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So I took my car to Firestone because my A/C was blowing hot air. They found out that there is a leak in my condenser. This is how their recommended services look like:

condenser is leaking, replace and recheck
640327 condenser - $353.70
408603 new drier accum - $94.72
remove and replace condenser - $81 labor
remove and replace receiver drier - $90 labor
additional labor (front end lowered) - $90 labor

R134A - $23.45
air conditioning 134A service - $79.99 labor
800.24 a/c system dye - $10

total parts - $485.82
total labor - $340.99
shop supplies - $20.46
tax - $44.29
TOTAL: $891.56

So I looked around here and I found this condenser from Majestic Honda:
http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/...DENSER+%281%29
Can someone verify that Product# 370435 is indeed what I need? I have a 2001 Civic LX Coupe.

I also did a search on the condenser that Firestone is recommending (640327 condenser - $353.70) and found this: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000C8EOKW/...W&linkCode=asn

My plan is to order a condenser and find someone to install it for me. Now, I do care about the environment so my question is where do I get the R134A refilled? Any help would be great, thanks!

 
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anyone want to verify that i got the right part (condenser)? also, how much should i expect to pay to have someone install this for me? thanks!

 
Rep Power: 387

Interesting thread.

Glad to see your doing your research- you'll be saving.

That is the condenser that you've picked out from honda. I rather go with a honda part then the amazon part- I've never heard of it- but hey, maybe its good.

Looks like they are ripping you off.

I would install it myself, just kuz I wouldnt want to pay someone 90 bucks to raise my car up to work on it. Your stock jack should fit under your car, and then you can use a floor jack or bottle jack from there. A bottle jack is 10 bucks at joes. Throw a few blocks of wood under there if you need to get it up higher for jack stands (20 bucks) to slide under the front supports.

From there I'd look at the honda manual- you can download it from several spots- there are links all over this forum and in peoples sigs.

I think you'd take the bumper off, take everything apart - maybe have to look at something with the r134 or some other fluid being a problem, but thats probably easy to take care of. You can get R134 recharge kits from auto stores or gi joes as well.

I'd replace thoes supports as well- the rubber bushings- they are only 3 bucks each.

As for if you still want somone to install it for you (waste of money) I'd give a few shops a call. You'll be paying a lot for labor- i'll tell you right now. For the same price, you can get some tools out of it- and gain experience working on your car.

 
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thanks Triz

the only problem i have with installing it myself is that i know it is illegal because of the R134 leaking into the air. i do care about the environment enough not to do that, that's why i was going to take it to a mechanic that works in a shop.

 
Rep Power: 387

You got thoes AC shops out there too? You know, like the break dudes, or the tire shops, but for AC's. If they are going to rip you off, just take it there and have them decharge your system so its safe for you to work on it yourself.