My Honda dealer told me there's a hole in my A/C condenser from a rock or something that hit it. They said a new one would cost me $775. I looked online and can get an ACI brand condenser for about $140. I'm no mechanic, by any means, but I have replaced brakes, starters and other relatively simple things on my cars. Would it be that hard to replace the condenser and then bring it back to Honda to get it pressure checked and recharged?

Is there anything else I should do while replacing the condenser?

Thanks for any help you can give me.

 

You might wanna sit this one out. You have to discharge the system first which unless you have the machine to do this laying around, you have to empty it out into the air( which is illegal and wasteful) if you can find someone to discharge it then its pretty simple. You wood have to change out the drier with it tho.

 

You need to put about an ounce of the proper type of oil in the condensor before you install it, lube the orings also. That goes for the receiver/drier also.

Warning, cheap condensors, you have to look and see how many tubes are on the OEM condensor, then how many tubes on the aftermarket one, if the cheap one does not have nearly the same amount of cooling tubes, then it wont cool properly and your entire AC System will suffer, this goes for physical size and heat sink fins also, beware.

It has to be installed in the proper orientation, some vehicles, the condensor can be put in backwards, maybe the left and right side have connections in similar height locations or in older days, hoses hooked up directly to the condensor so the hose could be moved to a new location with ease, study the installation orientation closely just in case. Dont break any air dams between the condensor and radiator, if needed, replace them, foam or whatever.

Let the shop know if you did the work but if you need them to fill with a little more oil, a couple of more ounces for the major component changes.

 

Sorry for the late reply but I ended up getting it done about a week after I posted the question. Thanks for replying, though. I ended up getting it done for about $400.

 

Sorry for the late reply but I ended up getting it done about a week after I posted the question. Thanks for replying, though. I ended up getting it done for about $400.