighten all the pipe fittings to spec with a small torque wrench. This is what I usually do. If you are going to keep the car think about fitting one aftermarket line filters that stop broken bits of compressor getting into teh drier and condenser if it should fail again. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu_mVy-cN-w and https://www.ebay.com/itm/Supercool-I...Nh5:rk:14:pf:0 and https://www.amazon.com/TSI-Supercool.../dp/B008PKUTYY and https://www.amazon.com.au/s/ref=nb_s...In-Line+Filter

[snap0964]

^^^^ Don't forget it's an NL, not an AU - fairly different systems. The AU runs an accumulator/orifice tube/piston compressor system, while the NL runs a receiver/drier/TX valve/scroll compressor system.
Buster, grab the front plate of the compressor (not the pulley)and see if you can rotate it, might need to ham fist it, but if it moves and you can 'prime' it, then it won't be seized.

[aussiblue]

Oops it was in the AU forum so I went off on the wrong track. So https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Air-Cond...sAAOSwlThcMsqi and https://speedyairspares.com.au/produ...LTD-242-8.html a bit more than the AU.

[buster33]

Cheers guys and thanks
m I must admit that the mobile mechanic just took off an air intake thing and looked down at the compressor and straight away said it was seized.
I will try a little "persuasion" in the morning and see if I can get it to move.
A question I forgot to ask earlier.
'If it is in fact seized, is it ok to leave the belt around the pulley running all the time?
The pulley turns without barely a whisper, but the face plate of the compressor is dead still.


My apologies for not paying attention to where I was posting too.
I should have looked around more and found the more appropriate thread,. :( Sorry

[snap0964]

The front plate engages the pulley, so it can run as usual. The front plate should rotate quite easily by hand.