Chevy engine A/C compressor (sigh)

[Ghost]

Bought a new A/C compressor only to discover that the system needs to be purged/reclaimed and then recharged after replacing it.

Questions:

1. Can I do that (coolant thing) myself?

2. How much coolant does my system hold? (2006 Workhorse Vortec)

3. Is this coolant available at the auto parts store?

Thanks,
Kent

[Skip426]

Knowing the brand of the dash unit that Tiffin installed would be a help ( Evans and Denso are common )

Recovery of the refrigerant ( R134A ) requires a special evacuation unit to capture and store the refrigerant , and when replacing a compressor the receiver/dryer should also be done .

Here is a pdf that goes through some of the procedures involved.

[RVfixit]

Originally Posted by Ghost

Bought a new A/C compressor only to discover that the system needs to be purged/reclaimed and then recharged after replacing it.

Questions:

1. Can I do that (coolant thing) myself?

2. How much coolant does my system hold? (2006 Workhorse Vortec)

3. Is this coolant available at the auto parts store?

Thanks,
Kent

So, before we get into specifics, why are you replacing the compressor to begin with?

[craigd853]

Hello and sorry for your issues. If you are asking these kinds of questions may I suggest you find a friend or someone to assist you in fixing your issue. There are several things to know and also to replace when changing out an a/c compressor. First and foremost why did the old unit fail, the system must be flushed with a solvent and the the filter dryer and expansion valve changed after flushing, also adding the correct amount of refrigerant oil to the various components of the a/c system is vital after flushing. If you mess any of these up during installation you will cost yourself a lot more money. In order to pump down the system you will need an evacuation pump and a set of gauges to access the low and high side of the unit. Also if you are not knowledgeable enough to know what the pressures are while charging the unit again you could damage the new compressor. Don't want to discourage you from a DIY but when doing a/c repair it is important to know what to look for and know what you are doing when servicing these units this is why I state the following information. Good Luck

[garykk]

All excellent responses. Also know that some new compressors come already filled with the correct amount of oil, so check before you add more.

[vettenuts]

For myself, I do a lot of work on my coach but leave the A/C to professionals. My daughter’s compressor recently failed. I called several local repair shops that advertise A/C work. Much to my surprise none of them had the equipment to flush the system, which is something I wanted to preclude a future failure. A couple of shops didn’t know what I was talking about😱. The Ford dealer did have the flushing equipment and were very competitive with pricing. So if you have someone else do the work, ask a lot of questions.

The nice thing about the Workhorse is the compressor is right on the top of the engine so access is easy. The dryer and other parts are easily accessible. I would see if any local GMC or Chevrolet dealers can do the work.

Finally, Kevin Caudill posts a ton of Workhorse repair videos on YouTube. Here is one on A/C repair. He is very willing to share information and also has at least one other A/C video. You can ask him a question in the comment section of the video.

Kevin Caudill A/C Repair Video