pologuy

Hey everyone,

I have a problem with the same shop as before

When I brought my car in for the "engine" problem I instructed them that the AC unit was new and never had been filled.

I asked them fill it and make sure the air was running cold.

Well, they turned the AC on first, with no freon in it or anything and then filled it. After they filled it, it supposedly ran, but when they took it out for a test drive the AC compressor would seize up.

I have been told that they wrecked the AC by starting it first before filling it?

MAGK944

Please explain why did you take it back to a shop that you had bad service with before?

I presume you fitted a new compressor and wanted them to fill it with oil/freon, correct? Then why did you not just leave the belt off so that no damage could be caused should the system be turned on inadvertantly? Also, did you specifically tell them NOT to operate the AC, your post does not say that. Bit after the fact, but a little forethough saves $$$'s.

pologuy

This was done at the same time as the other...

I know next to nothing about cars... the new compressor, etc. was put in before hand by a different shop...

MAGK944

So one shop fitted the compressor, but did not charge the system so you took it to another shop to get it charged. I understand...sort off, don't know what to say really.

KuHL 951

I'm not sure of the laws in your state but before any system here can be serviced they have to insure that it is leakfree by pulling a vacuum on it. If they ran the compressor dry after you told them that it was new then they owe you a compressor. Any idiot mechanic would know better than to run a dry compressor unless they were not told it was new. Something is missing in the story.

MichelleJD

The refridgerant carries the oil so, yes, if they ran it dry they burned up your compressor.

Spidey944

a/c Compressors come with some oil in them to make sure the internal components dont rust up while sitting on the shelf. unless they ran the holy crap out of it at high rpm, there is not much chance of hurting it.....

pologuy

Now there story is.....

If there was no freon in the AC unit, the unit would not have started when they turned it on so there is no way they could have wrecked it...

MichelleJD

Actually - that's true. Most compressors have a shutoff switch if the freon falls below a certain level.

KuHL 951

Often times a shop will bypass the low-pressure switch to get the compressor to kick on for charging or checking with an AC manifold gauge if they think the sytem is just low. Was this a brand new compressor or a used one? An empty system that holds a vacuum with the engine off will always take enough coolant/oil to prep the system for filling. It sounds to me like someone assumed they were just topping off a low system, didn't know the compressor was new/dry, or you had contamination from the old system. Did the 1st shop leak test it? Did they flush it before installing the new compressor? Did the old compressor just leak or did it seize up also? If you had any bits of the old failed compressor in there it very well could have ruined the 2nd compressor. One way or another I think taking it to two different shops was not the best decision; now they can just blame the other guy.

Spidey944

if the old compressor seized up, it's poss that the shop charging the system didnt flush the contaminants out of the lines, condensor etc.... therfore all the new components (should of had a new reciever/drier put on too) could become contaminated with crap from the old compressor failure.

944-LT1

Im assuming you had a compressor failure and or the system did not cool right? So you had a new compressor installed. Im assuming that the system was opened, the compressor was removed and the new compressor was installed.

The shop you now take it to assmes that the previous guy added the 12oz. of oil required for the system to lubricate the compressor? So they just added refrigerant without the oil. Man oh man.

Your shop screwed up badly. Whenever a compressor is installed, the system MUST be flushed of all old oil. The reason is because not all oils are compatible with each other. Then, the shop SHOULD add roughly 8-12Oz. of oil (Mineral for r12 and POE for 134a) to the acumulator or evaporator which is upstream of the compressor BEFORE the refrigerant is added. Thats the only way to do it...no short-cuts here.

These guys screwed up and are trying to find a way out.

Simply (physically) go to their shop and ask them how much oil they added. Then ask where they added it and with what type oil. Then, take the car to another shop, tell them the story and ask them to completely drain the system of all oil. Im sure you can see what i getting at but the amount of oil that comes out of the system will tell you how much they added. If its not to specs, they didnt add any and just simply thought "hey ill charge it with 134a and be done" without a care in the world as to why it wouldnt cool in the first place.

If they say they didnt add any oil....its automatically their fault because its required of them to check the system vitals such as oil level and if they just dont know or cant figure how much, they HAVE to take the compressor out, and the drier, and flush the system.....thats why its normally quite expensive to have an AC system worked on!

Dont let them off the hook like that!

Good Luck!

RMills944

did they change the accumulator as well? I believe this is the filter for the system in most new cars. My brother had me buy this when he did the system in my jetta

alordofchaos

+1,000,000

Was your system ever converted from R12 to R134a? What did they put in the system?