Jetta A/C (Help!)

I vote #4

ebay item #

And please be careful out there! ;-)

Won't be a problem leaving the condenser out of the equation if you don't plan on using the A/C.

There are bypass brackets with pulleys should you choose to remove the compressor. Give your parts stores a call.

Yes, but I've seen it done with good results on more than a few occasions.

There are plenty of things that can cause your A/C to become inoperative. If your strapped for cash, here's what I'd do. Go the the junk yard and get the used condenser. Install, charge your system, and observe what happens. You may want to have a shop check it for you if you don't have a set of manifold gauges, because system problems are easily diagnosed by judging the variances in the high and low side pressures. If it turns out that the repairs are going to be out of your willing price range, you can walk away from that thought of having A/C again without having spent too much money.

I'm the OP's dad, trying to help out too. I don't have any experience with automotive a/c other than turning it on from inside. A couple of follow-on questions:

1. Is it possible to test the compressor without hooking up the rest of the system? I'd hate for him to spend money buying a replacement condenser - new or used - just to find out he has to spend potentially hundreds more because his compressor was broken even before the accident.
2. The a/c in his car hasn't worked for a couple of years (at least as long as he's owned the car). Has he likely damaged the compressor by continuing to run the heating system - which cycles the a/c when on defrost - during this time? In other words, will running an a/c system without refrigerant damage the compressor motor?

He's trying to get back on the road as inexpensively as possible without causing more long-term damage to the car's components.

Thanks for the responses so far.

KP

No. A/C system needs to have some kind of charge in order for you to check the actual rate of compression. You can however activate with clutch with jumpers, but that's all you you can do, and it doesn't prove much.

Did you actually hear the compressor cycling when you had the setting on defrost? For a compressor clutch to even activate, a number of things have to be in order such as ambient temperature, engine operating temperature, and low and high side a/c system pressure.Nothing should be damaged on the A/C side from running defrost heater.

I've never heard or felt the compressor kick in, whether I'm trying to run the A/C or whether I am running the defrost heater...?

I have a VW junkyard that I am in contact with. After reading all of the feedback, it sounds like I should just replace the old a/c radiator (I am thinking about that EBay listing, too) and, when the time and money comes, I will have the system checked out.

-Chrispy

IF it is about the money then don't put on another A/C Condensor. Try to seal up those two A/C hoses and electrically disconnect the A/C compressor. Then drive the car. ;-) If the compressor locks up in the future then you can deal with that if it happens.

I personally like the comfort of the A/C system when I need it! ;-)

good luck, dave (One out of many daves)