I had a wee bit of trouble while pulling my 2004 Southwind into a spot in Sedona. Paid $546 (Ins) to tow it to a RV repair shop in Cottonwood..They told me the Compressor froze and it would cost $2900 to replace. After I woke up I asked them to just disconnect the compressor so I could drive it to my storage and they said that the Vortec Engine could not run without the whole belt (overheating) and without Compressor being attached.QuestionsDoes $2900 Seem like a lot?Do these really need to have the compressor in to drive any distance?

You should be able to get a idle pully to replace the compressor with and a new little shorter belt

2900 sounds a bit high. But it depends on the compressor cost. They also will have to evacuate the system, to capture the gas, replace the compressor, then flush the entire system and replace the receiver dryer and filter. Finally pull a vacuum on the system and recharge it with gas. Depending on the age of the system they may be charging you for freon which can be extremely expensive as it has been outlawed for several years. Either that or change the system over to the newer freons. Either way it can be expensive. Ask for a total parts/labor breakdown before spending a dime with them.

Compressor is turned by a magnetic clutch. Disconnecting the power connector adjacent to the compressor should release it. You can also pull fuse that powers AC unit.If the clutch is frozen it is a different story.Dollar estimate sounds way out of line.

Bud has it correct, even if the clutch is frozen, you can pull it, remove the magnetic coil form the compressor and replace the pulley. If the bearing are seized, just replace the bearings or the hole pulley. $2,900 is very high, unless they are going to replace everything in the system.Good luck and let us know.

Price is about $1200 installed plus any new engine belts and belt tension replacement is also recommended. Mine was done for $1395 this last summer.

Southwind AC Compressor Replacement | Good Sam Community

newman_fulltime
Explorer II
Dec 28, 2013
You should be able to get a idle pully to replace the compressor with and a new little shorter belt
donn0128
Explorer II
Dec 28, 2013
2900 sounds a bit high. But it depends on the compressor cost. They also will have to evacuate the system, to capture the gas, replace the compressor, then flush the entire system and replace the receiver dryer and filter. Finally pull a vacuum on the system and recharge it with gas. Depending on the age of the system they may be charging you for freon which can be extremely expensive as it has been outlawed for several years. Either that or change the system over to the newer freons. Either way it can be expensive. Ask for a total parts/labor breakdown before spending a dime with them.
enblethen
Nomad
Dec 28, 2013
Compressor is turned by a magnetic clutch. Disconnecting the power connector adjacent to the compressor should release it. You can also pull fuse that powers AC unit.
If the clutch is frozen it is a different story.
Dollar estimate sounds way out of line.
wildmanbaker
Explorer
Dec 28, 2013
Bud has it correct, even if the clutch is frozen, you can pull it, remove the magnetic coil form the compressor and replace the pulley. If the bearing are seized, just replace the bearings or the hole pulley. $2,900 is very high, unless they are going to replace everything in the system.
Good luck and let us know.
trop-a-cal
Explorer
Dec 28, 2013
Price is about $1200 installed plus any new engine belts and belt tension replacement is also recommended. Mine was done for $1395 this last summer.
PaulJ2
Explorer
Dec 28, 2013
enblethen wrote:
Compressor is turned by a magnetic clutch. Disconnecting the power connector adjacent to the compressor should release it. You can also pull fuse that powers AC unit.
If the clutch is frozen it is a different story.
Dollar estimate sounds way out of line.

X2 Just disconnect the plug for the electric clutch.
ScottG
Nomad
Dec 28, 2013
That sounds like an awful lot but I would call a couple of other places to see what a new compressor will cost.
Since it left you sitting I am thinking it probably lost the clutch side of the compressor and it's seized. If just turning the AC off doesn't free it up then unplugging it wont help either because in both cases power is removed from the clutch.
So you will have to have it towed to get work done someplace else.
enblethen
Nomad
Dec 28, 2013
It could be less expensive to have a field mechanic do the work rather then towing to a shop. If it becomes necessary.
moreroad
Explorer
Dec 28, 2013
Ya these guys aren't sure how to do it, they say they have to take out the radiator.

I have read about a Idler Bypass Pulley that they use to replace the Compressor and workhorse shows it in this diagram:

workhorse

It will cost me another $500 just to get it out of their garage and dropped a couple of miles at my storage.

Trying to match up the Part Number

Pulley
darsben
Explorer II
Dec 29, 2013
I bought my compressor for my 1990 Southwind online for less than $300 delivered, the new drier canister from NAPA was $19.00. Called a local onsite service guy and he charged $45.00 an hour to remove and replace compressor and drier plus evacuate and charge. He charged me for 4 hours plus the cost of 134A which added about $75.00 to total.
Service guy did everything through the doghouse or laying under the Home. I have the chevy P30 chassis though