Well I just found out that my air conditioning system is toast. The mechanic found metal shavings through out the system. He quoted me $1500 to fix. This is something I think I will try to fix myself and hopefully save a lot of money. I will need to replace at the very least the compressor and condenser. I am thinking that the shavings obviously came from the compressor. Where else could these shavings have come from, what else should be replaced?

Here is my thinking on this, the condenser should have acted as a filter leaving the receiver and everything else down stream free of shavings. Agree, disagree?

I will still disconnect all lines and blow them out to verify this.

Thanks in advance.
Ryan

 

if there are metal shavings throughout the system, every part will need to be replaced. Including the compressor, condenser, evaporator, new orifice tub, new lines, the whole nine yards. The only reason for that is because if you just replace part that caused the problem, and there are still shavings hidden around in the system (and it will happen, with how many changes in direction refrigerant goes through), the refrigerant will pick up any excess metal that wasn't removed, and it will destroy your new parts.

$1500 is a pretty fair price I'd think, cause he'll probably end up replacing everything minus the hard lines, cause those are easily cleaned.

 

Compressed air will not remove all the metal debris from the evaporator and condenser. You'll also need to replace the rubber hoses. Metal likes to stick into the inner liner.

 

Yea I think you're sorta outta gas on this one. It's going to be pretty impossible to get the shavings out of everything.. But if you get most of them out you'll probably be ok.

I'd dissasemble the entire system and flush it as good as possible. Then re install with a new dryer and compressor..

 

Yeah, if you get most of the metal shavings out the remaining shavings shouldn't cause any problem when they eventually work loose and flow through the tight tolerances of the compressor. NOT.

 

Thanks for your replies.


After reading the replies and talking to the mechanic, I am planning on replacing the entire system. If anyone has one laying around please PM me.

 

[QUOTE=stack,Jul 17 2007, 09:09 AM] Thanks for your replies.


After reading the replies and talking to the mechanic, I am planning on replacing the entire system.

 

Any suggestions on how to clean out the hard lines. I will definately be replacing the compressor, condenser, evaporator, reciever/dryer, and the main lines on the compressor.