2004-2009 Mazda 3 AC Compressor Non-Turbo 

Yeah I would be surprised if he didn't purge the line, that is a normal thing for all evacuate and recharge jobs, it was probably edited out as the vacuum and then recharge process adds too much time to the video. We do have several other vides showing a proper evacuation and recharge process and we certainly purge the line and yes we burn our fingers often and then put the gloves on, lol

Aren't parallel flow condensers unflushable?

What made you replace the evaporator too? What else did you replace?

Thank you! Way easier then using that tool

Consider the age and mileage of your vehicle if you are thinking of doing a clutch only. The reason is the compressor itself will have wear and tear on it internally and many times if you just replace the clutch, a little later the compressor fails and then you replace both parts all over again. Also it is getting more and more rare to even be able to find just a replacement clutch.

Great point!!

yes we always purge the line, we rarely show the whole process in the final video as the video gets too long, we do have a separate video explaining how to properly evacuate and recharge a system and it includes purging with gauges or with an ac machine.

Stupidest thing I’ve ever heard 😂

Exactly. I just did this and I can't believe they are recommending stretching the belt. The compressor literally has a built in hanger so you can put the belt on then tighten the bolts. Stretching the belt to fit over the pulleys is like wiping before you poop

That does not always work sadly. Sometimes the movement and access are so limited you can't get the compressor and belt back on together. The right belt tool is essential on some vehicles.

Noises are never good. But, the low side pulling down to low numbers or even going into the negative is due to low freon level

Please replace all

You would have to evacuate the refrigerant out before removing the line unless it it totally empty, New oil can be added during the recharging process, you add the oil right in with the refrigerant, shops can also do this for you after you install new parts.

ny1084 Technically the expansion valve and the receiver dryer should be replaced. The expansion valve is back by the glove box and can be a pain to change on some models like the vehicle in the video. You could weigh all the variables like how the ac compressor failed and the overall condition of the vehicle and ac system to decide if you want to replace the expansion valve on a difficult model. If the ac compressor did not come apart internally and if the system pressures can be confirmed to be working properly, you could skip the expansion valve, however a seasoned AC technician should really make this call.

its herby Yes the refrigerant and oil are vital to the compressor working and continue working. Replacing the parts is very easy but you must do the refrigerant and oil properly or the new compressor may not last too long. Just watch some youtube videos on evacuating and recharging to understand it and pay a shop to that that for you as it can easily cost you lots more money if you screw it up.

First step would be to hook up gauges to verify the system has enough freon to operate. Once the pressure is verified, my next step would be to check fuses and relay for power. If fuses and relay signals are showing proper voltages and grounds. I would move down to the A/C compressor clutch coil to verify power , ground, air gap of clutch and continuity of the clutch coil.

Yes those 2 parts really should be replaced anytime the system is opened and especially during an ac compressor replacement, You will not get a warranty from anyone if you do not replace those parts, that is because the expansion valve is crucial to the operation and also any old debris will be stuck in it which give you more clues on what happened to your old compressor. The accumulator should be replaced because it will never last the lifetime of 2 compressors and also once it is opened to air, the internal desiccant can absorb moisture from the ambient air, It is never worth it to skip those 2 parts.

@@APDTY Everything I have seen online, including service manuals from Mazda show that you need to totally disassemble the dash of the car and take the doors off to get to the expansion valve as the dash assembly needs to be taken out of the car! This is the first video I have seen showing that there is even a hint of an alternate (and infinitely easier option) for doing this. To say this is a relief for me is an understatement as I was basically resigned to the fact that my AC was never going to work again as I have no intention of spending $1000 on labour to replace a $50 part. Thankyou to your spannerman for showing that there is a viable and significantly faster alternative.

That is 100% true, These cars have a parallel flow condenser and it cannot be flushed out properly, We were able to do this job without replacing the condenser but any shop that will put a warranty on it will most likely require you to replace it, The expansion valve and recievier dryer (accumulator) also must be replaced.

no you will not be able to properly bolt up the compressor, its really not that bad house the tool and spin it on, also that is how the oem designs it and technically how they recommend to replace it.

Yes, very similar, just bolts up slightly different

Ken Deyoe You really need the belt tool and it is not too expensive and under $20, here is a link to them at amazon: www.amazon.com/gp/search?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&index=automotive&keywords=strecth%20belt%20tool&linkCode=ur2&tag=aupaditoyo-20&linkId=3OVQ2QOIWMVSK2BY The dryer absolutely must be replaced as it is similar to a dessicant and it will remove moisture from the system but it will only last through the life of 1 compressor and then once the syste, is opened, that desiccant is now sucking in moisture form the ambient air and then it is usually all used up. As far as the expansion valve, this in very rare circumstances can be skipped. Take into consideration that the expansion valve is a valve and if any small particles get stuck in it, it will either not work or could possibly destroy the new compressor if that particle gets loose again in the future. The rare circumstances for skipping can really only be recommended by a professional technician that could have diagnosed your problem form the very beginning. If the compressor failed internally, then it is possible that particles form the old failing compressor have circulated through the whole system and the components with the particles must be flushed completely or replaced. You cannot flush an expansion valve so that is why it is almost always replaced.

