2007 AC needs replaced

[mike]

The AC in our '07 Liberty hasn't worked for about 10 years. I recently decided it needs to. I plan to have a local mechanic replace everything AC related, so that it's all new. What needs to be replaced? Any specific brand? Or brand to avoid? By the way, we live in Colorado Springs, CO. The Jeep rarely gets driven, less than 1,500 miles a year.

 

[lfhoward]

I’m in a similar place, where my AC hasn’t worked in about 2 years. My compressor is about 2 years old, but the AC only worked for a few months after replacing that. All of the other components are original to 2007. I noticed that Rock Auto has the entire system for sale. I don’t know about the quality of the parts though. I’ll be interested to see where you get your parts from.

 

[JeepJeepster]

I've only completely replaced the A/C system on 1 Jeep and I used Four Seasons. Its working good so far. Ordered it from Summit racing and had a heck of a time getting the parts undamaged. They direct shipped the parts from Four Seasons, so it wasn't their fault at all, and they did everything they could to make it right. I purchased the extended warranty through Summit since most everything is junk now a days.

 

[mike]

I’m in a similar place, where my AC hasn’t worked in about 2 years. My compressor is about 2 years old, but the AC only worked for a few months after replacing that. All of the other components are original to 2007. I noticed that Rock Auto has the entire system for sale. I don’t know about the quality of the parts though. I’ll be interested to see where you get your parts from.

Thanks ifhoward. I saw the sale at RA, that's what inspired me to do something. That and the fact that the Jeep was our only car for about a week (the 2021 Escape was in the shop getting hail damage repaired). If I remember right, the brand of the stuff on sale at RA is Nissen. I've never heard of that brand before, but I don't know anything about AC!
Thanks again!

 

[mike]

I've only completely replaced the A/C system on 1 Jeep and I used Four Seasons. Its working good so far. Ordered it from Summit racing and has a heck of a time getting the parts undamaged. They direct shipped the parts from Four Seasons, so it wasn't their fault at all, and they did everything they could to make it right. I purchased the extended warranty through Summit since most everything is junk now a days.

What parts would you suggest replacing? I pretty much want an entire new system. The Jeep has less than 80,000 miles, shows no rust (lives in a carport in Colorado Springs), had a good report from Blackstone, so I expect it to last a while. I like that there was an extended warranty available when you bought the system, would you purchase the extended warranty if you had to replace the AC system again? Did the Four Seasons brand of parts seem good? I know nothing about the AC in a vehicle, I pretty much know nothing about HVAC in general!

 

[burntkat]

I'm in the same place, wurh my 05. Here is what I ordered from Rock Auto...
Add a seal kit for a whopping 6 bucks, just in case...
My son is about to make $400 in side work off me alone.... After he made $200 doing 4 tires and an alignment earlier this month....

EDIT - haven't had a functional AC in a vehicle for longer than 2 weeks..... In 30 years... In South Carolina. I may be getting soft in my old age, after I spent 3 hours covering 25 miles to get home this week owing to RR Xing work...in a black Jeep with the thermometer in the vent reading 135 degrees...

 

[burntkat]

I noticed that Rock Auto has the entire system for sale. I don’t know about the quality of the parts though. I’ll be interested to see where you get your parts from.

I posted my 'forklift' list off of RA in the previous post. Everything is name-brand same vendors I'd get from the LAPS. Four Seasons, with the Condensor being an "upgraded anti-corrosion" Denso unit. Going this route, I've had excellent results with RA with the other parts I've got from them. But yes, by ALL MEANS do not trust the unknown/unfamiliar names there. Saving $30 on a coolant recovery tank cost me 2 grand rebuilding the top end.

 

[burntkat]

What parts would you suggest replacing? I pretty much want an entire new system. The Jeep has less than 80,000 miles, shows no rust (lives in a carport in Colorado Springs), had a good report from Blackstone, so I expect it to last a while. I like that there was an extended warranty available when you bought the system, would you purchase the extended warranty if you had to replace the AC system again? Did the Four Seasons brand of parts seem good? I know nothing about the AC in a vehicle, I pretty much know nothing about HVAC in general!

See my list. All that was about $450.

You need...
-Compressor (check the type of compressor you presently have)
-PAG oil (should come with compressor)
-suction line
-liquid line (may come with the compressor, especially if you buy a kit)
-discharge line
-condensor
-seal kit
-receiver/dryer (should come with the compressor if you buy a kit)

It should arrive by Wednesday, ordered last night. Unfortunately, my son won't be able to install it until about the 25th, as he works next weekend. It books out to about 5 hours of labor. I expect this will take a full day being it's the first time he's done a full system in a Liberty. They don't get many Liberties at the dealership anymore.

I will be documenting the job in case anyone wants to see how big a job it is. This should replace everything under the hood (that's what I mean when I say we forklift something. Nothing beyond basic troubleshooting, just replace EVERYTHING in that system). With SC systems, it's best to do this, especially if there's a slow leak and the system has been open to atmo for a while. The humidity in the air will interact with the chemistry in the oil in the compressor and basically form acid... Plus there are likely metal shards in the lines. At that point, the whole system is contaminated, and replacing this or they individual component is likely to be a fool's errand.

 

[lfhoward]

I hope the original leak wasn't in the evaporator... (and that it doesn't contain any metal shards...) because changing that means taking the dash apart. I noticed the evaporator core isn't on your list.

