How hard is it to install a car air conditioner from scratch?
My little Toyota Echo does not have air. Toyota Echos parts are available for cheap. I'm wondering whether a DIYer with basic car maintenance (brakes, fluids, belts) would be able to install the parts from one Toyota Echo to another? Taking the parts off the old one would give me a good idea of where they go on the new one.
Or would I at least be able to get most of it on there and have a good mechanic finish it up for a few hours labor?
If not, would a competent shop be able to do this in a day's work ($400-500 labor)?
I ask because if I go to a dealer, it will set me back $2000 (according to other forums; half for parts, half for labor).
Any guesses on what it would cost for a working A/C system from a scrapped Echo?
I know how to do that... I own the A/C parts for my car, just haven't bolted them up yet.
There are several things you're going to run into. #1 is the computer. Your car MAY require a different engine computer (or a different PROM) for the A/C models. Check the wiring diagram to see if any A/C control lines go to the computer. For instance on mine, the A/C switch on the dash goes to the computer, and the computer signals the compressor to turn on (by grounding a wire to a relay). So in my case I'll need to install the dash controls and the relay, and then flip the switch and see if the relay picks up. If not, I'll need to troubleshoot why, and if it traces back to the computer I'd need a different computer.
#2 is wiring. There are some circuits that'll need to be present in the wiring harnesses, and you'll need to get the shop manual, preferably factory shop manual, so you'll know what parts of the wiring harness to pull from the wreck. Some of the wires may already be present on your car - the maker often leaves them in because it's cheaper than having two types of harness. In my case I had to dismantle the wreck's harness and get a little screwdriver/pick to release some of the leads out of the connectors.
#3 - touching the pressurized freon system in any way. It is hazardous and can cause burn-like freezing damage to your skin or eyes. It's also environmentally naughty to let the refrigerant excape to atmosophere, but not as bad as with the old R12 stuff. You need to either be extremely careful, or leave the final charging of the system to professionals as I plan to.
