A/C Fix You May NOt Need A New Compressor

Yes, please send the photos! That would be most helpful! I have looked at some of the literature at myturbodiesel.com which have some basic guides for removing the compressor, but nothing beyond that. I also have the Bentley manual, so I'm hoping I can piece together enough to pretend I know what I'm getting myself into. My plan is this:

1. Have the system evacuated at an A/C shop.
2. Remove the compressor lines and inspect for signs of internal failure.
3. Sweat my ass off for a few more days while either the rebuild parts or the new compressor arrives.
4. Remove the compressor and inspect the internals for any signs of internal failure.
5. Swap out the pump and seals.
6. Replace dryer.
7. Reinstall compressor.
8. Recharge system.

Did I leave anything out? Do I need to or should I do a system flush if the compressor internals were fine? How do I get all of the old oil out of the system? Is that done when they purge it? Should I take the time and spend the money to also replace the A/C clutch since the vehicle has about 200,000 miles on it? Thanks for the help. I love figuring this stuff out.

Luc

lucasaltic said:

Yes, please send the photos! That would be most helpful! I have looked at some of the literature at myturbodiesel.com which have some basic guides for removing the compressor, but nothing beyond that. I also have the Bentley manual, so I'm hoping I can piece together enough to pretend I know what I'm getting myself into. My plan is this:

1. Have the system evacuated at an A/C shop.
2. Remove the compressor lines and inspect for signs of internal failure.
3. Sweat my ass off for a few more days while either the rebuild parts or the new compressor arrives.
4. Remove the compressor and inspect the internals for any signs of internal failure.
5. Swap out the pump and seals.
6. Replace dryer.
7. Reinstall compressor.
8. Recharge system.

Did I leave anything out? Do I need to or should I do a system flush if the compressor internals were fine? How do I get all of the old oil out of the system? Is that done when they purge it? Should I take the time and spend the money to also replace the A/C clutch since the vehicle has about 200,000 miles on it? Thanks for the help. I love figuring this stuff out.

Luc

Click to expand...

Sounds like an effective plan to me. Some where I remember reading about some dimensions that can be checked on the compressor clutch to check it's wear. I don't recall where that was however. Also, the compressor clutch bearing should be listened to/inspected for any wear that would warrant replacement. You may want to make sure the compressor shaft nut is also torqued down enough-there have been issues with them coming loose.

When I did mine, I replaced all the system O rings I could physically get to -even the ones under the service port connectors. Polar Bear has a european AC system O ring kit that has quite a few different sizes that will take care of that. I also replaced the expansion valve, evaporator, and dryer along with the compressor rebuild. Since I pretty much had the whole system taken apart I used some clean moisture free compressed air to blow through the AC line to make sure all the old oil was out. Since I was basically starting with a system that had no oil in it, I was able to fill the system with exactly the precise amount of oil that it requires to function correctly. When they evacuate an AC system oil still remains in certain components, and it's any ones guess as to exactly how much oil is actually in there. The only way to be sure is to purge all the old oil out by using AC system flush(if desired) followed by compressed air flush to ensure absolutely no oil remains in the system. You can then find the system oil fill volume, and add some oil to the dryer when you install it, and add the balance to the compressor. Once the system components are hooked up, after air evacuation, and before the serpentine belt gets put back on make sure to spin the compressor over a dozen or more times(spin it the same direction the engine would normally) to circulate the oil around, and so that the compressor doesn't "hydrolock" at startup.

Think my compressor is bad. evacted system, held vacuum, and refilled. A/C blew very cold for about a half hour then started warming up. Everything else seems to work fine.

I wanted to update everyone on my progress with my A/C compressor repair. I had the system evacuated over the weekend and pulled the A/C lines to the compressor. The PAG oil is golden with no visible particles suspended in it. I inserted Q-tips into the hoses and the suction and discharge ports of the compressor. The suction hose and port was clean, however the discharge line had some gray residue. The Bentley manual says that light grey deposits are normal.

Here is what I got when swabbing the inside of the compressor discharge hose:



Again, the PAG oil was nice and golden and it seems the residue came off of the walls of the hose and was not suspended or mixed with the oil. I would like to get your opinions on this. Does this appear to be normal "light grey deposits" or is it the "black death" indicative of compressor failure?

Thanks.

Lucas

Normal.

Thanks Dan!

Okay all. At Dan's okay, I am going to go ahead and order the RCV tonight and hopefully implement this fix next weekend. I plan to do a tutorial on it (my first) so we'll see how well that goes. Does anyone recommend attempting to do this while the compressor is still on the vehicle? From the photos I've seen, it could be difficult, but the slacker in me says I will save a few hours by not having to remove the compressor. Has anyone tried it?

Thanks.

Luc

I placed the order. Here is the most recent pricing for those who want to know:

Shipping to Savannah, GA.

