How A Mechanic Can Change An Air Conditioner Compressor In The Average Vehicle

Pretty soon the weather will be warming up and it'll be time to turn on the air conditioner in your car again to keep cool. However, now is the time to get your air conditioning system checked by your local mechanic to make sure everything is in working order. One item that can freeze up after sitting unused for a little while is the compressor for the air conditioner. If the compressor is faulty, the best thing to do is to have the mechanic put in a new one. Here is how a mechanic can change the compressor for the air conditioner in your car.

Remove Old Refrigerant

The first thing the mechanic will do is remove the old refrigerant. Air conditioner refrigerant is considered a pollutant and needs to be placed into a container versus releasing it into the air. The mechanic will use a refrigerant recovery machine to remove the old refrigerant. The machine is connected to the low-pressure hose on the air conditioner so it can draw the refrigerant into the machine. The old refrigerant is then either taken to a refrigerant recycling center or dumped at a certified dumping facility.

Removing the Compressor

The mechanic will then remove the fan belt from the pulley on the compressor. In some cases, other parts such as the power steering pump might be in the way. The mechanic will remove those parts as well. The refrigerant lines will have to be removed from the top of the compressor. These lines are usually held in place with a single bolt. The electric wire harness going to the compressor is also disconnected from the compressor. The compressor is connected to the engine block with several bolts. The mechanic will remove the bolts and pull out the old compressor from your car.

Installing A New Compressor

A new compressor will usually come without any oil inside of it. The mechanic will have to put oil in the compressor to keep friction from building up in the unit and overheating the compressor while in use. In some cases, the new compressor will not have a top for the hose connections already installed. The mechanic should be able to take the top off of your old compressor and put it on the new one without any problems.

The mechanic will bolt the new compressor back onto the engine block and reconnect the hoses and electric wire harness. A vacuum pump is connected to the low-pressure hose and allowed to run for an hour or so. The vacuum pump removes any moisture that has gotten into the air conditioning system. Moisture will prevent the air conditioning system from working as well as it should and it could eventually damage the compressor.

The mechanic will place the fan belt back over the pulley on the new compressor. The last step is adding new refrigerant to the air conditioning system. Your car should blow cool air again once the new refrigerant is added to the system. Contact a business, such as Modern Auto Air, for more information about getting your air conditioner fixed.   

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