Yes those 2 parts really should be replaced anytime the system is opened and especially during an ac compressor replacement, You will not get a warranty from anyone if you do not replace those parts, that is because the expansion valve is crucial to the operation and also any old debris will be stuck in it which give you more clues on what happened to your old compressor. The accumulator should be replaced because it will never last the lifetime of 2 compressors and also once it is opened to air, the internal desiccant can absorb moisture from the ambient air, It is never worth it to skip those 2 parts.

What type of oil should be added. I see one site that states PAG 100 and another the states PAG 46 for the 2005 mazda 3 2.3L.

Thank You!

yes and we remove a lot during editing or these videos would be much longer.

AHH YES, The stretch belt tool is hard to find, we have plenty in stock and here is a link: www.apdty.com/item.wws?sku=100010&itempk=12956896&mfr=APDTY&weight=1

This would have to be inspected to verify exactly where the sound is coming from, if it sounds like it is coming from the compressor, then assuming the compressor is brand new, you could try evacuating and recharge it again as sometimes the wrong amount of oil or refrigerant was used, make sure all proper oil procedures where followed and also the system should have been flushed, if a seal particle of the old compressor is loose in the system and a new compressor is installed, well then the new compressor could have been destroyed by that particle.

Yup. That's what i did.

You can do that as a temporary solution, but make sure not other component is running off of that belt. If the belt only goes to the AC compressor, then you are ok to cut it.

Could you look at youtube videos on how to find engine pulley noises? Someone can put a stethoscope or other listening tool (like a socket extension) to find the area the noise is coming from. It is likely the bearing for whatever that is, for instance, idler or tensioner bearing or alternator bearing.

Thought the same till I looked into it. Going to have them do it, figure I will have this little high miler for a while.

recently got the same issue . have you figured out?

@@zhengyingcai unfortunately no, I'll be working on it in about 3 months when I have money to fix it 🙃

its herby There are numerous brands and prices and here is a link to a bunch of them on Amazon, we use Gates: www.amazon.com/gp/search?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&index=automotive&keywords=strecth%20belt%20tool&linkCode=ur2&tag=aupaditoyo-20&linkId=3OVQ2QOIWMVSK2BY

Today i was out for a walk and found a Mazda compressor clutch plate lying on the road (the one showed in the video, with the three rubber thingies arrayed in a triangular shape, 109mm wide) so yes, these bolts seem to tend to come off too easily... maybe just replace the clutch assembly if you want to feel sure, perhaps they updated the design.

TeraVolt I bought the something for tight the screw. I forgot the name but is a liquid color blue, is like a glue. ZIff fall again I will replace the clutch

I wouldn't have done that if i were you. If the clutch assembly or the coil fails, you could have a very hard time pulling it out.

TeraVolt You are right. I just want to fixed as soon possible. But thanks for your advice

TeraVolt You are right. I just want to fixed as soon possible. But thanks for your advice

The job shouldn't take more than 4 hours including all the evacuating and waiting on machines for an AC technician.

Thanks for responding!

I know this is an old question but we had someone recently quoted $1600 for this job at the local Mazda dealership. Of course that is using OEM parts and that is always slightly more expensive. Good aftermarket brands do exist though and they are usually much cheaper.

I have an 07 Mazda 3 2.3L. I asked Radair worst case if I needed a compressor about how much would it be and he said around $800. Im hoping that they would do everything that was done in this video. I'm still on the fence about just doing it myself. Good luck

this would have to be diagnosed, make sure your fans are coming one a failed fan will let the condenser heat up quickly and it no fan the high pressure will get too high and shut off your ac

APDTY got fixed, it was the compressor thanks 🤙🏼

@@anthonyjerez01 awesome

+Alexander Clark hey thanks!!! I was told that it should be okay but I also found out my tensioner on the car is messed up which is like a 260/270$ fix haha! but at the same time they said if you fix the tensioner it shouldn't squeak anymore

+Alexander Clark thanks ! I'm planning on just rebuilding this whole car lol!!

If inly the ac belt is doing this and only when the ac is turned on, then you most Oakley have a compressor the is falling internally and locking up making the belt spin on the pulley which causes that nasty belt squeal.

