AC replacement
11-21-2015, 06:10 PM
#1
AC replacement Compressor is leaking so I ordered the following:
ACDELCO 156940 {#52472662} - AC condenser
ACDELCO 1520730 {#01137028, 1137028, 89018956} AC compressor
ACDELCO 155378 {#03096068, 3096068} AC Orifice tube
ACDELCO 1510095 {#01132796, 02724938, 1132796} - Drier/Accumulator
FOUR SEASONS 26736 AC System Seal Kit; O-Ring and Gasket Seal Kit
Not sure if these lines are good, but I figured I might as well replace them as well:
ACDELCO 1531009 {#10409630, 19213715} - suction and discharge hoses
ACDELCO 1533164 {#10282758, 19169412} - liquid line condenser to evap
Is there a how to or video for installation of these parts?
ACDELCO 156940 {#52472662} - AC condenser
ACDELCO 1520730 {#01137028, 1137028, 89018956} AC compressor
ACDELCO 155378 {#03096068, 3096068} AC Orifice tube
ACDELCO 1510095 {#01132796, 02724938, 1132796} - Drier/Accumulator
FOUR SEASONS 26736 AC System Seal Kit; O-Ring and Gasket Seal Kit
Not sure if these lines are good, but I figured I might as well replace them as well:
ACDELCO 1531009 {#10409630, 19213715} - suction and discharge hoses
ACDELCO 1533164 {#10282758, 19169412} - liquid line condenser to evap
Is there a how to or video for installation of these parts?
11-22-2015, 05:43 PM
#2
TECH Enthusiast
I'm sure there are plenty of videos on line showing AC compressor and other parts replacements...maybe even a bunch on the 5.7L. Just Google them. Other than the compressor the other parts are just unfasten, replace, re-fasten. The flushes and leak checks are the most important part so no junk is left behind. 2 parts which aren't on your list are the HP C/O switch and the evaporator. Those last 2 don't fail that often. If hour compressor self-destructed and sent metal shavings into the system you want to be sure you get it all out. If it was just seal leakage you should be good to go if the old orifice tube was pretty clean.
I'd also search this forum under general maintenance/AC components as no doubt someone has had the same questions you have now.
I'd also search this forum under general maintenance/AC components as no doubt someone has had the same questions you have now.
11-22-2015, 10:45 PM
#3
mechanical removal and installation is fairly straight forward.
being this is posted in the newbie tech forum....
the mechanical aspect of ac repair is easy along with purchasing those parts,
the somewhat harder and more expensive aspect is that
- you must pull a vacuum on the AC system once everything is installed, and for you to buy a decent vacuum pump to do that will cost $500 or more
- you need to pull vacuum down below 1000 microns, preferably below 500, and make sure it holds vacuum. this will prove there are no leaks in the system but more importantly remove all moisture. a good micron vacuum gauge can set you back another couple hundred bucks.
- kinda like engine oil you can have contaminants in it and not filled properly, the engine will run for a little while; with air conditioning you can't have any contaminants, moisture, or other non-condensible gas. AC is not forgiving, and you'll end up not having cold air and your new compressor won't last very long. It can depend on price but usually it's best to buy all new parts including lines, when you consider time and cost to flush and reuse existing ac lines. you really don't want to flush and reuse rubber hoses because stuff can stay embedded inside in the rubber, including the flush chemical. hard lines including the evaporator are ok to flush. and you should blow out anything you flush with r134a refrigerant to help assure no chemical residue is left inside them, i believe you can find a GM TSB stating they approve of no AC flush chemicals and the only thing they approve is r134a used as a flush. The evaporator which is inside the dash behind the firewall you generally don't replace because of the labor involved, it's easier to buy a new car.
when you open up your ac system, inspect the orifice tube and screen for contaminated dark oil and metal or other debris. if it's clean then that's a good sign the system was in good working order and the only problem was a shaft seal leak on the compressor. so go easy on flushing things, being 10+ years old still a good idea to replace rubber lines or lines that have a crimp from hard line to flex rubber when they only cost $30 from rockauto.
also know once the ac system is installed and sealed and you have pulled a deep vacuum and know that it holds, you then need to make sure there is the correct amount of PAG oil in the system which for the f-body is either 7oz or 9oz, along with adding the correct amount of r-134a which is 1.5 lbs. if you clean out the evaporator and install all new parts and no oil is in the system, then you know you need to add that 7 9 ounces of oil, otherwise you have to account for oil left wherever in the system and add accordingly.
This final step of pulling a vacuum and charging is best left to a shop because of the equipment cost to do it properly, and if you do everything up to this point the shop may or may not give you a hard time because if you screwed anything up and there's a leak then they will have to deal with it.
other thing is when you do the basic mechanical install of everything, use "mineral oil" for ac system o-rings for those connections using them, do not use the PAG oil that gets injected into the system to lube the compressor.
the four seasons website is a decent read: http://www.4s.com/Tech%20Resource-AC...p/Content.aspx
being this is posted in the newbie tech forum....
the mechanical aspect of ac repair is easy along with purchasing those parts,
the somewhat harder and more expensive aspect is that
- you must pull a vacuum on the AC system once everything is installed, and for you to buy a decent vacuum pump to do that will cost $500 or more
- you need to pull vacuum down below 1000 microns, preferably below 500, and make sure it holds vacuum. this will prove there are no leaks in the system but more importantly remove all moisture. a good micron vacuum gauge can set you back another couple hundred bucks.
- kinda like engine oil you can have contaminants in it and not filled properly, the engine will run for a little while; with air conditioning you can't have any contaminants, moisture, or other non-condensible gas. AC is not forgiving, and you'll end up not having cold air and your new compressor won't last very long. It can depend on price but usually it's best to buy all new parts including lines, when you consider time and cost to flush and reuse existing ac lines. you really don't want to flush and reuse rubber hoses because stuff can stay embedded inside in the rubber, including the flush chemical. hard lines including the evaporator are ok to flush. and you should blow out anything you flush with r134a refrigerant to help assure no chemical residue is left inside them, i believe you can find a GM TSB stating they approve of no AC flush chemicals and the only thing they approve is r134a used as a flush. The evaporator which is inside the dash behind the firewall you generally don't replace because of the labor involved, it's easier to buy a new car.
when you open up your ac system, inspect the orifice tube and screen for contaminated dark oil and metal or other debris. if it's clean then that's a good sign the system was in good working order and the only problem was a shaft seal leak on the compressor. so go easy on flushing things, being 10+ years old still a good idea to replace rubber lines or lines that have a crimp from hard line to flex rubber when they only cost $30 from rockauto.
also know once the ac system is installed and sealed and you have pulled a deep vacuum and know that it holds, you then need to make sure there is the correct amount of PAG oil in the system which for the f-body is either 7oz or 9oz, along with adding the correct amount of r-134a which is 1.5 lbs. if you clean out the evaporator and install all new parts and no oil is in the system, then you know you need to add that 7 9 ounces of oil, otherwise you have to account for oil left wherever in the system and add accordingly.
This final step of pulling a vacuum and charging is best left to a shop because of the equipment cost to do it properly, and if you do everything up to this point the shop may or may not give you a hard time because if you screwed anything up and there's a leak then they will have to deal with it.
other thing is when you do the basic mechanical install of everything, use "mineral oil" for ac system o-rings for those connections using them, do not use the PAG oil that gets injected into the system to lube the compressor.
the four seasons website is a decent read: http://www.4s.com/Tech%20Resource-AC...p/Content.aspx