2001 LW200 Manual, No A/C

The A/C compressor should NOT come on if it is cold outside. Unless you live near the equator I doubt it was warm enough to engage.

Wth is DW?

=?iso-8859-15?Q?Bl=E4Bl=E4?= wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@news-server.woh.rr.com:

DW = dear wife DH = dear hubby

We are in Southern Calif. And although we did have a freak storm roll through and drop snow down to the 1800 foot level with temps in the mid

30's, this is all happening during the days of our normal weather (yeah sunny and 72). However, I have often run a AC compressor even in freezing temps to remove the moisture from within the vehicle and clear the windshield so I think you are mistaken there.

Not true...modern Saturn's, the A/C kicks in if the selector switch is set to "defrost" or "defrost/floor". On my old '94 SL2, that was not the case as you had the A/C button that you had to press. Most cars are set up to kick the A/C compressor on with the defrost. My F-150 does it as well.....Something to keep in mind considering gas mileage...I use the defrost settings sparingly and take it off ASAP....

IYM

None automotive related two letter acronyms wont make any sense here. Especially when your posting name is 'Steph' and you are speaking of 'your wife'???

It appears I am for this model of vehicle. Some cars will not allow you to run the A/C in the cold which is why I 'asked' instead of using 'my time' to look it up. For all I knew you could of been in Canada. Your AC will need to be looked at & serviced professionally. The most you can do is check the fuses. Most likely the charge leaked off.

The verdict from the dealership is a bad compressor. He is quoting $1070.00 for parts and labor to install a new AC compressor shipped out from Tennessee. That does not include the refrigerant fill I believe.

The tech also listed the Intermediate Steering Shaft as needing replacement ($266 P&L).

For the A/C, does anyone have a part number for the compressor, and is it worth trying to get a used one from a salvage yard? This is a LW200 with the 4 cylinder (not the V6). Are the compressors "rebuildable"? Also I have a paper trail of complaints about the AC compressor making loud noices when engaging (during intial startup as well as driving). I really believe those noises were indicative of an impending failure - which of course happens outside the extended maintenance period. Anyone have a contact name/address that I should see about meeting me halfway on the repair? Anyone had any luck doing this? We have had Saturns since 1994, and this is our fourth. Plus three on my in-laws side. but we had a lot of trouble getting repair issues resolved on this vehicle (the L200 with manual and 4-cylinder is a pretty rare combination out here).

The steering shaft I am wondering if it is a common part to replace, or maybe the result of damage from the car being hurtled 10 feet up a hill by our neighbor (car was parked with e-brake and in gear on the hill at the time). Unfortunately, if it was a result of the impact I don't think I can ammend the claim 10 months later :(

Steph wrote in news:Xns9A48587A1598Bskipatroluunet@130.191.3.6:

Why don't you just go to a parts store and price a rebuilt compressor., You can charge it yourself with a few cans of R-34. You will then see the prices and can determine if you want to try do it yourself or let them do it. I did this once on a '83 Ford and it worked well for many years.

Me personally, I would never use a salvaged compressor. The labor involved with evacuating the system and replacing the compressor will far exceed the price of the part, and a used one may fail prematurely requiring you to go through this again (very soon).

I have had pretty good luck with purchasing compressors over the Internet for this purpose. You can look on Ebay, and also at several of the online auto parts places to get an idea of the cost. You should be able to find a new compressor for a few hundred dollars or rebuilt ones for even less than that.

I'd also have who ever does the work replace the accumulator/dryer too while the system is opened, especially if you plan to keep the vehicle for a few more years. More than likely the A/C belt is also shot if the bearings were worn out and froze up, so will need replacement.

This all said, unless the compressor or dryer are particularly difficult to get at on that vehicle , the job is not too terribly difficult for a shop that has some experience and the right equipment. It involves reclaiming the refrigerant, removing the compressor and dryer, flushing the lines to make sure there is no debris from the defective compressor, installing the replacement parts, and then evacuating the system overnight to make sure it is not leaking before refilling it with the correct amount of refrigerant and lubricant.

Use the phone to shop around and do not accept the first quote you received from the dealer. Just make sure you are comparing apples to apples (new vs. rebuilt compressor, replacing the dryer or not, flushing the system or not). Good luck!

Bob

Fred,

The idea of checking parts stores is a good one, but minimally once an A/C system is opened up, it needs to be evacuated before recharging ... This requires some equipment, like manifold gauges and a vacuum pump. I also forgot to mention in my previous reply that you also need to replace all the O-rings that were opened to ensure an airtight seal.

Bob

Thanks for the pointer Fred. I am not against turning wrenches, and do so when able. however we are talking about an A/C system. I don't have the proper gear to evacuate it. Plus, I have not done this type of work on a LW200 Saturn

- so I have no idea about access, compatibility etc.

"Fred" wrote in news:b1oxj.9748$ snipped-for-privacy@newssvr12.news.prodigy.net:

Thanks for the info Bob. I am not against turning wrenches, but have not yet done too many repairs on this model Saturn. Plus the fact the LW200 with a manual tranny is rare makes me think twice about any experience others might have. I plan to do this at either a reputable AC shop that I already am familiar with or the dealer (most likely the former), but as I am ignorant in regards to rebuilding, compatibility, etc I thought I would try here first.

I will be on the phone, and if the AC shop will install a part I bring them I will truly shop around. However nothing sucks more than getting a part that doesn't fit - the M/S cylinder on my 1978 E-250 was different than any printed reference. It took three trips to get a unit that fit. In this case I am not against a rebuilt compressor, as we may not keep the car too many years more. But i am just trying to gather info at this point.

"Bob Shuman" wrote in news:L6oxj.8188$ snipped-for-privacy@newssvr21.news.prodigy.net:

Anyone that suggest buying a compressor from a junk yard or a rebuilt compressor doesn't have much experience in AC repair... I've opened up some scary looking 'rebuilt' compressors. Nothing but overpriced scrap metal from my experience. If you bring a shop your own compressor or parts there will be NO WARRANTIES.

As for the 'doing it yourself' suggestion...not even the 'smart' ASE techs will touch the ac system without proper equipment simply because they know better.