Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Jan Suhr]

Well of course when we have a heat spell this year the AC compressor gave up, it started to sound really bad with a knocking noise and when I shut the AC off the sound went away.

I have ordered a new compressor and will change it as soon as I get it. My question is is it easiest to remove it from the underside of the car and what else has to be removed to get it changed?

Appreciate any advice.


Thanks

[Doctor Gollum]

Power steering pump and reservoir, battery, secondary air injection gubbins (if fitted), aux belt tensioner, air intake ducting...

Iirc, there's some disconnecting to do underneath and above, but most of the space clearance is above, so jack it up and do the lower bits, then strip the top and hoik it out...

Entwood has done his, so will hopefully be able to elaborate on the details. Assuming that he isn't melted into his plastic house

[LC0112G]

If it's still full of gas, then legally you're supposed to get it vacuumed down to remove all the gas. It's illegal to just vent it to atmosphere.

You need to take the aux belt off, but IIRC you can get the compressor out from underneath (on a RHD 3.0 anyway). Just remove the under-tray, and 4 bolts fix the compressor to the mounting bracket. The A/C pipes attach to the top of it, and getting to the securing bolt for these was the worst bit IIRC. 

Once off, turn the compressor over by hand and empty out the old oil into a container. If there are any 'bits' in the oil then you'll probably have to flush the whole system out. These bits are probably metal, or oxides thereof, and if you just put the new compressor on without flushing you'll wreck it fairly quickly.

Put some PAG/PAO oil in the compressor before you fit it - at least as much as you drain out of the old one and anything up to about 100mL. Getting the A/C pipes back on the top are a bit of a game, and there are two rubber/nitrile/HBNR O rings that have to be got in the correct place - which you can't see.