My air con has decide to pack up all together :(

What I was wondering is, does the compressor on the vRS fit anything else (Golf, Ibiza ect???)

Is there anything to watch out for when changing it?

And lastly... Would you buy a second hand one? A new one is nearly £500... A second hand one is about £90.

What do I do? :confused:

Just a guess, but I'd say the compressor will be the same on all Mk4 based 1.8T cars of the same year.

Don't breathe the gas in when you disconnect it! I did with a fridge once, and it's not very nice! Guess you need to get it to an aircon bleed/refill place after you've fitted it to top it back up with gas and oil before you run it.

Is there nobody that reconditions the compressors?

FWIW I would get a reconditioned pump as the fault is two fold. First a spriong can go inside on some models and secondly the clutch can come off. There are IIRC a couple of types that were fitted, so you need to find one the same as yours.

Personally I'd just go and see an aircon specialist as you will need to fit a new drier when you fir the new pump or you will get issues.

same as the tt one part number you need is 1J0 820 803 L also fitted to beetle/bora/golf

Brilliant, thanks for the part numbers.

I've got a garage lined up to fit it but it's a mate that works there so I was just trying to gather as much info as I could first. I probably better ask a specialist to look at it first I guess, like you say.

Thanks for the help

Let us know how you get on mate, as this is probably going to be a more common issue as the miles rack up on our cars.

It's already very common. :(

Yeah I will Bodge

My Mrs' packed up too (on a mk4 Ibiza) but hers was serviceable, mine actually tries to stall the car when you turn it on. I think the compressor is seized so it's jamming and drawing too much off the engine.

VW want nearly £500 for a new unit! :(

Go elsewhere and it's closer to £300

If it stalls the car, then you need a new one and it isn't just the clutch dropping off.

Edited 21 October, 200916 yr by cheezemonkhai

hootiemcboob1969 on eBay occasionally sells new compressors for around £300-350 but isn't advertising any just now.

Go elsewhere and it's closer to £300

If it stalls the car, then you need a new one and it isn't just the clutch dropping off.

Yeah that's what I figured mate, I think it seizes and then frees up if you get me.

I am gonna try and find a recon one and get my local garage to fit it. My main concern is an air con specialist taking my car apart. I'm guessing they won't be used to big intercoolers ect. At least my local place has experience with Cossies and M3s ect.

Thanks for the heads up DGW

Be careful about the recon ones and make sure the internal springs etc are replaced.

IIRC they all fail because a spring or it support structure breaks causing the pump to effectively lock up. Obviously a different fault to the clutch dropping off.

If your local garage knows what they are doing get them to fit the new pump and a new drier unit (essential and not expensive) and then get an A/C specialist along to fill it and test it.

Some would say you could disconnect a switch on the pump, then take it up to kwik fit and see if they are still doing the cooler or no charge offer on air con recharges; however I'd say that would be dishonest. :P

I have no idea what you just said but I'm sure my mate will

Cheers mate

I just got a quote from an independant for a new compressor.

£787..... :eek:

I might have to risk a second hand one :confused:

I've just found this on the web -

SKODA, OCTAVIA Air conditioning compressors, Automotive air conditioning vehicle parts, Aircon Auto

A new dryer is less than £25 from these guys too.

Might be the way forward, I'll be able to get the local garage to fit it all I'd have thought

Looks like a good price.

IMHO the almost £800 quote shows that indy either didn't want the work or is a rip off.