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AUTOMOTIVE AIR CONDITIONING

TROUBLE SHOOTING GUIDE

 

INTRODUCTION

 

So your air conditioner doesn't work. You took it to the dealer for an estimate. They said you needed a compressor, drier and expansion valve.

Your options were to purchase a remanufactured (or rebuilt) compressor or a new compressor. The drier or accumulator and the expansion valve or orifice tube were to be new. When you found out the cost of the repair was equivalent to a down payment on a new house, you got on the web and began a search and wound up here, www.polarbearinc.com in search of parts and information.

Before we go any further, lets address the pros and cons of doing it yourself:

Pros:

  1. You will save a substantial amount of money.
  2. You will learn a new skill.
  3. You will save a substantial amount of money.

Cons:

  1. You may misdiagnose your problem. You spend money and it still doesn't work.
  2. You may not have the correct tools and may not be able to accomplish the repair.
  3. It may be a difficult and or dirty job.

 

If this has not discouraged you, before we move on, let me say that your repair shop HAS to make a profit to stay in business. Part of that profit will usually come from the sale of parts to his customer. If you source your own parts and bring them to your mechanic for installation, make sure everyone involved understands what will occur should there be a warranty return.

Usually, you will pay the mechanic for his services twice and while the parts house may provide another part, they will not pay the mechanics labor or Freon.

Depending on the money saved and the circumstance, providing your own parts may or may not be cost effective. In any event, the last thing you want is a mechanic who feels he is being cheated out of his profit margin working on your vehicle.

 

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