I was driving on the highway the other day and my ac started blowing hot
air. I noticed a little smoke coming out from under my hood as I was
stopping. It was the compressor belt, it had snapped and was cooking on
the engine. I removed it and made it back into town. I went and bought a
new belt and put it on and as soon as I started the car it started
screaching because the belt was trying to spin but the pulley to the
compressor wasn't. I have asked a coupple of mechanics about fixing the
system and they told me that it was going to be at least $1100 because all
these different parts need replaced on imports when the ac quits working.
Is this true? I am just a college student and can't afford repairs of that
magnitude! Can I just not switch out the ac clutch or compressor and get
cold air again? Way too hot in Texas during the summer for no ac. Thanks
in advance.

 

At $1100 you may be better of taking it to the dealer. List price for a
new compressor is $485.

aggiebrandon wrote:
>
> I was driving on the highway the other day and my ac started blowing hot
> air. I noticed a little smoke coming out from under my hood as I was
> stopping. It was the compressor belt, it had snapped and was cooking on
> the engine. I removed it and made it back into town. I went and bought a
> new belt and put it on and as soon as I started the car it started
> screaching because the belt was trying to spin but the pulley to the
> compressor wasn't. I have asked a coupple of mechanics about fixing the
> system and they told me that it was going to be at least $1100 because all
> these different parts need replaced on imports when the ac quits working.
> Is this true? I am just a college student and can't afford repairs of that
> magnitude! Can I just not switch out the ac clutch or compressor and get
> cold air again? Way too hot in Texas during the summer for no ac. Thanks
> in advance.

 

"aggiebrandon" <blmartin@tamu.edu> wrote in message
news:6b5cf1d17d91d35b0fdf4e35bf3b26d0@localhost.ta lkaboutautos.com...
> I was driving on the highway the other day and my ac started blowing hot
> air. I noticed a little smoke coming out from under my hood as I was
> stopping. It was the compressor belt, it had snapped and was cooking on
> the engine. I removed it and made it back into town. I went and bought a
> new belt and put it on and as soon as I started the car it started
> screaching because the belt was trying to spin but the pulley to the
> compressor wasn't. I have asked a coupple of mechanics about fixing the
> system and they told me that it was going to be at least $1100 because all
> these different parts need replaced on imports when the ac quits working.
> Is this true? I am just a college student and can't afford repairs of that
> magnitude! Can I just not switch out the ac clutch or compressor and get
> cold air again? Way too hot in Texas during the summer for no ac. Thanks
> in advance.
>
>

Yeah - the compressor's around $4-500. Then you've got the drier (need to
replace it because the compressor puked into the system when it locked up).
Expansion valve. (all those parts need to be replaced on domestic *and*
import cars when a compressor pukes) Flushing. Pulling vacuum, then, and
only then, can you finally recharge the system (and replace the oil). Be
glad your car has 134a to begin with instead of R-12, you'd be lookin at
even more money then (even tho the work's not any more involved, they can
throw the 'retrofit' charge on there)

Don't ya have any aggie buddies that know how to work on their farm
equipment.....err.....cars? :-D

good luck


Jeremy


Hook 'em Horns!