A/C Compressor

My Camaro is a 1995 with a 3.4, I'm looking into buying a used compressor and putting it in myself, but I've never done anything like this before...is it a simple takeout/put back in and recharge thing, or is it much more complicated than that?

My Camaro is a 1995 with a 3.4, I'm looking into buying a used compressor and putting it in myself, but I've never done anything like this before...is it a simple takeout/put back in and recharge thing, or is it much more complicated than that?
Well the thing is its kinda against the law to let freon enter the air by opening the line which would be necessary to do for the home mechanic although shops depressure the system into a tank but if that was done, Its a simple disconnecting of hoses , taking off drive belt and removing threw bolts and then put it back together. Pretty simple really.

it can be more complicated. Your just taking the chance that the compressor is the only problem and that it didnt cause any other problems.

If you breaking the system seal then you need to evacuate the a/c system. They make special compressor tools to do the job. But ive heard of people using cheapo things that you can get at places like harbor frieght for about 10 bucks that create a vacuum when you hook them up to a compressor. Those should do the trick. After you evacuate then you can charge the system. If its a used compressor you should have a problem but I know with new ones you have to put in some compressor oil into the compressor before installing. You could replace the receiver dryer and the oriface tube while your at it since they are cheap things to replace and can cause all sorts of problems.

do you have to discharge r-134 into a tank too? or just the old stuff? he should have 134 in his car i would think.

yeah compressor intall is a piece of cake

The clutches in the compressor are pretty much gone, it took 2 cans of R134A about 20 minutes to fully leak out...so it's not a simple swap out if I get a40 used compressor?

it can be more complicated. Your just taking the chance that the compressor is the only problem and that it didnt cause any other problems.

If you breaking the system seal then you need to evacuate the a/c system. They make special compressor tools to do the job. But ive heard of people using cheapo things that you can get at places like harbor frieght for about 10 bucks that create a vacuum when you hook them up to a compressor. Those should do the trick. After you evacuate then you can charge the system. If its a used compressor you should have a problem but I know with new ones you have to put in some compressor oil into the compressor before installing. You could replace the receiver dryer and the oriface tube while your at it since they are cheap things to replace and can cause all sorts of problems.
95 was a transition year. He could have either/or, btw Harbor freight rules :ylsuper:

doesnt it! Got my engine stand there for 45 bucks. Solid stand too. 80 most other places.

doesnt it! Got my engine stand there for 45 bucks. Solid stand too. 80 most other places.
I have the entire automotive isle in my garage and a few of the hydrolic tools such as the shop press. Man the stuff is good and affordable and the service plans for a few dollars rock. I would so marry that store if it only had boobies :grinyes: . I go skipping threw there with my basket like little red riding hood :uhoh: .

I go skipping threw there with my basket like little red riding hood .

im not so sure that that is a good thing to admit....lol...

Still not helping here :p...so if I get the used compressor, change them out, and recharge with R134A, it should be good to go?

No.

it should work but chances are high that the compressor could fail or the system not even work very well for very long if you dont evacuate the system first.

btw are you sure that the leak is at the compressor?

you also need to make sure that your system is 134 or freon

It is a 134 system, positive of that, and the leak is coming out from around the clutch area. So I should vac. the system out, then change the compressor out.

First, where is the leak. A bad clutch won't leak. A bad shaft seal will. Is the clutch soaked with oil? If your going to replace the compresor, replace the accumulator and orifice tube. When you open the system, the accumulator begins soaking up the moisture in the air, that's bad. Orifice tubes stop up, and they're only 2-3 dollars. If you don't vacuum out the system, the air will react with the refridgerant and oil to create corrosive acids...

I had really cold air for about 20 minutes when it had the coolant in it, could that mean that the clutches/compressor are still good? And if possible, I could replace just the seal? I'm a bit new to working on things other than amps/speakers and little stuff like changing your own oil :p

now im sitting back and reading all this and it seems that this is a lot of work to either change the compressor or the clutches now my prob was that when i turn on the ac the compressor smokes. now lets say i dont want my ac will it be a later on prob since the compressor is your pully system and i have the same car a 95 cam 3.4 vl