The vacuum pump is used to pull out any refrigerant, atmosphere, or oil before opening a system. It is also used to put a vacuum on a recently repaired ac system that needs the atmosphere removed and to allow the system to sit under a vacuum for a period of time to verify no leaks exist before adding refrigerant. This is part of the evacuation process done before adding refrigerant. Once the system is under a vacuum and the leak-down test passes, the vacuum helps suck in the pressurized refrigerant. Next, the system is monitored with gauges to see how the compressor is reacting, and the technician decides how to proceed and typically, the compressor is then used to suck in the remainder of the refrigerant. Slightly different techniques exist based on the trained technician's equipment, the vehicle that are working on, and preference.

So we did replace the accumulator (dryer) in the video, however we did not replace the condenser, You are correct though that many shops will not warranty the job if the customer does not replace the condenser. This is normal and really replacement should be done if any internal pieces have circulated around. In this particular case, we took replacement into consideration and also the condition of the system, we found no evidence of pieces circulating and we do this by looking in each place we have opened up and especially the expansion valve. Also while flushing each component we can see if any bad stuff is coming out, if any bad stuff comes out, then it is really no option than to replace the condenser. We found nothing and cleaned everything very well, we discuss all of this with the car owner and we let them make the final decision. We all lucked out and the car is still working very well in this very hot sate of Florida. Most shops especially chain stores will not give you the option, some single owner shops that fully understand may do this like we did and we really just used our best judgment and in this case it worked out.

awesome!! glad it worked out, thanks so much for watching and commenting!!

Lucky you! I had a new air compressor put on and the air never did work. I paid the guy $800 for NOTHING!!! My cars black with black leather interior. I'm gonna die again this summer. Its like driving around in a coffin, hotter than hell!!! 😭😭😭

No. The visable outer part of the clutch/pulley is what is connected to the internals of the compressor. That should move freely, the outer pulley spins freely until the magnetic clutch is engaged, then it "grabs" the rest of the assembly to turn the compressor. If the visible part (not the pulley) won't freely spin when the clutch is disengaged, the compressor itself is siezed

It basically sits on the edge of the pulley with the belt sitting on the tool..

@@cocoloco7295 I figured it out a long time ago lol

I figured but threw it in there JUST in case lol

the blend doors aren't working

yeah you just have a plumbing problem in the dashboard, You have little doors that are opened and closed by little motors called HVAC actuator or blend door motors, this is most likely your problem.

If the compressor shaft binds up then you have to replace compressor, condenser, expansion valve, drier and thoroughly flush the rest because right before a compressor dies it fills up everything before the evaporator with metal shards (or, in other words, shit). It often does so with a lot of noise and smoke too due to the friction of the belt on the locked up pulley, and more than often it also stalls the engine in the process. If only the clutch assembly or the coil is the defective part, then just replace it and let your compressor live its days again. However, some shops may just swap the whole compressor with a new part, and maybe throw in a new condenser, drier, txv and system flush for good measure, even if the only defective part is just the AC compressor clutch (a lot of OEM clutches go open without a reason because manufacturers put a thermal fuse in the windings) or even the clutch relay. A probable reason for this (Ex. a whole new compressor when the only defective part is the coil) is that some shops apparently don't want to deal with the user blaming them for the subsequent failure of a failing compressor (perhaps stressed too much because the car owner ran it with not enough oil due to a leak) because they serviced it recently. The real expense depends upon how the system failed, and can range from 10$ for a new relay to thousands for a system overhaul, but knowing how your car systems and subsystems work so that you can check them by yourself is a good way to keep yourself from being ripped off.

+Michael Pantaleon By the catalog, 2004-2009 Mazda 3 with a 2.3L engine would all use the same compressor

My mechanic said around 850

Thank you !

No, you can ruin the new dryer if the flushing solution gets into it. It's best to flush with the dryer removed.

+Michael Pantaleon the compressor clutch and radiator fan are two different circuits. Is the car overheating? Is the ac system fully charged?

+Auto Parts Direct To You thanks for the quick reply. my car does not overheat. my a/c doesn't work, so I believe the clutch bearing isn't catching. I was just wondering if the radiator fan was powered by the compressor as when i compared it with my other 3. as soon as I put on a/c the radiator fan is also powered on...

+Auto Parts Direct To You however in my Mazda 3, when I turn on the a/c, no cold air is coming out aswell the radiator fan doesn't turn on...

+Michael Pantaleon So, fans come on when hot. but, not when you turn on the ac? with the ac on, is there power at the clutch coil?

+Auto Parts Direct To You oh i see. yes, when i turn the the a/c, the radiator fan does not come on like my other mazda 3. I'm not sure how to check for the power at the clutch coil... i'm assuming i have to take the compressor apart to see? I can see from my engine bay that it is not engaging. It is at a stand still.

