Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
So, sometime in Feb 2017 the AC on my truck quit blowing cold air, it's a 2004 so I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later given it's age. I took it in early May to fix it and a shop told me that it's not worth fully fixing it because with such an old car if he fixes one leak it will probably start leaking soon enough in some other place and to just recharge it.. I guess at the time I took the advice and for $80 he charged it up and it started blowing cold air (not ice cold but pretty close to it). That lasted until Oct-Nov when it started fading out again.
A different service shop quoted me a diagnostic fee of $100 applied towards the fix but he said it could be several hundreds to fix and until the diagnostic couldn't give me a quote.
Question - is it possible to even fix the AC right on an old vehicle such as this so that it lasts for a few years at least? My concern is that I take it to the shop, costs me several hundreds of dollars to fix the leak or even change the compressor etc. and then a few months later the same thing happens and I take it back to the shop and they say a few hundred again because it's not the same leak. What should I ask for a warranty?
Bottom line - is it reasonable to expect a proper AC job that costs several hundred dollars last at least a few years?
I'm usually not an advocate of DIY recharge cans , but if this isn't your primary car, I'd try that first. It'll at least get you through the summer. Many so-called A/C shops will charge you $1000 to fire the parts cannon w/o ever doing a proper diagnosis first. I mean, what do they have to lose, it's not their money.
I'm definitely no recharge can guy myself, but I've used one for the company truck and also for my F150 and I've been quite pleased with them. My truck's worth pocket lint if I was trading it in, so it wasn't something I wanted to spend it's value worth of work on just for that until I can at least semi retire it again...and I'd figure with a leak, any moisture gets pressured out of the system before the sealing takes place. I hope. So far, so good.
Most leaks occur at two locations. The seal of the compressor shaft and the refill valve. Indications are oily wet area at the pulley and a line of oil under the hood. And place a spot of water on the fill valve. If it bubbles, it's leaking.
If you don't want to spend hundreds of repair dollars and the leak isn't too bad, refill it yourself. A can of R-134 is about $10-$12 plus the hose/valve.
I don't mind spending a few hundred dollars for a fix that will last a few years... what would not be acceptable is having a fix that costs several hundred dollars last just as long as a can recharge fix that costs $50 and the shop giving a ton of BS about how it's not the original problem that has returned. If a system's leaks have been fixed then it should not leak again in a reasonable time frame which in my opinion is at least 3 or so years considering that the recharge temp fix lasted 8 months.
Most auto mechanics are liars, cheats and incompetents so i'm really struggling to find a decent one.
I found two really great honest mechanics. My AC on my car was broken when I bought it. The PO said she replaced the condenser. But the AC 8nly worked for two weeks. Then the guy said she needed a AC compressor. That was part of the reason she was selling it cheaper.
Took it to my mechanic. He said the guy used the wrong fittings and o rings. He fixed it recharged it. $180 later I got cold AC.
AC systems are relatively simple. Once evacuated the removal and replacement are pretty straight forward. You can even refill it yourself if you have the hoses. I never cared how old my cars are if they got AC I’ll get it fixed.
I don't mind spending a few hundred dollars for a fix that will last a few years... what would not be acceptable is having a fix that costs several hundred dollars last just as long as a can recharge fix that costs $50 and the shop giving a ton of BS about how it's not the original problem that has returned. If a system's leaks have been fixed then it should not leak again in a reasonable time frame which in my opinion is at least 3 or so years considering that the recharge temp fix lasted 8 months............
You can do it yourself. Really!
Price a new compressor and a new dryer. Buy the vacuum pump and gauges. Study whatever you need to study to get the job done and once you have done the book work you are ready to go.
I did the whole job on my 90GMC. You can do it, too.
Have them load dye into the system. With a UV light you can easily find the leak, unless it's the evaporator in which case it would be hidden from view.
It's not hard to replace the components. Typically cars have a few failure points. Condenser and evap are one of them.
It is extremely important you do a proper Evac to the system, some folks like to do those quick charge cans from the auto parts store. If you do not do a proper Evac, you may have a moisture issue that will destroy a compressor. Best thing to do is go to a qualified station and have an Evac and recharge done, check for leaks at every connection, and also run a leak check on all the rubber lines as sometimes they can also have seepage thru the line. Once they find the leak, Evac, make the repair, and recharge.
Evac and recharge should include putting UV leak detection dye in the system. When we do it we inform the customer that the price for a free while-you-wait recheck for the presence of the UV dye, (works like luminal in CSI or Forensic Files) is included in the service and to call ahead when they are in the neighborhood maybe two weeks after recharge.
I don't mind spending a few hundred dollars for a fix that will last a few years... what would not be acceptable is having a fix that costs several hundred dollars last just as long as a can recharge fix that costs $50 and the shop giving a ton of BS about how it's not the original problem that has returned.
Sad to say, it is very possible to do a significant amount of work on an AC system only to have it spring a new leak down the road.
Quote:
Originally Posted by k374
If a system's leaks have been fixed then it should not leak again in a reasonable time frame which in my opinion is at least 3 or so years
That is a reasonable expectation if every single component in the AC, with the exception of metal lines has been replaced. Otherwise there is always the possibility that after a compressor, receiver/drier, expansion valve have been replaced, for example, down the road the evaporator will spring a leak. Would you really want to spend what it costs to replace every leak-prone component in the system? Few people would. I always make it clear that however much the AC repair bill is, it is NOT for "a complete new system." It might be for a compressor and all service and parts replacement that supports the compressor, but even then the condenser could spring a leak next week.
Quote:
Originally Posted by k374
considering that the recharge temp fix lasted 8 months.
Most auto mechanics are liars, cheats and incompetents so i'm really struggling to find a decent one.
Sorry about your struggle. Perhaps you should examine your expectations and how you try to find an honest mechanic?
So, sometime in Feb 2017 the AC on my truck quit blowing cold air, it's a 2004 so I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later given it's age. I took it in early May to fix it and a shop told me that it's not worth fully fixing it because with such an old car if he fixes one leak it will probably start leaking soon enough in some other place and to just recharge it.. I guess at the time I took the advice and for $80 he charged it up and it started blowing cold air (not ice cold but pretty close to it). That lasted until Oct-Nov when it started fading out again.
A different service shop quoted me a diagnostic fee of $100 applied towards the fix but he said it could be several hundreds to fix and until the diagnostic couldn't give me a quote.
Question - is it possible to even fix the AC right on an old vehicle such as this so that it lasts for a few years at least? My concern is that I take it to the shop, costs me several hundreds of dollars to fix the leak or even change the compressor etc. and then a few months later the same thing happens and I take it back to the shop and they say a few hundred again because it's not the same leak. What should I ask for a warranty?
Bottom line - is it reasonable to expect a proper AC job that costs several hundred dollars last at least a few years?
You can reasonably expect the parts that were replaced to carry a warranty. You can not reasonably expect parts that were not replaced to be guaranteed not to leak further on down the road.
Don in Austin
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
