AC Compressor help

Ive got a 2006 Tacoma Base model EXT Cab 4WD. My AC recently went out around a month ago and ive been having issues with it. Honestly nobody could give me a straight answer so I decided to ask a buddy of mine and he told me to come ask here. So here I am.

My AC Just all of a sudden went out. The first time it did it because I was low on refrigerant. So i serviced it and it lasted about two weeks before my passenger side started blowing hot air while the driver side was still cool. I figured it was low again and I suspected a leak so I serviced it with a dye in it this time. This time it didn't even last as long. The next day my ac was blowing warm again. So I was more than sure on a leak. I looked at the whole engine bay and couldn't find a single drop of the dye leaking from anywhere with my black light. So i decided to take it to a mechanic for a second look over. I took it to Eagle overhaul in Miami ( I was on vacation at the time and I honestly dont suggest this place to anyone.) They told me I had to change the main line that goes from the compressor to the condenser, the condenser it self and the compressor. I decided sure why not. Its in the high 90's down there and driving with no AC is torture. I left them the truck for no more than 2 hours when they called me and told me to come pick it up because they cant change my compressor since there is a stuck bolt on it. My truck came from up north and has seen snow. The bottom is rusted out but nothing that wouldn't make it driveable. I went and picked up the truck and took it to another place and told them what happened with the last mechanics. they told me they would give it a shot but they need to run a leak and vacuum test on it before starting to re-evaluate. When they ran the vacuum test all the coolant leaked out because the last mechanic place left the line to the compressor lose and without a proper seal on it. so they basically told me they cant do anything for me since they cant properly evaluate it. Ive taken it to multiple mechanics and have tried for them to work on my truck and tackle that stuck bolt. But everywhere I go they turn me down and say they don't want to get into it.

My question is does anyone know if the bolt screws on to the compressor itself or if the threads go past the bolt and I can cut the head off it and leave it as a shank until I can get it out?

That or could someone recommend me a good mechanic in the Tampa area that would be willing to tackle this hell of a truck I have. I also really need to get that compressor out because of a bad sensor behind it that I am dying to replace but cant because of the stuck bolt.

Any advice is appreciated.

 

Your issue is extremely vague. WHICH bolt is supposedly the problem? There are 4 bolts that go through the compressor and into the engine block. There is a bolt for each refrigerant line going to the compressor, and same deal on the other end of the line that goes to the condenser. So exactly which bolt is screwed up? If it is one of the four going into the block, exactly what is wrong with the bolt? Did they round the head using an improper socket? If so you will have to use a bolt remover tool that twists on and grabs the rounded head, or else drill the head off, or grind it off, or whatever. This might be painful as the bolt shaft might make it impossible to remove the compressor. But there will be a gap between the compressor and block and a little time with a hacksaw blade will cut the remaining bolt off. Just don't cut it off flush so you have something to grab to extract it from the block. If it is corroded too badly, you will have to drill and repair the threads with a helicoil device.

It sounds like they screwed up one of the refrigerant line bolts, since you said they left it loose. Chances are good the easiest fix, if it is on the compressor end, is to replace the compressor. If it is on the condenser end, replace that.

But without more information it is difficult to figure out the problem. The bolts that hold the compressor to the engine are long enough to go all the way through the compressor and then thread into the block. Cutting the head off might not be enough as you will have to move the compressor a long way to get it off that remaining bolt stud, and I am not sure there is enough room.

Something seems wrong with this story however, as any decent shop should be able to fix this and it would be a profitable job for them. Why they would turn you away is a complete mystery unless you are trying the wrong type of shop in the Miami area.

 

It was an ac repair shop and they literally told me they don't have time to deal with a stuck bolt. It was quite sketchy too since they where charging me about 900$ for the full job. So I still don't understand why they didn't take the job. According to all the mechanic shops I went to while in Miami they are the best ac repair shop in the area.

The stuck bolt is the top aft one on the compressor to the engine block. the rest of the bolts came out no problem. They rounded out the head pretty good. Me and a good friend of mine tried taking it out ourselves a week ago and couldn't get it. I work as an aircraft mechanic in the Airforce so I'm somewhat mechanically inclined and my friend has about 12 years of mechanical experience. We tried everything to get it out. We couldn't get a drill in there to drill the head and try using an extracter. There's about maybe 4-8 inches of space to work with. My friend also had a bolt remover tool. We tried that also, didn't work well either because the ac mechanic shop stripped the head really good. Another problem we ran in to while trying to take it out ourselves was because of the small space we had to work with we couldn't get a proper angle on it to put full force on it. I even went as far as going to auto zone and buying the Irwin bolt grip socket set and I could get a proper grip on it but it still would not budge.

Let me know if you need any more information. I will try and reply when I can.

 

There's another type of bolt extractor if there is anything to grab. It is basically a female gadget that sort of screws down onto the bolt, but it screws down intending to bind, and you keep turning to back the bolt out (or break it off).

As a last resort, perhaps a dremel to cut the head off, if you have a 90 degree dremel, then get a hacksaw (or sawmill blade) between the block and the compressor and cut the bolt off as far away from the block as you can. Then that same bolt removal tool I mentioned above will almost certainly grab the shank. You might try some penetrating oil and let it sit to see if you can avoid damaging the threads or breaking the bolt off...

You can also heat the block with a torch (don't go crazy) as the aluminum will expand faster than the steel bolt, which might help break it free.

I would give that shop hell for rounding the bolt and then leaving you stuck. You ought to bill them for at least having the bolt removed.

 

Post the name of the shop so others don't have to go thru this.

If they are the best A/C shop in the area, there must be a lot of people in that part of Miami driving around with their windows down.

 

Thanks for all the help. I'll try out what you've said once I get time.

The name of the place is

Eagle auto air condition
Located
500 W 27th St
Hialeah, FL 33010
United States