Dash air repairs

[Mandy Canales]

Our '90 Marquis dash air has quit working and after shredding two belts.  Finally realized that the A/C compressor had seized up when I moved the dash switch to air.  I had it analyzed and the mechanic stated that not only does the compressor needs to replaced but the entire system needs to be cleaned due to the possible shreds of material that could clog the whole system.  Might there be a second opinion out in Beaver land who would like to chime in on the initial analysis of my problem.  Summer traveling gets mighty hot in the southern lands and would like to get the system repaired soon.  Thanks a bunch, guys.

[Jerry Carr]

Mandy I would give Sean a call at Beaver Coach where are you at?

[Mike Shumack]

it is good practice to flush the system after a compressor replacement. Your mechanic is correct, there could be trash in the system from the compressor failure. You would also change the desiccant receiver-drier/filter during this process. If it were my Coach, for the small additional cost, I would also change the expansion valve while everything is apart.

[Gerald Farris]

Mandy,
In an ideal world (everyone knows that these coaches are not part of an ideal world), Mike is correct, but the labor to change the expansion valve on some coaches is so high that I would not change it as along as it is still operating effectively. On my 2000 Marquis, it was about a 4 hour job ($500+ labor bill) to change the expansion valve when it failed because it had to come out the top of the dash. Hopefully, yours will be more accessible.

As for metal particles in the system, there should not be any except in the high pressure line between the compressor and the drier, if even there. In my experience, a failed compressor does not leave excess metal in the system the vast majority of times, so I usually just change the compressor and drier, evacuate and recharge the system, unless I am in a hurry, and then I just replace the compressor, evacuate and recharge, and that works the majority of times.

If there is metal in the system, it will usually collect in the drier, but in a worst case scenario, it will stop up the expansion valve, and you will have to change it and the drier later. It comes down to a repair cost vs an insurance cost, how much are you willing to pay to insure a lower chance of an additional repair?   

Gerald