DIY DIY: How To Replace an A/C Compressor

plu · Sep 13, 2009

DIY: How To Replace an A/C Compressor

Note: This guide only works for the 8th generation Corolla as the Prizm have a slightly different piping. Mainly that they use an orifice tube instead of an expansion valve.

When replacing the A/C Compressor it is also best to replace the drier/receiver and expansion valve also. The replacement of these 2 extra components will make the task longer but not as bad as having to do the job twice.

Needed:
10 MM wench
12 MM wench
19 MM box wrench
Hex head screwdriver
Phillips head screwdriver
Flat head screwdriver
Syringe pump
A/C Compressor
Drier/receiver
Expansion valve
O-rings
PAG 46 Refrigerant oil
OEM piping clamps

Instructions:
1) Take your vehicle to a mechanic that has a machine to reclaim the a/c refrigerant in the system as it is bad for the environment and illegal to release the refrigerant into the air.

2) Check out your new parts. If your compessor is remanufactured like mine, you will need the old hose ports from your compressor.

3) Add refrigerant oil into the drier/receiver and compressor. You have to have a set amount of refrigerant oil in the system for everything to work. Not enough and the compressor can seize and too much will make the system not cool as well. I added 4 oz. into the compessor and 1.7 oz. into the drier/receiver.

4) Now that your a/c system has the refrigerant reclaimed, you can begin taking apart the hoses suction and discharge hoses to the compressor with a 10 MM wrench. The a/c system is a closed system so cap the ends of the hoses so debris does not get into the system. Replace the O-rings on both hoses.

5) Take your 19MM box wrench and release the belt tensioner so you can take off the accessories belt.

6) Take off the fuse box by the passenger side headlight with a 10 MM wrench.

7) Now you want to remove the drier/receiver. Unscrew these two bolts with a 10MM wrench to take off the 2 pipes going into the drier/receiver. Pull out these two hoses and replace the O-rings

8) Get under the car and remove the passenger side engine undercover with a 10MM wrench. Now with the undercover out of the way you can look up and see the drier/receiver holder. Take the 10MM wrench again and unscrew the bolt to release the tension in the holder. The drier/receiver should drop right off into your face and it will hurt.

9) The old and new drier/receiver.

Take the new drier/receiver and put it back into the holder. Tighten the screw in the holder. Then put the two pipings back into the receiver in the order that they came off. Then tighten back the screw to hold the pipings in place. Come back up and reinstall the fuse box. The new drier/reciever is now installed!

10) While still under the car, disconnect this connector to the a/c compressor.

11) Remove the 3 bolts that bolt the a/c compressor to the engine block.

12) Remove the top of the old compressor where the hose ports are with your hex head screwdriver and swap into the new a/c compressor.

13) Bolt the new a/c compressor on the car. Then bolt the suction and discharge hoses back into the new a/c compressor. Lastly, route the accessory belt back on the car the same way it was released. The new a/c compressor is now installed!

14) The last component to replace is the expansion valve. The expansion valve is deep inside the evaporator. Take a screwdriver and remove the 2 pipe clamps going into the passenger side firewall. I don't have the special tool to properly open the clamps so I always destroy them in the process. It is about $10 for both clamps from the dealership.

15) Remove this 10MM bolt that bolts the suction hose down.

16) Stick a flathead screwdriver into the connection points to pull the two pipings apart. Replace the O-rings then cap the openings.

17) Now inside the car, unscrew these 3 screws on the inside of the glove compartment with a Phillips head screwdriver.

18) Pull up the passenger side door sill and take off the kick panel. Then unbolt these 2 bolts with a 10 MM wrench.

19) Now you see the evaporator on the left and the blower on the right. Unbolt the 2 bolts in red to seperate the two components. Unscrew the 2 screws in green to remove the resistor and pull out. Then unfasten the fasteners in blue seperate (1 Phillips head screw and 2 clips which you pry out with a flathead screwdriver) the bottom of the evaporator.

20) Look under the carpet and unbolt the 3 nuts holding the bottom of the evaporator.

21) Unbolt this bolt to release this rail.

22) Unscrew this bolt at the bottom of the rail.

23) Disconnect all the electrical sockets.

24) Unbolt the 3 nuts from the top of the evaporator.

25) Now you can carefully wiggle out the evaporator.

26) Unscrew the 2 screws in red and pry out the clip in green with a flathead screwdriver.

27) Turn the evaporator to the side where the drain line is and unscrew the last screw.

28) The top of the evaporator can be split. Then the expansion valve is revealed here. Unbolt the 2 bolts holding the expansion valve together with the piping with a hex head screwdriver.

29) Flip the valve over and reveal the Phillips head screw that screws the expansion valve to the bottom pipping. In my case, the two bolts and Phillips head screw had heavy corrosion on them. I had to replace these screws with new.

30) Replace the expansion valve and O-rings with new ones.

31) Reverse your steps to reinstall the evaporator.

32) Lastly, take your car into a shop that can vaccum out the air/moisture in the system from being opened and refill with R134a.

Good Job! Pat yourself in the back because you just saved about $1000. :rule: