New Guy from Aurora, Colorado

Hey Guys, I’m Gunter Kramer and I live in Aurora, Colorado. I got my 1993 Roadmaster Estate Wagon seven years ago. It has the L05 engine. I always loved wagons, and since I’m from Germany, there never was a reason to explain why. Over there, the wagon is the body style of choice. Here in the US, wagon owners are mostly perceived as weirdos. Aside from some nice comments (“My father owned one like that!”), especially at the pump, my wagon receives some strange contempt. Well, I guess they don’t know what they’re missing.
The RMW rides very nicely and is very comfy. Loads of space, too. The downside of owning such a vehicle is the total abandonment by GM regarding parts. Nothing but obsolete, discontinued, undeliverable and lo longer available.

Two months ago, the A/C compressor started leaking. Thankfully, the system has been converted to R134a many years ago, so I thought that would be a cheap fix. Little did I know, the lowest estimate was for $800 because nobody wants to just replace the compressor. At the least, they charge for the dryer and the orifice tube. The flushing and refilling go extra.

Just to cover all bases, I went to Len Lyall Chevrolet on 14500 E Colfax Ave. They flat-out refused to work on my car. “Only 20 years or younger vehicles”, I was told. Even explaining that that repair was a slam dunk for a Chevrolet dealer, and that I could give them the part number for the compressor and dryer didn’t help.
Well, I disconnected the electrical plug on the backside of the compressor (so it doesn’t engage) and have to live with the lack of A/C. It’s getting pretty hot in Colorado these days so if you guys out there could recommend a shop in Aurora, CO I’d be most grateful. A shop for regular maintenance and repairs would be greatly appreciated as well.

Gunter

Welcome aboard!   Yes any AC repair on a car will cost you $800 or more to have it done.  The dealership probably would have been twice that.   If you are mechanical, you can buy a whole kit with new Compressor, O-rings, orifice, tube, and dryer for about $300.  

Replacing the orifice tube and dryer are important and should be done, as well as flushing the system.  Many will say to replace the condenser too, but unless you have black death (google Black death automotive AC) in the system I would skip that.  I got a flush kit called flush in a bucket (had everything you need in a hand 5 gal bucket) to flush out your system  it was about another $100.

I've self repaired about 15 auto ACs over the years with good success.  it's a days work more or less
and on an L05 fairly easy as the Compressor is on top of the engine.      

If you figure $300 for a kit, $100ish for the flush kit, $60ish for 134a and PAG oil,  and your time, all of a sudden $800 isn't that bad as you still want a vacuum pump to test the system out and there's another $100, not to mention a set of manifold gauges.

With all due respect to Sprocket, who is a very knowledgeable and helpful mentor on this forum, I recommend reviewing this post before deciding whether or not to flush the system, especially with a $100 flush kit.

One way or the other, I strongly recommend installing an inline suction side filter in addition to the compressor kit he mentions.