I know it sounds like an idiotic question, but....

my 93 Accord s/w still running strong at 320000 miles BUT the rear main seal leaks badly and I HATE leaky messy engines-too unpleasant (call me picky) to work on, diagnose and clean up after. So, I've pretty much decided to replace the engine - drop the tranny or pull the engine just for a seal on an engine w/ more than 1/4 million miles? Might as well just replace it....
But it will be between 1-3 months before I'll be able to begin the replacement project and meanwhile the weather will still be HOT and I'd like to be COOL. And the a/c needs servicing- the system discharged after some bozo at a Home Depot backed into my car and caused a refrigerant leak from somewhere close to the front grill. I've got an appointment for tomorrow after work to have it looked at.

The question (s) : Will it be a total waste of $$$ to fix the a/c now? Can I remove the system from the engine w/o evacuating it or MUST it be discharged? (This is my first car w/ a/c-mostly due to the fact that a/c complicates repair work and I've always tried to avoid complications...)

Sorry for the long winded post-(feelin a bit anxious about spending more money than I have to).

Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated.

(and- I posted this on my other fav Honda forum, hoping to get more answers - please don't flame me.)
lvs4rock is online now

 

well i mean if you say it discharged, is it completly empty? also you dont really want that stuff leaking lol kinda a earth matter

 

good question- and I'm not sure exactly how to answer it. The incident at Home Depot happened 3+ years ago. (Up till then the a/c worked...) And the guy just drove off - basically hit and run. It didn't seem like a major issue-the plastic radiator grill appeared to be the only victim and the damage looked minor. I was washing the car a week or more later and noticed an oily film on part of my radiator grill. -Hmm? what the heck is this? Shrugged shoulders, washed it off. Back to life as usual. Next time I washed car, same thing. It was days (maybe weeks) later that I turned on the a/c and got a blast of not-quite cool air. Investigated, looked at the sight glass on (or near) the receiver-dryer and finally put all the facts together. And by then it was much too late.

 

wow 3years ago im guessing its most likely empty, so if its a hose it'll be straight-forward to change it yourself if not removing the a/c isnt diffucult at all

 

good. I know the receiver-dryer unit is supposed to be replaced any time the system has been 'open' for more than a day or two-on my way to NAPA right now to purchase new one-taking it with me to the shop tomorrow.
Thanks for replying, F20B_accord.

Anyone one else care to chime in?

Please?