Anyone ever replace their AC system?
 

My compressor needs to be replaced and there's a leak coming from my drier (inside car). Has anyone replaced these components before? Unfortunately my electronic shop manual didn't cover the a/c system. How difficult is this? Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

not that difficult..
your drier is actually next to the intercooler..
if your referrin to the one in your dash..thatll be the evaporator..
if your sure its a leak then its most likely already been vented to atmoshere..

Yeah, the whole system's been emptied out for a while now. I had the system checked out before I bought the car and they found a leak at the compressor and at the evaporator. I figured I would just try to piece together an entire system and replace everything all at once. How hard to replace the lines?

some of them are alittle annoying to get to, but all in all its pretty easy as long as they arent overtightened.

If you need any parts I got the whole A/C system for sale.

Normally even if you have a good leak dector its not easy to isolate leaks. The first thing I would do is get a second opinion. Evaporators do leak as well as compressors but it's likely you have only one leak. I wouldn't just swap out things with out being sure. I have worked with A/C systems as part of my job as a tune up and drive ability specialist and would want to be sure whats leaking. Just because the first thing people want to do is replace the compressor. Just my opinion.

The place I had my car inspected at injected freon into the lines and checked everything over with a geiger counter(?). He said there was an obvioius leak at the compressor (which he said should be replaced because once they start leaking they keep on leaking), and another at the evaporator.

JSJ - what would you recommend? How about those UV kits they sell? Inject some UV dye into the lines and look for where it's coming out at? Can you rent the blacklights? Also, is it easy to see where the evaporator is under the dash on an FD? I don't have a shop manual so I don't know where it's located and I haven't gotten under the dash at all.

Thanks!

Hehe... probably not a geiger counter :). Unless you have ionizing radiation nearby. :eek: Though they do have freon sniffers.

You can buy a little blacklight for pretty cheap. Check for a good "headshop" nearby. Though the evaporator on mine is pretty crammed up there. I've never actually seen it. It might be tough to "see" a fluorescing leak. But I have a '95 with r-134... maybe that makes a difference. :confused: