A/C Clutch? $800 Repair??
Senior Member
True Car Nut
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: Three Oaks, Michigan
I won't say anything. Besides you're '97 doesn't have 12. Just don't call the EPA and say, "yeah, I just let out my r12 equiped car in the air, illegally" Then, nothing will happen. I of course will go to a reputable shop to get my A/c Serviced [mmmhmm.. that is what I will do 
]
-justin
]-justin
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From: Sauk Centre, MN
Originally Posted by Damemorder
Originally Posted by opensourceguy
You can illegally drain your freon, and you can get the basic recharge kits at autozone or something, they have gauges with pretty colours telling you when you are at full psi. I'd say you could do it. Do you have the FSM? You surely could do it with that, or probably with haynes or chiltons. It can be done.
-justin
-justin
Look at www.car-part.com for a complete A/C compressor (probably can get one from a low-km car for under $60 CAN).
Do you have any friends who like tinkering on cars in their garage (or yours)? Offer them $75-100 for the install of the compressor. A couple large crescent wrenches, a couple sockets and a wratchet and that'* pretty much all the tools you will need.
All the idler pulley'* are only about 1 minute to change (remember reverse pattern screwing on them though).
Good luck.
Thread Starter
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From: Halifax, Canada 91SSE / 97SSEi
Originally Posted by fuddyduddy121
Which car has the problem, the 91 or the 97?
My 93 came from the factory with R-12, and so did every car 93 and older...
My 93 came from the factory with R-12, and so did every car 93 and older...
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Posts like a Camaro
Joined: Jan 2004
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and if you feel environmentally inclined, ask a dealer to empty the system, and you can fill it back up yourself when you're done.
the reason they want to do it the hard way, is because they have a book, listing the amount of hours to do any certain job. that'* based on doing it the technically correct way. heck, the mechanic might do it the quick way, but will still charge you based on what the book says.
so in any event, any shop that bases your price based on book time, not actual time spent, will charge you big money. that would be just about any gm dealership, btw...
the reason they want to do it the hard way, is because they have a book, listing the amount of hours to do any certain job. that'* based on doing it the technically correct way. heck, the mechanic might do it the quick way, but will still charge you based on what the book says.
so in any event, any shop that bases your price based on book time, not actual time spent, will charge you big money. that would be just about any gm dealership, btw...
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 3
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From: ontario canada
I just had the same problem this week, all I did was to get another compressor assembly from a wrecker for $15 and a mechanic put the clutch off this one on my car. All it cost was $35 and 1/2 an hour to do it. Hope this helps
