a/c compressor replacement

[BiggDaddy]

Soooo,
2000 XJ with 4.0 and auto.

Compressor starts making an awful grinding noise. So I did the whole long screwdriver from the pulley to the ear thing. Everything sounds good but the a/c compressor, which is awful! It sounds the same on the back side of the compressor, so I've deduced that the whole compressor is bad. It's not just the pulley.

So I've bought a new compressor from NAPA for $200+. Now I'm not exactly sure how to replace it. Shop manual says to have it discharged (which I think I can handle, even if it does involve destroying a tiny little bit of our precious environment). Problem is the instructions say something about oil/lubrication. I'm not sure if I need to fill the compressor, and if so, what to use to do it. I'm going to have to take it to a shop to get it re-charged when I'm done, but I don't want to put it in there and ruin it during the first trip to work.

Coincidentally, I've driven about 150 miles with it grinding and sounding like it does. Not sure how long this will last before the brand new belt breaks on me. Please help....

BiggDaddy

[dan]

autozone sells the oil for 5 bucks

[BIGRAM]

I just met a guy that had his compressor catch fire setting still in the teller line. It was a Dodge pickup, so I'm not sure if this will effect you or not but certainly something to think about. He got a belt for the engine without AC and bypassed it for the time being.

[hotrod]

also get a reciever drier for the system as well. when your compressor goes out obviously it sends little pieces of metal and crap into your system. even tho the reciever drier isnt ment to be a filter really, it catches that crap and it stays in there so your system is clogged, your high and low side pressures will be off, therfore wont cool as good as it should. if you take it up to a shop, tell them that oil needs to be put into it. (even tho that should be obvious.) The oil doesnt stay in the compressor, it flowes through the entire system. i would recomend short belting the system and just having a shop do it just because they have the proper tools to take care of it.