A/C system replacement questions

Frumious B.

New Member
Apr 26, 2003
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Texas
My compressor gave up the ghost. I'm going to eventually replace it, but until then, I'm thinking about disconnecting it. Should I bother or just leave it as it? Do I need to do anything besides remove the belt?

Should I replace other parts of the system, too? Haynes recommends replacing the accumulator at the same time. Seems like if I am opening the system, I should replace the condensor, too. Is there a way to tell if the condensor needs replacement?

I'm not actually sure how much life is left in this car. She's at 177k, and she's had a tranny rattle since about 100k. I want my A/C once summer comes, but I don't want to pour a lot of money into the system if the tranny is on borrowed time.

Also, what are some good sources for parts? I'm having trouble finding a compressor - they are all super expensive. Are there reconditioned compressors on the market? Where do I look?

Thanks, folks.
 
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