'97 Lumina A/C compressor removal tip

Hey I found something out today while doing an A/C compressor, accumulator, orifice tube job today on my '97. 3.1 litre

To get the compressor out, Haynes says you gotta remove the right side condenser fan, and the motor mount. NOPE!!!!!

I'm sure some of you more experienced hands have already found out, you do NOT have to do that. On the 3.1 in the '97, it will wiggle right past the wiring harness on the bottom of the radiator support and drop right out the bottom. Just do all the standard evacuation and recovery stuff, remove the lines from the compressor, take the 3 bolts out and she drops right out. Wiggle it a bit to get it past the wiring harness and there you have it. To take the old compressor out, and put oil in the new one and put it in took all of about 20 minutes, IF that.

Hope this helps.

Its always good to get tips and tricks from home-mechanics on the forums. What they teach you in the GM ASEP class is by-the-book junk, however when you actually go to do it you find so many things that aren't neccessary for proper job completion.

Thanks for the tip, decollect!

Its always good to get tips and tricks from home-mechanics on the forums. What they teach you in the GM ASEP class is by-the-book junk, however when you actually go to do it you find so many things that aren't neccessary for proper job completion.

Thanks for the tip, decollect!


hehehe just wishing that when I got into mechanics (about 25 yrs ago)to start with, that there was something like this and other forums available.