ykol20

I have a 2004 s2000 with ~68k miles. I've recently been having trouble with my AC. The compressor started making a grinding noise which later led to it almost completely seizing and stalling the engine at idle. One shop diagnosed a compressor problem while it was only making a grinding noise and said that only the compressor needed replacement (~$900). After it got to the point where it was almost stalling out my car the local honda dealership pointed out a crack on the actual compressor and said that everything needed to be replaced (~$1300 in parts alone). They also said that the only thing that could have caused the problem would have been someone improperly servicing the system.

I called every shop that serviced my car to check their records and no one has serviced the actual system. The shop that quoted me $900 only took an outside look at it. My only thought is that it could have been a body shop that removed an ac line or something to replace my front bumper?

I guess to sum up

Is there any other way that a compressor can get a crack in it from excessive pressure besides being overfilled? (the accident that caused the front bumper to be replaced was minor, but the problem did arise after the accident/bodywork).

If I can't find fault in a service center is it worth it to just replace the compressor by itself for the $900 and not worry about replacing the 'coil' etc that the dealership is trying to replace?

Thank you all very much for any info that you could provide.

Mrfixit687

Ive seen some threads on here before where the compressor has seized up. My guess is the crack came from the stress of it almost being seized up. You will have to replace all the components in the ac system as there will be debri in the lines and other components, you can try to flush it out but its a risk, if you dont get all the debris out and install the new compressor, it might suck up the old debris and kill your new compressor. My advice is to replace everything.

Slows2k

If the compressor has put metal throughout the system everything except the hard lines needs to be replaced.

If the system was improperly charged, and oil that was recovered not replaced compressor damage can occur.

ykol20

Thank you all for the info. Another question then arises...

Just going off of what the dealership said... It's highly unlikely that anything but improper service caused the crack, so after calling every shop and checking their logs the ac has never been touched. I figured I may as well try the insurance company and tell them that the accident from a month ago caused the problem. (it started about a week after I got the car back from the body shop)... They're sending out an adjuster to take a look tomorrow.

Is it possible that if a tree branch hit the pulley or anywhere on the compressor just right that it could have weakened the metal enough for it to eventually crack? The crack extends back from the seal right near one of the bolts...

I hydroplaned off of a highway so I guess it may be feasible that something in the woods clipped it just right. I have no idea what it would take but I read that they run at a relatively high pressure.

Thanks for the info

Slows2k

It would take an act of god to have a tree branch hit the compressor and not destroy the hood, alternator, water pump or front subframe.

Chances are the crack didn't come from an outside force, more likely the compressor broke internally and cracked the housing.

ykol20

Its weird, the dealership keeps saying that virtually the only way that the compressor would crack the way it did would be if it was overfilled with freon. Something like 'highly unusual problem'. I just figure the only thing that is unusual about the car is that it has been in a wreck. And the thing broke a few weeks after I started driving the car again.

Does the inside of an ac compressor have any sensitive parts that could have been knocked around by tree limbs hitting it at highway speed?