 

[mike]

Thanks for the list burntkat.

I hope the original leak wasn't in the evaporator... (and that it doesn't contain any metal shards...) because changing that means taking the dash apart. I noticed the evaporator core isn't on your list.

Is this in your KK? If so, I wonder if getting to the evaporator is the same in an '07 Libby.

 

[burntkat]

I hope the original leak wasn't in the evaporator... (and that it doesn't contain any metal shards...) because changing that means taking the dash apart. I noticed the evaporator core isn't on your list.

Honestly, I overlooked that one. I will have to hope it is fine...

 

[JeepJeepster]

What parts would you suggest replacing? I pretty much want an entire new system. The Jeep has less than 80,000 miles, shows no rust (lives in a carport in Colorado Springs), had a good report from Blackstone, so I expect it to last a while. I like that there was an extended warranty available when you bought the system, would you purchase the extended warranty if you had to replace the AC system again? Did the Four Seasons brand of parts seem good? I know nothing about the AC in a vehicle, I pretty much know nothing about HVAC in general!

Its tough to tell you what I think you should replace. Since it only has 80k miles, I would personally leave the factory compressor unless I had a reason to think it was leaking or had an issue. I think I would start with just replacing the accumulator and the pressure hose. Flush the system, including the compressor, then add the proper amount of oil and refrigerant.

 

[lfhoward]

Thanks for the list burntkat.

Is this in your KK? If so, I wonder if getting to the evaporator is the same in an '07 Libby.

Yes, in the KK it is in the dash in a box adjacent to the heater core box. The heater core is centrally located but the evaporator core is kind of behind the glove box.

 

[mike]

Its tough to tell you what I think you should replace. Since it only has 80k miles, I would personally leave the factory compressor unless I had a reason to think it was leaking or had an issue. I think I would start with just replacing the accumulator and the pressure hose. Flush the system, including the compressor, then add the proper amount of oil and refrigerant.

I know it's not the factory compressor. Had a used one put in several years ago. I don't know if the compressor is leaking or not. How do I tell? I'll porobably start by replacing the compressor with a new one. I figured if the compressor is new, might as well put in new everything.

 

[eric1514]

You might be able to see where it's leaking with a UV light. Most refrigerants contain a dye that is visible with a UV flashlight like this one.

LINK

 

[24turbo]

I hate to say it but if your a/c compressor hasn’t had a charge for a few years, the seal is likely going to leak.

 

[DadOSix]

Here is a fun fact - my 04 was eating refrigerant every few days to a week. Lib was in Baltimore for an extended time and when I went to pick her up from #2 son, of course, no a/c. Got a can of stuff and cooled it down for 150 miles. Leak detector said it was the compressor ( sniffer unit), so i put in new compressor. A few weeks later - same deal. Last fall, I got ambitious and decided it was the evap - even though, i could not see the dye leak out the evap condensate line. Anyways, pull that beast out, and no sign of a leak. No dye, no oil slick.

Now I am ticked! Put it back in - new evap and new core - because who wants in the another time.

So my BIL was kind to loan me a leak detector that he hated. It is a 'sonic' unit - listen thru the system with a wand. Gassed up the ac with nitrogen and went all over the ac and condenser and evap and accumulator. Just by chance, I waved the wand over the return line and heard a hiss - whine. Dang hose had a pin-hole in the bend of the rubber section.

I got carried away previously and totally forgot K.I.S.S. method.

 

[Country2003KJ]

My 03 has always pumped out very cold air since i got it with 94K miles 6 years ago. I started only getting hot air so I cut open the air box thru thru the glove compartment and figured that the flapper was alwasy getting stuck in the HOT position. So, I put a screw into the heat/cold controller so that the flapper never goes full blown in the stuck position.

So, with that taken care of I am always getting cold air, EXCEPT, about two weeks ago. I went to get some 134a and did a check and the level was almost in the red zone. So, I let it sit and started it again and it was solid cold and in the green. I figured it was just a real hot day. Then I decided to replace the blet just in case it might have been slipping and the compressor was not getting the full belt pull. After the new belt it kept cold air. Then I sat there and looked at it running and then herd a real grinsing noise. Then I noticed the plastic pully on the tensioner was not turning. I ordered a new Mopar unit from RA.

I figure the bad pully/locked pully was inhibiting the free/full turning of everything. I started thinking that the pully was grinding well before this but I did not give it much thought. I probably should have replaced the belt and tensioner at the same time regardless whether it was bad or not or at least showing bad. Anyway, that is my A/C story but I have a 1994 F150 and I replace it whenever it goes bad over the years because it is a solid beater as well....

 

[burntkat]

I know it's not the factory compressor. Had a used one put in several years ago. I don't know if the compressor is leaking or not. How do I tell? I'll porobably start by replacing the compressor with a new one. I figured if the compressor is new, might as well put in new everything.

If you 'know' the compressor isn't bad.... First question is how do you know, given that it was a used compressor when it was put in? Second question is, then why are you replacing it?

 

[burntkat]

I hate to say it but if your a/c compressor hasn’t had a charge for a few years, the seal is likely going to leak.

Furthermore, if it's been exposed to atmo, the humidity in the air is going to interact with what's in the compressor (mainly remnants of oil) and create acid which will eat metal and seals, on top of the basic concerns of corrosion.