My AC died and the dealer said the compressor had failed. I got an estimate and to replace was over $1,700. Needless to say I don't want to go without AC here in Sunny Florida but that's quite a bit of dough to dish out for this repair.

I looked online (eBay) and found a reconditioned compressor, drier, oil and o-ring kit for under $250 with a $30 return fee on the core. Needless to say it's on the way.

My questions is the oil that comes with the kit. I Googled my butt off and could not find any mention of oil for MINI compressors. Does anyone have any experience with this or will the shop I take it too to get charged after replacement know what to do with the oil?

 

I got the same one. Local AC shop said to pour 'a little bit' into the compressor (1-2oz), then he added some via the recharge machine. Only used maybe 1/3 of the bottle overall. Been blowing nice and cold since!
If you haven't read some of the other AC threads here, if you use the 'Rudy Method', you can do it without pulling the front end. Remove the PS fan and lower engine mount, and use a ratchet strap to pull the engine back. This will give you enough room to work (though the front bolt is blind.) Only tough part I had was getting the fittings out of the old compressor. There are two little pins that were rusted all to hell and took some patient persuading. The fittings come straight out due to the pins, don't try to twist them.
Also, you don't need to pull the whole bumper cover to access the drier clamp, though it does make it just a bit easier.

 

Thanks Eric. So you put the whole thing together and took it somewhere to get charged? Sounds like what I might do.

 

Exactly. I actually took it in to get it evacuated (ok, so I'm environmentally conscious), then back to the same place after replacing the compressor. You definitely want to bring it to a pro, or get the equipment to evac the system to boil off any moisture before refilling. For me it was worth the peace of mind to consult with an expert to make sure my time replacing the compressor was well spent. And still at a significant discount to getting it done at the dealer. Or the shop for that matter - they wanted just about the same $$. Book said they had to pull the front end, drain the radiator, etc. As I said, the job is much less complicated than that.

 

Eric, I searched for the "Rudy Method" and have been unable to find. Can you post a link?

 

Sorry, it was the Rudy proceedure (sic)

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ricks-ftw.html

 

Got my compressor Monday. What are all the o rings for, the hoses?

 

There are two fittings (attached to the hoses) in the compressor. The o-riings go on the end of the fittings.

 

AC blows colder than it ever did. I must admit it was easier than I thought and u was a bit nervous when I started.

I stayed methodical in removing parts and everything went well.

Did the whole job for a third of what MINI wanted.

 

Thanks for the encouraging words Eric.

 

Glad it worked out for you! Being on the cool coast, I let mine languish for a few years before I finally tackled it. Nice to have cold AC again!

 

Especially here in Florida. It was up to 90 today. It was blowing so nice and cool. Thanks again.