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Followup To
Question -
First of all I've read many of your responses and want to thank you for the great service you provide to us all. My 1998 Honda Civic AC stopped working. To make a long story short, I was advised it needed a new compressor and was quoted $1100.00 for the work. Too much for me, so I bought a new compressor, drier, and expansion valve for $300.00 I plan to replace these components myself and a local AC shop said they'd evacuate and recharge for $100.00. Sounds good to me. Now I know next to nothing about these systems so please answer this for me. This new compressor has no instructions (I didn't really expect any) but I was told these things need to have oil in them. I was told this one has no oil in it. So, what kind of oil and where does it go in and how much? I've heard of oil being put in by the shop when they charge the system but should the compressor have some inside before I install it? Thank you.
Answer -
Your going to get yourself into a DISASTER trying to do this project yourself. Who is going to FLUSH out the COMPLETE system BEFORE you install all the necessary parts ?.
The amount of refrigerant oil varies from vehicle to vehicle and from system to system. If you put in to much or to little you will destroy the compressor.
I do NOT suggest that you attempt this project but it is up to you.
Well, I appreciate your cautioning me on this project but I found your reply a little insulting. I have since performed the replacement of the compressor, drier, and expansion valve. A local shop advised me of the quantity a type of oil to put in the compressor and I had them evacuate the system before I started and took it back to them after I completed the install for another evacuation and charging of system. All works fine now. Thanks for your input anyway.
AnswerI did not mean to be insulting. I have seen so many of these projects go sour after a few weeks or months and in most cases debris from the old compressor was left in the system due to it not being properly flushed out and the debris worked itdelf back into the new compressor and destroyed it.
If you did not have this system flushed properly and it is still working at 100% efficiency after 3 months, You will be extremly lucky.
It is just that I have had to inform so many people who tried to do this themselves and the results were always the same. The efficiency slowly declined over a few weeks and months and after performing the tests with the gages, they had to be told that the compressor is damaged as well as numerous other components due to left over debris from the previous compressor replacement.
