This automotive AC stuff is a PITA

[White Horseradish]

It's economical because you do the work yourself.  As a general rule, products are inexpensive, labor is expensive.  Anything one can do themselves will save lots of money.

That's how I got a welding rig. It was cheaper than to pay a muffler shop.

Come to think of it, that's how I got into fixing just about everything. It was cheaper to just do it.

[Nick1911]

That's how I got a welding rig. It was cheaper than to pay a muffler shop.

Come to think of it, that's how I got into fixing just about everything. It was cheaper to just do it.

Yup.  Cheap Chinese labor can make welders all day long... but cheap Chinese labor can't do service work on your car/house/appliances/etc.

When people moan about how it's cheaper to buy new products then fix what they have, they don't seem to realize it's because of what a good value products of foreign labor are -- not that service is disproportionally expensive compared to our average salaries.  Note, these are also the people who have "Buy american" bumper stickers (bought at Walmart; printed in china), on a Ford truck (Castings and machine work done in Mexico), while wearing clothing made in the far east, burning oil imported from Canada and the ME.   

[charby]

That's how I got a welding rig. It was cheaper than to pay a muffler shop.

Come to think of it, that's how I got into fixing just about everything. It was cheaper to just do it.

That is how I ended up with many of my tools, it was cheaper to buy more tools then pay a shop to do it.

I need to get a new tool cabinet because mine is over flowing. They sure don't give them away.

[charby]

Yup.  Cheap Chinese labor can make welders all day long... but cheap Chinese labor can't do service work on your car/house/appliances/etc.

When people moan about how it's cheaper to buy new products then fix what they have, they don't seem to realize it's because of what a good value products of foreign labor are -- not that service is disproportionally expensive compared to our average salaries.  Note, these are also the people who have "Buy american" bumper stickers (bought at Walmart; printed in china), on a Ford truck (Castings and machine work done in Mexico), while wearing clothing made in the far east, burning oil imported from Canada and the ME Mexico.   

FIFY We don't get much oil from the ME

[Nick1911]

FIFY We don't get much oil from the ME

Agree, but minor point:  Saudi Arabia is higher on the import list then Mexico.

Regardless, oil is a world market, and very little of it is from domestic sources.

[Nick1911]

Actually, I stand corrected.  In 2010, those two traded places. [src]

[White Horseradish]

Yup.  Cheap Chinese labor can make welders all day long... but cheap Chinese labor can't do service work on your car/house/appliances/etc.

Actually, the oxyacetylene rig I have is US made and old. Only the hoses are cheap Chinese. The Lincoln MIG, I'm not sure.

When people moan about how it's cheaper to buy new products then fix what they have, they don't seem to realize it's because of what a good value products of foreign labor are -- not that service is disproportionally expensive compared to our average salaries.  Note, these are also the people who have "Buy american" bumper stickers (bought at Walmart; printed in china), on a Ford truck (Castings and machine work done in Mexico), while wearing clothing made in the far east, burning oil imported from Canada and the ME.   

Oh, I know full well it costs to fix things because of labor. I whine because I can't pay what it costs, not because I think service people get paid too much.

[White Horseradish]

Alrighty,then. Job done. Truck has AC. Pretty dang cold AC, too.

Rental tools from parts stores - total suckage. They don't have some pretty important ones, like a pusher to get the coil and the pulley onto the compressor. Plumbing bits to the rescue. Also, they don't reach where they are supposed to, I had to unbolt the compressor. And I had to wrap the puller with chain to keep the jaws from spreading and slipping. I think with proper tools this would be tons easier.

Now, I need to get my wife's van fixed up, but that won't be for another week or so.

[Jim147]

Now, I need to get my wife's van fixed up, but that won't be for another week or so.

Unless she puts you in the van. Then you might find a way to get it done sooner. 

jim

[Boomhauer]

Autozone, baby, Autozone. Much of my '91 Blazer consisted of parts from Autozone...many with a lifetime warranty...so for years I had free replacement brake pads, water pumps, alternators, starters, ball joints, window motors, spark plug wires...

I have also never felt like I was getting raped for part prices, either at Autozone (as opposed to walking into a GM dealership to get the parts I needed to fix a broken seat rail lock and finding that I would have to pay $250 for a new seat rail, the entire rail...oh, and the cheap plastic lock would eventually break again...well, a $.10 bolt fixed the seat locking issue...course, the seat is fixed in place until you remove the bolt, but it works fine for me)

[White Horseradish]

Unless she puts you in the van. Then you might find a way to get it done sooner. 

jim

The reason it will be in a week is that she's gone on a trip in that van. :D

Autozone, baby, Autozone. Much of my '91 Blazer consisted of parts from Autozone...many with a lifetime warranty...so for years I had free replacement brake pads, water pumps, alternators, starters, ball joints, window motors, spark plug wires...

I have also never felt like I was getting raped for part prices, either at Autozone (as opposed to walking into a GM dealership to get the parts I needed to fix a broken seat rail lock and finding that I would have to pay $250 for a new seat rail, the entire rail...oh, and the cheap plastic lock would eventually break again...well, a $.10 bolt fixed the seat locking issue...course, the seat is fixed in place until you remove the bolt, but it works fine for me)

The seriously cool thing about Autozone is that they have an online store that has some parts brick and mortar stores don't carry.  Sometimes, the online parts are cheaper than the store. That said, they are one of the places with the carpy tools.

The stuff like the seat rail - self service yards. Can't get any cheaper than that.