6.0L ac compressor seized - cost?

[BroncoHauler]

Originally Posted by ShuttlePilot

...This topic has reaffirmed my practice of replacing things near the end of their life preemptively in the driveway on a day that I get to chose. Which can save a bit of money too, but you can't plan for everything.

Thanks again jage,
-Eric

A good practice Eric. When I replace my 7.3L serpentine belt (after a set time or mileage) I take the old belt and place it with my spare tire. Of course then you need to proper breaker bar to put the replacement belt on.


Herb

[JoeH]

I concur, especially just having my alternator crap out on a Sat night in Scipio, UT. Got the last room at a motel and borrowed a car from hotel staff to run to the only NAPA open within 150 miles to get a reman.

[BroncoHauler]

Originally Posted by JoeH

I concur, especially just having my alternator crap out on a Sat night in Scipio, UT. Got the last room at a motel and borrowed a car from hotel staff to run to the only NAPA open within 150 miles to get a reman.

I would use that alternator long enough to replace it with a DC Power unit, or some other high quality, high output alternator, and then use the NAPA reman as an emergency backup.


Herb

[JoeH]

Originally Posted by BroncoHauler

I would use that alternator long enough to replace it with a DC Power unit, or some other high quality, high output alternator, and then use the NAPA reman as an emergency backup.

Herb

It was a $550 DC Power 250A XP that failed. 4 years and 35,000 miles. Lame. And their customer support is even less stellar. Maybe they will refurbish it but it's out of warranty.

I'm looking at a commercial grade Leece Neville 230A unit.

I've also had 3 AC compressor units fail which is relevant to this thread. Seems there are better aftermarket options for alternators but not so sure on AC units.

[BroncoHauler]

Originally Posted by JoeH

It was a $550 DC Power 250A XP that failed. 4 years and 35,000 miles. ...
I've also had 3 AC compressor units fail which is relevant to this thread....

Strange. Makes me wonder if there's a link between the failures, like out of alignment pulleys, improper belt tension, something that's putting extra stress on your belt driven accessories. You should never have had so many failures.


Herb

[JoeH]

Originally Posted by BroncoHauler

Strange. Makes me wonder if there's a link between the failures, like out of alignment pulleys, improper belt tension, something that's putting extra stress on your belt driven accessories. You should never have had so many failures.


Herb

Maybe but I don't think so. The DCpower fried a diode or something. Spins just fine. The OEM compressor made it 70,000 miles before internally imploding and filling the orifice tube with shrapnel. The reman made it 20k and seized when I melted a piston in Idaho. I think I had the math wrong though. I'm on my 3rd alternator and 3rd compressor but either way I think it pays to get the best if you can. I'm just not sure what that is wrt AC. Maybe OEM, at least Ford holds their suppliers to some sort of standard. No way I would go aftermarket from O'Reilly or Autozone on either and even NAPA has slipped in recent years with regard to electrical.

[MadScience]

FWIW, I had everything other than the evaporator on my factory AC replaced this spring. I used a local independent specialist that was recommended and seems to have done a good job. They did not want to go non-OEM on the compressor, but upgraded a couple other bits. Total cost was right at $2k.

I know I could have just swapped the compressor for a third party unit and hoped for the best, but I really didn't want to regret that somewhere around eureka dunes during a heat-wave.

Interesting thoughts about alternators here, it seems I've had just about everything else like that go recently. I've been unable to identify what mine is, I assume it's non-factory on the ENG conversion, and it sure does charge up the house battery in a hurry.

[chainsaw5vent]

Here's my experience.
About two years ago, DC alternator was installed by the DC crew. They're about 3 miles from my house in riverside. . About $650. No problems.
This summer the AC fan stopped working near Dallas Tx. Joe's AC Repair in Grand Prairie, Tx (down the street from the fire station) and dropped me off and picked me up from my hotel when the work was done.

Then somewhere on the eastern seaboard the compressor failed. Two days later at a whole foods parking lot in Boston it seized and wouldn't let the 6.0 start. (At least it was in town.--not in the boonies. And our oldest daughter who lives in Boston drove the wife and kids back to our hotel in Plymouth )
The dealer in Plymouth charged $2,424 for the AC compressor repair and the coolant hose (which had started leaking earlier at Pikes Peak) So between the $250 and $2,424 and 3 cans of AC freon plus car rental $500 it cost us over $3,200 in repairs and other charges. But we Han a great see the USA road trip that lasted 46 days and just shy of 10,000 miles.

We live in a beautiful country