Help!!!
I was just quoted $1,300 for A/C repair:
New compressor, drier, valve, condenser
Cleaning the system, charging it
Removing dash, cleaning the evaporator and lines

Background:
1-Have gone through 3 set of compressor-drier-valve jobs in 5 years!!! (Each one costing $700, in Miami). This time I took it to a different mechanic, shop who told me that’s a symptom of a clogged condenser, and needs replacement, as well as (again) the compressor, valve drier…)
2-The AC never blew enough air so I though it would be a good idea to have the lines and evaporator cleaned.

I don’t want to be ripped off. Am I been overcharged?
Need advice. Money is running low

 

Personally? Yes, you are. You can do this yourself. I'm getting ready to replace my compressor. Replacing things from the condensor to the compressor to the drier to the evaporator is easy. It's almost all easily accessible. The condensor just requires removing the radiator which is about as simple as it gets. The hardest thing would be the evaporator in the box. Seriously, you could replace ALL these parts yourself, and if you're not comfortable doing it, have it charged and oiled up at a shop. You'll save a massive amount of money.

Seriously, you can get a compressor for 150-200 depending, drier for 25. The rest I'm not sure of as I haven't looked those up. Plus it should all be under parts store warranty so if it goes bad, guess what? Free replacements!(within the warranty period, 1 year to lifetime depending on the part) and what's that gonna cost you then? your own time and maybe 50-100 for a recharge. But if you replace all that stuff and do it right, I can't see it going bad again anytime in the near future.

Heck, I even pulled an evaporator off a junk 79 firebird for my old 79 TA and it ran like a champ for years till I got rid of the car. It's simple as pie. Don't let these crooks steamroll you with those prices. Do it yourself!

 

Thanks for the info. But dont I need special tools for this? Vacum pump and to measure preasure?

 

Forgot the expansion valve???

 

Really, the only specialized tools I've ever used is a set of gauges.
You could prolly rent or buy the gauges and vacuum pump used at a decent sized pawn shop or a tool rental place. Your primary goal here is to do it yourself and save an ungodly amount of money. With some instructions, all the items and personally, I'd buy the tools, used or new, you'll be set for the future, including newer cars or any other car with r-134, which I assume you're using now with all the changes. I say this on this particular car cause the parts are so ridiculously easy to get at. I didn't list all the parts you'll need as I don't have a handy list or want to steer you to get too many or too few. But others you'll need are the 2 hoses from the compressor, orifice tube filter, o rings, etc.

My personal thoughts are you were prolly ripped off at the other shops too. They knew what they were doing, especially after the 2nd time and let you walk out figuring you'd be back again and hand them another stack of cash to fix something they aren't really fixing to begin with. It's hard to find an honest AC repair shop.

For an example, I had an 84 Ford tempo. The air went dead on me. I took it to 3 different AC shops and all of them gave me varying prices of 800-1000 to "replace the compressor cause it's shot" They gave me some song and dance about the clutch or something moving a tiny bit in and out. Anyway, someone recommended a Ford dealer AC tech friend of theirs. I took it to his house, he said, all that's wrong is your evaporator is bad. He replaced it, recharged and it was frozen cold air for me for years.

 

Am thinking this is one of those, all or nothing jobs. If I start by the evaporator, or the condensor, either way I have to let the gas go. Where do I begin? first the evaporator, them...?

 

You'll have to forgive me on my rudimentary knowledge of AC routing, but lemme see... Evaporator should have 2 hoses come out of it, one should go to the drier, then a hose from the drier goes to the compressor, then a hose from the compressor goes to the condensor, then a hose from the condensor goes back to the evaporator. I THINK that's right. In between you have a variety of hoses, o rings a sensor or switch here and there, the orifice filter, etc. My best recommendation is this. Since the AC is not gonna make your car stop driving... Disconnect everything short of the condensor. Take pictures beforehand, and make a diagram of the routing. Drive to the auto parts store with all this stuff. Go piece by piece and buy new, comparing each new to the old to verify its correct. Once you have all that including/or not including if you go to a shop, the oil(ester or pag, I forget which is recommended for a refit and which is for a new system) and r-134, head home and start the reconnections.

Also, if the new parts don't come with the sensor/switches/whatever, get those as well. No sense testing fate and finding out they are shot too. Try also not to get the cheapest compressor, of all the parts.

I see you live in Miami too, I'm up in Fort Lauderdale, so I know how you feel in this godawful heat, lol.

 

Also, for this and just about all other repairs you'll do, I HIGHLY recommend this.

http://www.helminc.com/helm/product2...VVVGB4WQ604B4F

If that link doesn't work, goto http://www.helminc.com and look up your car and year. They sell the authorized official factory service manual that the dealers use. Just taking a quick glance at the AC section on mine, I could replace everything if I'd never touched a tool before, lol. The manual isn't cheap, but it covers everything on your car from engines, to panels to electrical to, well, everything else. You really can't go wrong with that as your guide.

 

I guess I'll give it a try!
Thanks for the info