Replacing AC Compressor

[Fred Cook]

Are you planning to just replace the compressor, or do you have other parts too (like the Receiver-Drier).
Are you going to flush the system?

 I have looked everywhere for the receiver dryer and cannot locate it. All I see are two lines coming off the compressor one with a blue cap one  with a red cap. The two lines go forward and disappear past the transmission. I see one line up front that goes into a small radiator.  Where can this dryer be located?

[Mike Shumack]

Fred, on my '05, the AC Condenser is located just behind the front bumper (if you can call that fiberglass a bumper). The Condenser has the electric fan mounted to it, and on its right side is the Receiver-Drier.  The expansion valve is above the generator coming off the housing that holds the Evaporator. So everything is up front except the (engine mounted) Compressor.

The first and last photo are taken laying on the ground under the electric bay, and the middle photo is with the generator slide out and camera pointing up toward windshield/dash.

[Fred Cook]

Fred, on my '05, the AC Condenser is located just behind the front bumper (if you can call that fiberglass a bumper). The Condenser has the electric fan mounted to it, and on its right side is the Receiver-Drier.  The expansion valve is above the generator coming off the housing that holds the Evaporator. So everything is up front except the (engine mounted) Compressor.

The first and last photo are taken laying on the ground under the electric bay, and the middle photo is with the generator slide out and camera pointing up toward windshield/dash.

Great info Mike. Believe I will be able to find it now.

[Lee Welbanks]

Fred,
Do you have all the equipment to properly replace a compressor? Vacuum Pump, Manifold Set and how are you going to recover the freon in your system? If you're going to open up the whole system I would suggest a cylinder of Nitrogen to pressure test the system after you change all the parts and to purge out the air/moisture. Also a 30 lbs can of freon, using the little cans is a sure way to get a bunch of air in the system and you will be back to where you started very shortly.

[Bill Borden]

Hi Fred,

About 4 years ago, our dash AC went south.  First try at having it repaired at a shop was not successful.

After returning from from the next trip with the Generator and roof Air on all the way home.  It went back to the shop.

This time we got the right Technician for the job.

It turned out the Dryer failed and sent little glass bee bees through out the system, so they had to blow out 40' of lines from the compressor to the condenser.  The Condenser required cleaning along with new compressor and dryer.

Needless to say it was a costly repair.

It is worth it to take it to a shop that understands our coach's A/C system, experience and knowledge is definitely worth the price.

Good Luck,

 

[Timothy Weir]

Hi Fred,
You have gotten really solid advice on here. Always replace the drier any time the system is opened up. If you think there is contamination or the refrigerant has a burnt smell you want to flush the system. Absolutely nitrogen charge, carefully so you don't blow one of the rubber lines (voice of experience) ha and while you have it charged with nitrogen, soap bubble all fittings. best to leave it charged over night and check your pressures again to be sure you don't have a leak. You will have a slight variation due to temperature change. Evacuate and recharge according manufacturer specs. I don't know if the manufacturers weigh in the charge when having that long of a lineset to the front. If they do then weigh in the correct amount. Also as said before don't waste your money on small cans and find someone with an epa license to hook you up a jug of 134A. Yes, I do HVAC and have a slight idea  about this.... slight... as I get older I find I know less than I thought I did.
This another thought I had after reading all the posts. I not trying to hijack the thread and if out of line I' sorry, still kinda new here. With the AC being driven off the engine with a hundred feet of hose, has anybody ever thought of using a compressor like the ones for the back of suburbans to run the dash air? Just a thought. No long line sets, less refrigerant, not engine driven so if it seizes it won't burn a belt off. Again, If i was out of line here I won't be offended if it gets deleted.
Good luck on your AC

[Mike Shumack]

An electric (12VDC) AC compressor is an option. They are not cheap and require around 30A to 50A (depending on size) to operate, but it may be a good choice for someone with a bad compressor and 80+ feet of bad AC hose (and where the hose very difficult to access/replace) - and where all the rest of the AC components are up front.
https://www.seanhylandmotorsport.com/SHM-electric-air-conditioning-compressor-3753

[Fred Cook]

Fred,
Do you have all the equipment to properly replace a compressor? Vacuum Pump, Manifold Set and how are you going to recover the freon in your system? If you're going to open up the whole system I would suggest a cylinder of Nitrogen to pressure test the system after you change all the parts and to purge out the air/moisture. Also a 30 lbs can of freon, using the little cans is a sure way to get a bunch of air in the system and you will be back to where you started very shortly.

No, I do not have the equipment to get the job done no the expertise. Looks like it may be a major expense.  I hope to find a decent place somewhere around St Louis.

[Mike Shumack]

Fred,
Be sure to verify that the compressor did seize and not just the pulley seized.
If the compressor seized you will need to flush the system and replace the receiver-drier along with the compressor. But if it was just the pulley (the parts shown in my first post) you can just replace those and not need to touch the rest of the system. No need to evacuate the refrigerant to replace just the pulley/clutch assembly.

[Fred Cook]

Fred, on my '05, the AC Condenser is located just behind the front bumper (if you can call that fiberglass a bumper). The Condenser has the electric fan mounted to it, and on its right side is the Receiver-Drier.  The expansion valve is above the generator coming off the housing that holds the Evaporator. So everything is up front except the (engine mounted) Compressor.

The first and last photo are taken laying on the ground under the electric bay, and the middle photo is with the generator slide out and camera pointing up toward windshield/dash.

 Mike, I have reviewed your photos, crawled underneath the front end of my coach and have looked everywhere. I have located the condenser with fan and looked all around it. I see hoses coming out/in but there is no receiver dryer anywhere to be seen. I traced the lines back until they disappear both in the front and back and no dryer anywhere.  Could it be my coach does not have a receiver dryer?

[Mike Shumack]

Fred, it has to have a Receiver-Drier somewhere. That's an important component used for removing any left over moisture in the system and to separate/catch the liquid refrigerant from the gas.
I don't know where it is located on the 2002 Patriot. Did you located the expansion valve at the evaporator housing? I may be next to expansion valve. It has to be located somewhere between the condenser and the expansion valve (the high pressure side).

https://macsworldwide.wordpress.com/2010/10/13/what-is-a-receiver-drier/

[Lee Welbanks]

Fred,
Do you have all the equipment to properly replace a compressor? Vacuum Pump, Manifold Set and how are you going to recover the freon in your system? If you're going to open up the whole system I would suggest a cylinder of Nitrogen to pressure test the system after you change all the parts and to purge out the air/moisture. Also a 30 lbs can of freon, using the little cans is a sure way to get a bunch of air in the system and you will be back to where you started very shortly.

No, I do not have the equipment to get the job done no the expertise. Looks like it may be a major expense.  I hope to find a decent place somewhere around St Louis.
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Too bad you're not close around Wickenburg, Az you could come over here and we would knock out the replacement in no time, replaced my compressor last spring.