96 AC

I have been reading former AC posts here and I am still confused about what to do with mine.I just returned from an AC shop and apparently I need a new compressor. There was no charge in the system and when some was introduced the guy showed me how he sprayed the compressor with some fluid and you could see it bubbling all around it. Expert said he could fill the system but it would probably all be gone in a day or two. He gave me a quote for around $600 to fix it. That would include a new compressor (about $300), a new filter, and labor. He said these compressors were not very good to begin with and a junkyard one was a waste of money but he would be happy to install one with no guarantee. I do have a spare car. This is a 96 without the SC and has 115K on it. I got it from a 92 year old who had his license taken by the state. So what to do??? I live in Maine and probably only use the AC maybe 10 days in a year. I would like it to work though but probably not $600 worth. Is there a cheaper fix?

jbeganny wrote:

Is there a cheaper fix?

You could always install one of those mini fans that attach to the dashboard  

Seriously though....there's no "easy" fix for a bad A/C Compressor. Yes, it's quite an expensive part, but they all eventually fail and need replacement.

Abaddon wrote:

jbeganny wrote:

Is there a cheaper fix?

You could always install one of those mini fans that attach to the dashboard  

Seriously though....there's no "easy" fix for a bad A/C Compressor. Yes, it's quite an expensive part, but they all eventually fail and need replacement.

+1. You said you only use it 10 days out of the year, so you could just roll with the windows down. Personally I would bite the bullet and get it fixed, but I plan on keeping my car for awhile and AC is essential around here. If you plan on selling it you could just let the next guy deal with it.

$600 sounds like a bargain

If I assume that the compressors were not very good to begin with then is it a fair assumption that everyone has this problem? I have a 95 and a 96 and both of those do not work. My ultimate goal is to eventually find a nice 99 and keep it forever. Can I plan on fixing the AC in that too or is there a chance it will work? I am retired but work part time at a car auction 2 or 3 days a week and I get to drive some pretty darn nice cars. But I'll tell you that it is tough to beat these late model Rivs. My 96 has some battle scars where the older gent that owned it backed it into his garage whether the pole in the middle was in the way or not. But this car goes down the road as good as any car I have ever driven. Problem is it has a few issues like the leaky gas tank opening in the trunk. My 95 had the same problem. Do all of these cars have this same problem? If I buy a 99 will it be like that or did they finally fix that issue at the factory? I just finished trying to patch it and I thought I did a great job but it turns out I was wrong. I can still smell the odor of gas. I also have a 63 and it does not leak or smell of gas. What to do????

A/C Compressors just fail in general. It isn't make or model specific.  It's one of those parts that usually lasts a good 150k miles or better. But, like any other part of a car with moving parts, it is going to fail eventually. I've got 165k on mine, and it's just now starting to leak. If you use your A/C regularly, the Compressor will last longer than if it rarely or never gets used. The chances of the A/C working properly on any older car is based really on proper maintenance and general care of the car.

If you know how an A/C system operates, you can realize then what a Compressor actually does, and how complex it is as a whole. There's a reason they're so expensive, and usually something you shouldn't cheap out on if possible.

Just sayin

OK Thanks. The man who owned the car previously did not use the car much the past few years and I doubt he even used the AC. I am considering having the AC done but I need to find a way to get rid of the gas smell first. Any ideas on that problem?

This is the wrong thread for this but.....

The fuel smell could literally be coming from anywhere in the fueling system. You could have a leak from the ring on the top of the tank (accessible through the trunk FYI), a leaking filler neck, leaking fuel line, leaky Injector O-rings, leaking Fuel Pressure Regulator, etc.
I can't give you any advice on that other than have it checked or inspect everything. It's not something that really has a common source.

Abaddon wrote:

...
If you use your A/C regularly, the Compressor will last longer than if it rarely or never gets used.

ding ding ding ding!!!

The A/C comp in my Riv has over 250K on it and still blows cold, never had to add anything. It's been through a couple of engine swaps, but never had any major downtime. My mother's '97 LeSabre needed some 134R last summer for the first time ever, and come this summer it's still holding, no major leakage yet.

Other systems I've had have leaked worse. '96 Chevy Van (with rear A/C) - awful time. Always recharging, even after compressor replacement. '05 GMC Yukon? Used the A/C regularly, but yup - need to add a couple times a year. That truck lives in Florida now where it's more critical to have, and my dad even had the compressor replaced. Apparently there is a pinhole leak somewhere that nobody can find. So he just adds a can of refrigerant every two or three months and lives with it.