maillemaker
Active Member
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2023
- Messages
- 419
- Reaction score
- 218
So I've had this 1995 Mustang GT about 2-3 months now, I guess. It's in great shape for being 28 years old. But, naturally, it's 28 years old, so things happen.
Last week the air conditioner quit working. Compressor wouldn't spin. I took it into my usual shop, and they called and said it was working fine. I go to pick it up after hours, no AC again.
I did some YouTube University and discovered that some people were able to get the compressor going again by bypassing the low pressure switch with a paperclip. I figured probably the system was low on refrigerant and this was stopping the pressure switch. So, I bypassed the LPS. Sure enough, the compressor came on. I hooked up an A/C Pro electric "filler upper" with a can of R134A and it was reading low, so I added a can of refrigerant.
AC worked for a day and quit working again. My assumption was that there was a serious coolant leak and now the LPS was stopping the compressor again.
I actually almost replaced the CCRM. Placed the order for it and it arrived at O'Reilly's but I decided I was going to take it in since it was probably losing coolant. Returned the part.
Took it into a different shop. I like the shop - they have a very nice electronic comms system that texts you updates on your vehicle real-time, including pictures. Email you your estimate that you can approve online.
So the shop communicates that the AC worked fine again. They put a gauge on it and said the system was overcharged. Put dye in the system and said the compressor was leaking.
Price to replace compressor: $1200. OK, do it.
They do.
Get another comms from shop: We replaced compressor and now it doesn't work. More investigation - CCRM needed replacing.
Final bill: $1600.
For years now I have been threatening to get a set of gauges an learn how to crack open AC systems. I never do because it's like a once-every-10-years project. Could have replaced the CCRM myself for $117.
Expensive lesson.
Last week the air conditioner quit working. Compressor wouldn't spin. I took it into my usual shop, and they called and said it was working fine. I go to pick it up after hours, no AC again.
I did some YouTube University and discovered that some people were able to get the compressor going again by bypassing the low pressure switch with a paperclip. I figured probably the system was low on refrigerant and this was stopping the pressure switch. So, I bypassed the LPS. Sure enough, the compressor came on. I hooked up an A/C Pro electric "filler upper" with a can of R134A and it was reading low, so I added a can of refrigerant.
AC worked for a day and quit working again. My assumption was that there was a serious coolant leak and now the LPS was stopping the compressor again.
I actually almost replaced the CCRM. Placed the order for it and it arrived at O'Reilly's but I decided I was going to take it in since it was probably losing coolant. Returned the part.
Took it into a different shop. I like the shop - they have a very nice electronic comms system that texts you updates on your vehicle real-time, including pictures. Email you your estimate that you can approve online.
So the shop communicates that the AC worked fine again. They put a gauge on it and said the system was overcharged. Put dye in the system and said the compressor was leaking.
Price to replace compressor: $1200. OK, do it.
They do.
Get another comms from shop: We replaced compressor and now it doesn't work. More investigation - CCRM needed replacing.
Final bill: $1600.
For years now I have been threatening to get a set of gauges an learn how to crack open AC systems. I never do because it's like a once-every-10-years project. Could have replaced the CCRM myself for $117.
Expensive lesson.
