Best regards Scotty. I drive Opel Astra 1.7 CDTI (Isuzu engine) 2008, and my compressor broke, it is stuck, and it doesnt move. When I try to turn on the AC, the engine shuts down. What do you suggest, buy a new compressor, or a used one. I am poor and cheap, and the brand new compressor costs around 300 dollars, my salary is around 800 dollars, (I am from Bulgaria). Thank you in advance, and again, best regards.
I guess you could take a chance on a used compressor from a car that was wrecked from behind. You'd want to make sure it turns smoothly by hand, rotating the clutch plate connected to the compressor crank.
I'm afraid that when a compressor locks up though you have to replace most of the rest of the AC system as well. This is because the compressor contaminates everything with metal shards when it locks up internally and they spread through the components of the AC system. You'd need a new condenser, drier, and expansion valve at a minimum, and flush out the rest of the system. Fortunately those parts are usually not very expensive.
The expansion valve should keep contamination out of the evaporator but if it's not too tough to access it, it wouldn't be a bad idea to install a new evaporator as well just to be on the safe side. (You might have to go in there anyway depending on where the expansion valve is located.)
The problem is that metal shards left over in your AC system can destroy a replacement compressor in seconds. I've seen it happen.
I agree with @ChuckTobias
Finding an inexpensive used compressor and installing it does seem like the best way to go about it.
If I would be able to find a cheap used (maybe even junkyard?) compressor, I’d just install it, vacuum and fill the system, and just see what happens.
Opel made the very bad decision to install a crappy Delphi (if I remember correctly) compressor but use expensive high quality Japanese Denso parts for the rest of the loop… (so a crappy compressor often ruins an otherwise very nice system)
