$900 for new A/C condenser?!?!? (1 Viewer)

[ashooter]

OOPS - IT'S THE EVAPORATOR, not condenser.

Took my '92 to an AC shop to get it "sniffed" for a freon leak and the guy found what sounded like a BIG leak by sniffing the drain hose coming out of the bottom of the evaporator... Also found freon coming from what appeared to be a leaky gasket on the top of the compressor, and from the metal end of the hose going from the compressor to the evaporator.

Does $900 sound like a reasonable price to replace all that stuff, plus any related o-rings?

Jeez.... My "new" 80 is starting to feel like a money pit.

 

[Eduardo96FZJ80]

What exactly is to be replaced ? Did you get a detailed estimate?

 

[ashooter]

What exactly is to be replaced ? Did you get a detailed estimate?

- The evaporator (if that's where the leak is) - $270
- labor for the evaporator alone - $210 whether or not he replaces it
- hose - $65
- dryer (I think) - $170
- R12 - $168
- gasket, o-rings, plus labor and maybe something else I forgot - $100+/-

I didn't get an itemized written quote, but the above is what he wrote down on a scratch sheet as he looked up the parts etc.

I know the freon sounds high to me, but what about the other stuff?


edited to add: Is this something I could do myself? Have somebody evacuate the system, replace the parts myself, then have them recharge it?

 

[Seminole]

If there is no freon in the system do it yourself! It takes about 30 mins to replace the condenser or about 3 beers. You only need help to carefully reinsert the new one. Just get the torque specs RIGHT.

 

[tucker74]

- The evaporator (if that's where the leak is) - $270
- labor for the evaporator alone - $210 whether or not he replaces it
- hose - $65
- dryer (I think) - $170
- R12 - $168
- gasket, o-rings, plus labor and maybe something else I forgot - $100+/-

I didn't get an itemized written quote, but the above is what he wrote down on a scratch sheet as he looked up the parts etc.

I know the freon sounds high to me, but what about the other stuff?


edited to add: Is this something I could do myself? Have somebody evacuate the system, replace the parts myself, then have them recharge it?

Dan quoted me this for the parts:

Evaporator lists for $371.29 and yours is $278.47.
The expansion valve lists for $70.90, net $53.17.
Dryer, list $72.65. net $54.49.

This is for the later R134a system ... but gives you an idea w/ OEM parts. I just keep pumping freon in mine every 3 months or so

Tucker

 

[ashooter]

This is for the later R134a system ... but gives you an idea w/ OEM parts. I just keep pumping freon in mine every 3 months or so

Tucker

Yeah, but it's R12 at $60+ per can... and I think the leak is bad enough that I'd have to replace it every 2-3 WEEKS, not months.

 

[Bob_Garrett]

If you're planning on keeping the rig, you might want to consider retrofitting it to R134. Might cost a little more up front, but R12 is only going to get more expensive and harder to find in the future.

 

[Bruneti]

If you're planning on keeping the rig, you might want to consider retrofitting it to R134. Might cost a little more up front, but R12 is only going to get more expensive and harder to find in the future.

Yep. Especially with the parts list needed to fix you current R12 system. Get a conversion done.

 

[ashooter]

Yeah, I'm getting a second opinion from another shop and the guy there said if you have to do all this work to get it running anyway, it doesn't make sense to not go ahead and convert it to 134.

Hopefully his price will be a couple of hundred bucks lower than the other guy's.

The sad thing is that this isn't like a lot of other stuff where I can do the work myself and save a bunch of money. Sounds like I'd save about 25% at most... and AC systems are one of the few things I'd be kinda scared to try to tackle myself. (that and electrickery)

 

[bigbrowndog]

I bought a dryer for the aircon on my 80 on 31/5/06 $16.12 including 10% g.s.t. part no RD7003 [kangaroo dollars]. Part weighs 400 grams app 14 ozs so I think $160.00 U.S, is outrageous.

 

[ashooter]

I bought a dryer for the aircon on my 80 on 31/5/06 $16.12 including 10% g.s.t. part no RD7003 [kangaroo dollars]. Part weighs 400 grams app 14 ozs so I think $160.00 U.S, is outrageous.

Yeah, I think he's trying to stiff me on parts at least a little bit. I mentioned to him that I had a parts supplier (guru-dan) that would give me good prices on OEM parts if he would do the labor and he got a kinda sick look on his face.

When I rattled off the parts list and prices to the 2nd opinion guy, he said "Oh I think we can do better than that" a few times.

We'll see.

 

[Chotchy]

I have a 94 and I'm the same boat as you. My dealer told me 915.00. Gonna try and find a less expensive solution

 

[bigbrowndog]

R12 set up for an 80 here is ,
Condensor= $234.09
evaporator EN840 = $143.+10%gst [genuine]
dryer = $16.12
usually the parts on your side are so much cheaper than here in Oz.Also our dollar is only worth app 74 cents U.S. Most likely a better price in the capitols.cheers