A/C Compressor Kit

[rs1971]

Hi,

Last spring I was surprised and disappointed to find out that the A/C on my 2003 Ford Ranger (4L, V6, 4WD) had stopped working. I took it to the shop that had previously done some work on it, including replacing some kind of a/c seal and recharging the system. They told me that a piece of the compressor had fallen completely off and their estimate to fix the truck worked out as follows:

Parts
A/C Compressor Kit 618.25
Leak Tracer Dye W/Oil 9.95
134A Freon 30.00

Labor
A/C Compressor - Remove & Replace 90.20
Accumulator or Receiver Drier - Remove and Replace 49.20
Manifold & Tube Assembly - Remove and Replace 90.20
Evac and Recharge 134A - 80.00

For a grand total out the door (including tax) of $1019.14. Ugh. Unfortunately, I just couldn't swing the dough at the time so I just suffered all summer (and I live in Phoenix!).

So, summer is here again and I'm bound and determined to get the situation resolved but unfortunately, I still don't have the scratch. I also don't have any real mechanical ability unfortunately. So I'm considering just buying the parts at Autozone and paying someone privately to install them.

So, with all of that long-windedness out of the way, my question is this:
What exactly comprises an "A/C Compressor Kit?" I'm guessing based on the estimate that it includes the compressor with clutch, an accumulator and an orifice tube. Is that right? Because it looks like those three things together are less than $300 at Autozone. Just hoping I'm not missing something. Okay, thanks.

-rs1971

 

[Bill G]

Hi,

Last spring I was surprised and disappointed to find out that the A/C on my 2003 Ford Ranger (4L, V6, 4WD) had stopped working. I took it to the shop that had previously done some work on it, including replacing some kind of a/c seal and recharging the system. They told me that a piece of the compressor had fallen completely off and their estimate to fix the truck worked out as follows:

Parts
A/C Compressor Kit 618.25
Leak Tracer Dye W/Oil 9.95
134A Freon 30.00

Labor
A/C Compressor - Remove & Replace 90.20
Accumulator or Receiver Drier - Remove and Replace 49.20
Manifold & Tube Assembly - Remove and Replace 90.20
Evac and Recharge 134A - 80.00

For a grand total out the door (including tax) of $1019.14. Ugh. Unfortunately, I just couldn't swing the dough at the time so I just suffered all summer (and I live in Phoenix!).

So, summer is here again and I'm bound and determined to get the situation resolved but unfortunately, I still don't have the scratch. I also don't have any real mechanical ability unfortunately. So I'm considering just buying the parts at Autozone and paying someone privately to install them.

So, with all of that long-windedness out of the way, my question is this:
What exactly comprises an "A/C Compressor Kit?" I'm guessing based on the estimate that it includes the compressor with clutch, an accumulator and an orifice tube. Is that right? Because it looks like those three things together are less than $300 at Autozone. Just hoping I'm not missing something. Okay, thanks.

-rs1971

I can't even imagine living in Phoenix without A/C (I live outside of Tucson). But I guess you do what you have to do.

An A/C compressor kit is compressor with clutch, an accumulator and an orifice tube. Like you stated you can buy all of this for less then $300 at Autozone. Factor in another $30-40 for 134a.

You could even go and buy a vacuum pump and gauges at Hrabor Freight for less the $150.

For less then half of what the shop wants you could do the entire repair yourself. It would take less then a day.

By the way, what shop did you take it to?

 

[rs1971]

I can't even imagine living in Phoenix without A/C (I live outside of Tucson). But I guess you do what you have to do.

An A/C compressor kit is compressor with clutch, an accumulator and an orifice tube. Like you stated you can buy all of this for less then $300 at Autozone. Factor in another $30-40 for 134a.

You could even go and buy a vacuum pump and gauges at Hrabor Freight for less the $150.

For less then half of what the shop wants you could do the entire repair yourself. It would take less then a day.

By the way, what shop did you take it to?

Hey Bill,

Thanks a lot for taking the time to reply. Good to know, I wasn't missing anything. Unfortunately, I'm not exaggerating when I say that I have absolutely no mechanical ability - so doing it myself really isn't an option. I've talked to a couple of guys who I found on CL though - and it looks like I can probably get it done for less than $200 on top of parts. I'm a little leary of using some dude I found on CL, but what the heck, if it saves me $500.

Regarding living in Phoneix without A/C, it did indeed suck. However, it wasn't quite as bad as it could have been as I work from home so I really don't have to drive much and what I did have to drive, I just tried to do at night. As you said, you do what you have to do. This year though, I'm going to have to make a few trips to San Diego, and I just don't think I can do it without A/C.

Oh yeah, the shop was Sun Devil Auto, which is a chain in the Phoenix area. Actually, I seem to recall noting that they had locations in other parts of the state and even other states as well. They are probably in Tuscon as well.

Anyway, thanks again.

-rs1971

 

[Bill G]

I almost forgot to welcome you here to The Ranger Station. Being that you have no A/C here are a few cold ones,
your choice

Try and get some references on the guys from Craiglist if you can. I have heard horror stories of the car being torn apart, the work left half done and the person ran out with the money. My advise to you would be that you buy all the needed parts yourself and don't pay until the work is completed or only pay half the money up front. If the person can't agree to that you should find someone else. If you have all the parts ready it should take less then 4 hours from start to finish.

Good luck to you and let us know how it turned out.

 

[rs1971]

Thanks Again

Hey Bill,

I realize that this reply is about 5 months late, but just wanted to mention that things worked out pretty well for me and thank you again for your input. I ended up buying the stuff myself for about $250 if I recall correctly and got really lucky with a mechanic I found on craigslist. I think that everything together ended up running me about $400 rather than the $1000 the shop wanted.

-exits