$3000 condenser?

jcolvin

Member
My A/C system is not holding coolant and the shop is pretty sure its a condenser issue. I have rear A/C and the cost of a new condenser is apparently $3000, not including R&R! Any cheaper options to paying $3000 for a condenser?!?
 

jmoller99

Own a DAD ODB2 Unit.
Hard to know what fits, but a Ford, Dodge or Chevy truck AC Condenser can be found online for 1/10 that cost (usually even less). Maybe a different one can be adapted from a US vehicle.
 

NYC SPRINTERS

New member
My A/C system is not holding coolant and the shop is pretty sure its a condenser issue. I have rear A/C and the cost of a new condenser is apparently $3000, not including R&R! Any cheaper options to paying $3000 for a condenser?!?
B S find another shop this one is charging tripppppppppppple price!!!
 

Bob of QF

New member
Agreed-- a brandy-new one should be at most a couple of hundred dollars. A used one, even less. They must be air-freighting it overnight directly from Germany..... on a chartered jet... <snerk>
 

bc339

New member
Sounds like Clark Griswold in Vacation...

Clark: Yeah, well, we're from out of town. How much do I owe you?

Mechanic 1: How much you got?

Clark: No, I'm asking how much the repairs are.

Mechanic 1: And I'm asking how much you got!

Clark: You're out of your mind. Look, I don't have time to fool around so how much is it?

Mechanic 1: All of it, boy!

Clark: What does your sheriff think of your business practice?



If you want OEM, the rear condensor lists for $1416.05 from Berry. The front one is 393.70.
Try Auto Parts Warehouse, they have good prices on ac parts.

Bruce
 

1cylshort

...of a full Cummins.
Is the $3000 installed? That might explain the $1500 part, labor, etc. But that's still steep.

Are they replacing hoses and lines as well?

Probably have to use special MB imported synthetic Freon, made by elves in the highest peaks of the Alps.
 

abittenbinder

Doktor A (864-623-9110)
My A/C system is not holding coolant and the shop is pretty sure its a condenser issue. I have rear A/C and the cost of a new condenser is apparently $3000, not including R&R! Any cheaper options to paying $3000 for a condenser?!?
Dodge list price for part# 5132357AA (roof top rear A/C condenser for '04-'06) is $1860.00

MBenz list price is $1640.00

If you are dealing with Dodge, the parts manager may be willing to match the Benz price.

Doktor A
 
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Motodisiac

Moto Terrorist
I'm thinking about removing my perfectly functioning rear AC so perhaps I could sell you my condenser :) I just feel bad about recently filling it with fresh freon, it was something like 5 gallons (or liters)
 

jcolvin

Member
I'll get them to dye-check it first before anything gets pulled. Now I'm thinking they quoted for a front heavy-duty condenser, not the rear one. That was a phone quote, and they may have been confused. Now its at a different shop which gave a much more reasonable quote on a new condenser (under $1000). There sure does seem to be a lot wrong with my system. No power to front pump clutch, no pressure in front system (they will dye check it), pressure in rear system but broken rear evap fan, and a bad bearing/broken shaft on the rear pump (clutch making a nasty noise). All on a van with 69,000 miles. phew.
 

Bob of QF

New member
Dye-check is good.

So good, in fact, that anytime I replace a compressor in an automotive A/C, I insist on using dye-impregnated oil-- glows a lovely UV, under a black light.

Not unlike those Cop Shows on TV...

... of course, it also helps to steam-clean the engine compartment. :rolleyes:

Ideally, you do this before you start on the repair...

... but who remembers to do that?

:tongue: :laughing:
 

jcolvin

Member
I'm thinking about removing my perfectly functioning rear AC so perhaps I could sell you my condenser :) I just feel bad about recently filling it with fresh freon, it was something like 5 gallons (or liters)
Turns out I need a new rear ac compressor, a new rear ac electrical fan but the condenser is just fine. If you do decide to pull your unit let me know and I'll buy the parts from you!

JC
 

220629

Well-known member
...I just feel bad about recently filling it with fresh freon, it was something like 5 gallons (or liters)
Most likely liters, but the charging of AC units is usually expressed in pounds. (Seems like a lot.:idunno:)

Not that you asked...

If you de-commision your rear air unit it would be nice to do the right thing and take it to a shop so they can evacuate the system for you. That is as opposed to cracking a fitting and just letting it blow off to atmosphere. If you check first and schedule they may do it for a little cash on a slow day. You don't need a receipt for any reason that I can see.

Ideally you would want to seal off all the components after removal so they don't suck up too much moisture from the atmosphere while in storage. If you don't have the proper fittings even just a piece of rubber and hose clamp over the end of the open lines will help in the short term. Of course that is more for the next owner's advantage than for you. Have fun. vic

P.S. - If you have the dual belt harmonic balancer you might also consider changing that to a single belt style. The dual belt HB has more history of problems.
 
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Bob of QF

New member
Most likely liters, but the charging of AC units is usually expressed in pounds. (Seems like a lot.:idunno:)

Not that you asked...

If you de-commision your rear air unit it would be nice to do the right thing and take it to a shop so they can evacuate the system for you. That is as opposed to cracking a fitting and just letting it blow off to atmosphere. If you check first and schedule they may do it for a little cash on a slow day. You don't need a receipt for any reason that I can see.

Ideally you would want to seal off all the components after removal so they don't suck up too much moisture from the atmosphere while in storage. If you don't have the proper fittings even just a piece of rubber and hose clamp over the end of the open lines will help in the short term. Of course that is more for the next owner's advantage than for you. Have fun. vic

P.S. - If you have the dual belt harmonic balancer you might also consider changing that to a single belt style. The dual belt HB has more history of problems.
Yes-- 5 pounds seems highly excessive-- most automotive systems use 1 or 2 or at most 3 pounds of refrigerant (typically). The piping is short, the condensers/evaporators are small (compared to fixed, building-based systems), so little is needed.

But I do not know for certain, as I do not have a rear AC on my sprinter-- maybe these things have a really huge set of parts.... or..

... It appears they charged him for all that they used in testing too... including any they used to blow out the system prior to charging? The old, now disapproved method of blowing freon (or whatever) into the system at one fitting, and letting it blow out into the air at the other, purging any air and/or moisture-- but this method dumps gobs of freon into the atmosphere, not good stewardship (or so they say).

Regardless of your opinion on stewardship, it's also not good for the wallet-- most modern refrigerants are costly...! And with the proper equipment, all can be recycled and re-used-- they don't wear out, they don't go bad-- kinda a design element when they were fabricated in the first place, actually.

Sure, they can become contaminated, but those can be removed pretty easily with the proper equipment. For example, air contamination is pretty easy to get out: compress the refrigerant gas to the point it liquifies. The air won't do that-- it remains gaseous. Now draw off only the liquid... and presto! You have air-free refrigerant.

Moisture contamination is pretty easy to remove too, as is lubricants and particulates. Filters, moisture-absorbers, etc.

Alas, not the sort of thing a DIY could justify-- but recyclers can (and do), so recycling the old refrigerant is the right thing to do, here-- many garages will pull the old freon/etc for you for nothing (they can re-sell it to recyclers) if they are not busy-- and especially if you are a good customer anyway.

I know I have done exactly that, only for land-based systems (that use R22). I have the recovery machine and a nice recovery bottle to store it in. I don't charge, as I can easily get a little $$ for the used freon at the recycler's. Unless they* are being a real :censored: about the whole thing.... then, I usually say I'm too busy, and can they please call someone else?

:bounce:




* the person asking me to recover the freon-- no one would do that, would they? :rolleyes:
 
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