Very similar

This job in a shop can easily be over $1000.00 and up to $1600.00. The parts are expensive for this model. Also, this vehicle and many other vehicles require the condenser to be replaced due to its design.

Scott Smith You can't just add oil, as it is typically added with the refrigerant during a service which evacuates out everything and then when a recharge happens, the refrigerant has oil in it. You typically only add oil to a brand new never installed compressor and on older vehicles you used to add it to each new component when replacing but that is not the case on your vehicle. If it is warm at idle and cold while driving, then the condenser is not being cooled and you may just have a bad fan. A quick AC check can confirm if you have a refrigerant issue, 8 out of 10 cars that have your symptom have a perfectly working ac system but the fan is bad and not cooling the condenser. An easy test is run the ac and engine at idle and look to see if both fans are on full blast, also you can run cool water from a hose through the condenser and if the ac gets cold then you either have a fan issue or a clogged condenser. The ac pressures should also really be checked first as the pressure's tell you exactly what the system is doing and the running at idle and cool water test is added information used with the pressures to give an overall diagnosis. This is also assuming no electric failure exists.

I'm looking to attempt this job with your video guide, how do I add oil to the compressor and how do I know how much to add? I read that too much/little are both bad.

Hi Scott I have 2007 Mazda 3 and have same issue like you car I want to know what u did and how much it cost.Thanks

Agreed, he didn't show a complete flush which is what you should do if the compressor fails. He also flushed the condenser without removing the dryer beforehand. Basically, flush any of the lines and parts in both directions and blow them out with compressed air. If you detect any dirt or debris coming out then you didn't flush it enough. The evaporator should also be flushed once the expansion valve is removed which he didn't show. The tricky part can be catching the flushing solution as it comes out of the part so you don't make a big mess. Keep in mind, once you do this you need to add the full amount of oil that the system takes. Most new compressors have a label that states how much oil is included in them, if you system requires more oil than the compressor already has in it then you will need to add more until you have the correct amount.

Please check out our youtube videos or others specifically for flushing. We have a few videos dedicated to flushing, evacuating, and recharging the ac system. We don't show it on each and every ac video, as the videos are so long already. I agree though it would be nice to see how each vehicle is flushed, but as long as each line and the evaporator is flushed, they are all basically the same.

daygo West we don’t charge labor so it’s much less then a typical repair shop

Yes we always double check the oil amount on all ac jobs, we try and make these videos as short as possible because they can easily run an hour or more so sometimes in editing we edit out some portions and most of the time it is the normal procedures like flushing, oil amounts, evacuations and recharge procedure as these are mostly the same on every vehicle. We do have a bunch of other videos on other models showing how to measure the oil. One last thing, adding oil will depend on the components being replaced and the technique used by the specific technician doing the job, an old school tech has a different technique then a younger tech and both procedures work fine and neither may be by the book, but it is the experience and knowledge of the tech that usually determines this, At the end of the day the vehicle must be fixed and perform as well as it did brand new or else the job is not worth doing.

Did you ever get it fixed i have an 06 with the same problem

I have an 07 with the same problem. It just started a few weeks ago

any seal that is opened should be coated in teh same oil that the ac system gets, this helps the oring seal and also prevents it from being cut when the other line or component is bolted up.

So, the compressor will make a noise once engaged by the clutch or, in other words, when it's turned on. If your compressor is coming off and on quickly, then you most likely have an AC issue. A compressor engaging on and then off again quickly, and not related to the internal temp control, then that is called cycling and you may need to diagnose it. Low refrigerant can cause that, as well as a worn compressor or clutch. Letting that go a long time will wear the clutch out quicker than normal.

Thank you .🙏

mine makes a tuga tuga tuga or a waoooh woooaoh wooooah

Seems very complex, good job friend

I went to a garage and paid $800 to have a new air compressor put on but mine must have been a faulty one because my a/c still did not work. I have a 2008 Mazda 3 sedan, black on black. Each time I had to drive I felt like I was driving around in a coffin in Hell it was so hot! I went all summer with no air. Don't know what I'm gonna do next, I really don't want to fork out all that money again. Hopefully you will have better luck than I did. A dealership would probably be the best place to go but they will be more expensive than a regular shop garage like where I went.

Same boat I have a 06 and the air doesn't blow cold even with the new compressor

My ac blow hot air took it to the shop they wanna charge me $1300 said I need a compressor and ac belt so I just bought both myself offline compressor was $90 belt was $25 now ima go to a new shop get them put it in for me hopefully under $500

Sorry to hear that, this is an expensive repair.

Exact same model & year, mine just went last year. About to take a 3 1/2 hour drive to NY, first week of July…can’t wait! 😅