QuestionDear sir.Can I remove my air conditioning compressor from my 1984 deville and or use a different year and or model Cadillac air conditioning compressor?I cannot afford new and is my first car.Please help.
AnswerHi
You did not tell me the engine in the car. Most came with the ht 4100 (4.1). I looked up the cost for a remanufactured compressor from Rock Auto with the clutch.
You do not want to get a junk yard compressor because chances of it being good are slim. Lots of work to go through to find out it is bad with the possibility of having to spend hundreds on additional freon if not recovered correctly or if you have a leak. This is the type of job that you don't want to do twice especially when it comes to affordability.
I don't know where you tried to purchase a new compressor, if you tried getting a price from the dealer or what, but the cost for a new compressor is probably under $200.00 or less at a parts store like autozone and if you look on the Internet even less.
There is nothing special about that compressor compared to other GMs of that era other than possibly the pulley and that may be the same between vehicles. The parts store can tell you the interchange capabilities.
You are going to have additional costs though. Freon R12 is banned and if you can get it extremely expensive. You will need someone to change the O rings, evacuate the system and retrofit the system to take 134a freon.
By the time you are done with a compressor the retro kit, evacuation and 134a, it might cost you around $500 to get the A/C working. Hopefully less.
As stated though, I am not aware of a difference between the smaller compressor used in a 1982 to 1987 Cadillac, Pontiac, Olds, Chevrolet as long as it bolts up the same on the engine and that the pulley accommodates the same belt.
Going off of memory, even those that used serpentine belts back then ran a separate belt for the A/C.
As stated, the best thing to do is go to a parts store like autozone or O'Reilys and get the interchange information and price.
Now, I haven't purchased a compressor for a very long time, but the cost was never crazy money like $1,000.
In fact, at the dealer around that time we charged $400 to replace the gut package for parts and labor.
Let me know how it turns out.
If you go on the Internet check http://www.rockauto.com.
I understand it is your first car and money is probably tight. There are some things that you can use junk yard parts and there are other parts you should never use from a junk yard such as a brake master cylinder and an air conditioning compressor!
If this car has the 4.1 aluminum engine, it is great for performance and mileage however word of warning- never overheat this engine. If the engine hits 225 or hot light comes on turn it off immediately! Do not drive it for a second more! If you do, the engine is literally melting and major damage will occur! I warn everyone I can because these engines overheated can cost thousands to fix if they can be fixed and there are no good used engines of this type in the junk yards.
If you have a diesel, same situation on overheating and head gaskets blow. If you have the 368 ci, it in my opinion is one of the best engines Cadillac ever made.
Good luck!
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