This information is presented as a how to in repairing the Air Conditioning System in a Generation 2B Blazer and similar S-10 Pickups equiped with a 4.3L V6, Parts numbers specified or for a 1999 Blazer ZR2.

If your A/C makes a 'burning metal death cry' from the compressor when turned on, Congratulations, the compressor has siezed. There is a good chance that the bearings on the clutch assembly are not far behind, as evidenced by the compressor heating to the point of the paint starting to burn off. One person estimated the average life of a GM compressor at 90 hours, but he was driving a Ford and could not be trusted.

Before you begin it may be illegal for unlicenced persons to repair refirigeration systems in your state. Check your local listings. It is also illegal to vent R-134a into the atmousphere intentionally, slow leaks are another story. In anycase you may wish to have a shop flush a system out before you work on it, should only cost $30 and you may get a credit towards recovered refrigerent on refill time.


To rebuild you will need to acquire the following parts:

Replacement Compressor with clutch, Ready Aire 2645 or 2645N ($230 Rebuilt, $330 New)
Replacment Accumulator, Ready Aire 4440N ($38)
Expansion Valve & Orifice Tube, Ready Aire 46011 ($1.50)

The above three must be purchased together at to validate the 1 year warrenty.

Can of PAG oil, compatible to your vehicle,2003 and above high viscocity or 2002 below low viscocity ($10)
Replacement A/C gasket set, Factory Air 26742 ($6)


Not required but you might as well save your self the time and money now:

Hose Assembly, Ready Aire 35107 ($80)


Tools Required:

3/8" Drive Ratchet and extensions
13mm Deepwell socket
10mm socket
8mm box wrench
Ft. Lbs. Range torque wrench with 3/8" drive adapter
Needle nose pliars
Small split ring pliars
2, 12" cresent wrenches.
Assorted Large wrenches, in the 16mm to 24mm range.


Disconnect battery terminals and remove battery and battery tray from engine bay using 8mm wrench on terminals and 13mm deepwell socket with 12" extension on hold down clamp and no extension with tray securing bolts.

Remove the serpintine belt by placing the 3/8" drive ratchet into the belt tensioner and forcing it down.

Inspect the hose assembly were it goes into the compressor, this flange may have cracks and might be responcible for your A/C's death. Remove the hoses from the compressor using 13mm deepwell socket. Verify that a M10 Grade 8 washer was in place between bolt and hose assembly flange.

Inspect seals and flange for wear or obvious leak points. Look for unexplained oil spills around compressor area.

Disconnect A/C clutch electrical connector

Use needle nose pliars to remove retaining clip on underside of throttle cable mounting plate and push throttle cable to allow access to rear compressor mounting bolt. Remove compressor mounting bolts using 13mm deepwell and 6 to 10" extension.

Remove compressor from engine bay, Be aware there is an electrical connector on the rear of the compressor that will have to be disconnected while the compressor is in a position to allow easy access (mid-air).

Inspect compressor for oil slicks. Turn compressor over and measure amount of oil that came out. You will add this amount of new oil to the new compressor, if none comes out use approximently 1 oz.

Do not remove plastic dust seals from new compressor yet. Use split ring pliars to remove retaining clip and high presure sensor from old compressor. Clean as nessacary. Remove aluminum filler plug from new compressor using split ring pliars. Add oil to gaskets in compressor and insert sensor into compressor until firmly seated. Reinstall retaining clip.

Install new compressor into engine bay. Attach high presure sensor connector while in mid-air. Reinstall mounting bolts and Torque 37 lb ft (50Nm). Reattach A/C clutch connector and replace throttle cable mounting clip.

Remove accumultor presure sensor connector. Using 2, 12" cresent wrenches unscrew hose assembly from accumulator. Use 19mm and 23mm wrenches to remove hose assembly from upper condenser port. Discard old hose assembly.

Unscrew accumulator from evaporator assembly using 2 12" cresent wrenches. Use 10mm socket to unbolt accumulator lower retaining ring from evaporator housing. Remove accumulator from engine bay.

Remove accumulator presure sensor from old accumulator using 16mm box wrench. Reinstall on new accumulator using provided gaskets coated in PAG oil. Do not remove the other plastic seals on accumulator yet.

Using 19mm and 23mm wrenches unscrew evaporator tube from the lower evaporator port. Using needle nose pilars remove Orifice tube from evaporator. Make note of the direction of installaion and inspect for metal debris. Coat seal on new orifice tube with PAG oil and insert into evaporator. Replace O-ring seal on evaporator tube with new o-ring coated in PAG oil. Attach evaporator tube to lower evaporator port using wreches and tighten to 20 lb ft (27.5 Nm)

Repeat o-ring replacement procedure on the other side of the evaporator tube to lower condensor fitting.

Place replacment hose assembly on upper condenser fitting, Keep plastic protectors on other ports until needed to remove them. The hose assembly should of came with O-rings and gaskets attached. Remember to coat o-rings with PAG before installation. Verify position of insulation material on new hose assembly so the hose assembly does not rub metal to metal with the transmission cooler line going into the radiator.

Remove plastic protector off of evaporator side of the new accumulator and add 2 oz of PAG into the port (1998 and earlier use 1 oz). Place retaining ring from old accumulator on to new accumulator. Oil O-Ring and install new accumulator to evaporator core finger tight. Install bolt from retaining ring to evaporator casing using 10mm socket. Use cresent wrenches and finishg tighting accumulator to evap core to 30 lb ft (41Nm). Remove remaining plastic from accumulator to compressor port and attach hose assembly. Tighten to 30 lb ft. (41Nm).

Soak seals from hose to compressor flange in PAG (You should have 2 sets as the hose and compressor came with them.) Use only 1 set. Remove plastic from compressor and add new oil in amount previously determined. Carefully seat hose assembly flange to compressor. Make sure distance is equal around the perimiter before torquing. Replace mounting bolt with washer on top of flange and finger tighten. Verify equality. Tighten to 24 lb ft. (33Nm). The proper gap from flange to compressor housing should be approx 1.27mm all around.

Reinstall serpintine belt, battery tray and battery.

You will now have to find a service center to evacuate and recharge the system. Typical cost is $70 plus about $20 a pound for R-134a. The system should hold 1.9 to 2.1 lbs. Be sure to be in the service bay with your operator and point to any part of the system you have touched during the leak test to verify the seals personally.

 

Awesome how-to! Simply great!! Thanks!

As you can see I took the liberty of adding it to the DIY section. I am glad you put in the disclaimers and all because this is a complicated DIY project for sure.

Thanks again for the post!!