How to Change the Air Conditioning Compressor on a 1994 Chevy Suburban

The air-conditioning compressor in your 1994 Chevy Suburban moves refrigerant through the air-conditioning system to remove heat from the passenger compartment. The Chevy Suburban uses a serpentine belt designed to drive all of the accessories with one belt. If the compressor fails and seizes up, the serpentine belt will quickly fail as well from being forced to slide over the frozen compressor pulley. Replacement of the compressor will restore proper air-conditioning and drive belt function.

Instructions

1

Have any refrigerant remaining in the air-conditioning system evacuated by a qualified professional technician. It is illegal to vent the refrigerant in the system into the atmosphere. A qualified technician can remove the refrigerant using a recovery and recycle machine.

2

Remove the serpentine belt by rotating the belt tensioner counterclockwise using a belt removal tool. Insert the 3/8-inch drive adapter into the end of the belt tool and slip the tool into the 3/8-inch square recess on the tensioner arm. Lift up on the tool to rotate the tensioner and slip the belt off the alternator. Release the tool slowly and remove it from the tensioner.

3

Remove the 15-mm bolt that attaches the air-conditioning hose assembly to the top of the compressor using a 15-mm socket and ratchet. Remove the two O-ring seals from the end of the hose assembly using a pick. Unplug the compressor clutch electrical connector, just behind the compressor pulley, from the front of the compressor.

4

Remove the four 13-mm bolts that attach the compressor to the engine bracket on the top driver-side of the engine. Lift the compressor off the engine bracket and out of the engine compartment.

5

Remove the small plastic cover from the top of the compressor using a 10-mm wrench. Pour eight ounces of the PAG 150 refrigerant oil into the compressor through the openings that will be under the hose assembly. Spin the compressor clutch plate several times to circulate the oil in the compressor. Reinstall the plastic cover to avoid spilling the oil out of the compressor.

6

Bolt the compressor to the top of the engine bracket. Install new O-ring seals in the air-conditioning hose assembly and bolt the assembly to the top of the compressor. Reinstall the serpentine belt using the belt tool.

7

Attach the yellow hose from the air-conditioning gauge set to the vacuum pump. Clip the blue and red hose fittings to the service ports on top of the air-conditioning hose assembly on top of the compressor. Turn the vacuum pump on and open the two valves on the gauge set. Let the vacuum pump run for one hour to remove moisture from the system. Close the valves on the gauge set and turn off the vacuum pump.

8

Unscrew the yellow hose from the vacuum pump. Screw a can tap onto the yellow hose and snap a can of the refrigerant into the tap. Use the tap to open the can. Open the blue valve on the gauge set to allow refrigerant to flow into the system. Start the engine and turn the air-conditioning on high. Charge the system with 36 ounces of refrigerant for Suburbans equipped with front air-conditioning only and 64 ounces if equipped with rear air-conditioning.