Elias C Dib

Hello ALL,

My AC compressor broke down. The pulley jammed and the belt was slipping until the engine stopped. The engine won't start anymore.

The mechanic came back to me requesting ac compressor replacement. Labor = $620 @ $90/Hr, Refrigerant included.
Part is on me ~ $250

1- Is it normal for the engine to struggle to start if the compressor failed?
2- Is the labor cost fair?


Thank you.

georgeb944

If you remove the serpentine belt, then you can run the engine (for a short time) to verify that the engine starts and runs. It may be that the stalled serp belt caused the battery to discharge, causing a low voltage.

The refrigerant is the least cost of the repair. Figure two cans at $10 per can. The labor seems a bit high, but I'll know better after I replace the AC compressor on one of my spare cars, I'm guessing about two hours for the replacement and about an hour for system vacuum testing and recharging.