Item No. Item Qty Unit Price Ext. Price
EX 10067C EX 10067
1 $29.25 $29.25
GA 4567KT GA 4567KT
1 $19.87 $19.87
RD 10018 RD 10018
1 $23.12 $23.12
RO 0900B RO 0900B
1 $6.48 $6.48
Subtotal: $78.72
Shipping (UPS Ground): $20.94
Total: $99.66

Dave_D said:

Mine went a few years ago and I wasn't as lucky as you were. The shop told me that the compressor had disintegrated internally scattering metal throughout the A/C system. Needless to say the compressor needed to be replaced. Symptoms were similar to yours, but of course pressures were equal.

Dave

Click to expand...

Mine failed a month or two ago. Same quote from the repair, the compressor gave up itself to the system and required multiple parts replaced.

I have to wonder now after reading the OP's findings if the mechanics are just throwing parts at the cars without checking for metal throughout the system.

My repair cost $1200. Not fun.

If there's metal filings and other evidence of destruction in the system when you open it the compressor is toast. All you can do in that case is flush the system VERY well, replace the dryer and the compressor, then recharge with the proper amount of oil + refrigerant.

Ideally you catch problems before the compressor grenades like this.

lucasaltic said:

Okay all. At Dan's okay, I am going to go ahead and order the RCV tonight and hopefully implement this fix next weekend. I plan to do a tutorial on it (my first) so we'll see how well that goes. Does anyone recommend attempting to do this while the compressor is still on the vehicle? From the photos I've seen, it could be difficult, but the slacker in me says I will save a few hours by not having to remove the compressor. Has anyone tried it?

Thanks.

Luc

Click to expand...

I've not tried it that way or heard of others that have done it that way. That sure doesn't mean that an enterprising soul couldn't give it a go however The worst thing that could happen is that you have to remove the compressor from the car-no sweat!

lucasaltic said:

I placed the order. Here is the most recent pricing for those who want to know:

Shipping to Savannah, GA.

Item No. Item Qty Unit Price Ext. Price
EX 10067C EX 10067
1 $29.25 $29.25
GA 4567KT GA 4567KT
1 $19.87 $19.87
RD 10018 RD 10018
1 $23.12 $23.12
RO 0900B RO 0900B
1 $6.48 $6.48
Subtotal: $78.72
Shipping (UPS Ground): $20.94
Total: $99.66

Click to expand...

Those part numbers look good to me, and will be suitable for your SD7V16 compressor. Best of luck!

I have done a couple on the car. No problem. I did have one to play with off the car, to show the owner (who was really doing the work) all the alignment requirements.

Bringing this thread back to life.....Just did this to my A/C and it works like new again. Great fix! Thanks to all!

Back from the dead again.

My symptoms seem to be the same - high side low, low side high, compressor clutch engages, but doesn't seem to put any load on engine. No strange sounds from compressor. Both fans work on low & high speed (I did the fan fix a couple of years ago) and confirmed last night they are working properly.

Next step sounds like getting it evacuated & then pull the lines on the compressor to see how everything looks.

Got the parts today. Wanted to know if anyone has the torque specs for the bolts on the back of the compressor and the bolts for the refrig lines?

I would not take the bolts for the refrigerant lines loose.
Just do it in place on the car, removing the head with it still attached to the hoses.
One less thing to fight.

Be sure to clean the outside of it before you start.

Head bolts are 6mm shaft, torque to 8 to 12 ft-lbs per Sanden.

all, got the head rebuilt. Got a few questions:
- is there a way to get the oil of the compressor with it still on the car? I took the fill cap out & tried to suction the oil out but couldn't really get any. Any other ideas?
- do I add any oil in the dryer?
- can I use compressed air to blow thru the lines to get any oil, etc out that may be in there?

I guess I should add that if I can't get any oil out, should I add any? Maybe an ounce or something like that? Only a small amount came out when I took off head & lines - maybe a teaspoon.

There are some tables in the Bentley manual.
Going from memory here.
I put 30 cc of oil in the compressor when I put on a new drier and put in a new charge of refrigerant.
You usually lose a small amount oil every time you remove the charge.
The total charge is about 140 cc, if I remember correctly.

I can't log in to that web polar Bear inc
I need get parts somehow help me please with parts.

Call them.

DanG144 helped me with my RCV at a GTG this weekend (thanks again Dan!!). My compressor showed signs of "silver death", so we decided to leave the o-ring off the RCV and just closed it back up and recharged the system. It now blows cold but will probably eventually fail. At that point I plan to flush the system and replace the compressor.

BTW the replacement dryer o-ring (new) part number is 7H0 820 896 (about $2 at the dealer). 7.6 mm x 1.8 mm HNBR,

Nice to see this post has help many. Again I take no credit for the fix. Dan, among others, has put a lot into this thread.

However it is real nice to see a thread you started "back from the dead" multiple times.

lucasaltic said:

I placed the order. Here is the most recent pricing for those who want to know:

Shipping to Savannah, GA.

Item No. Item Qty Unit Price Ext. Price
EX 10067C EX 10067
1 $29.25 $29.25
GA 4567KT GA 4567KT
1 $19.87 $19.87
RD 10018 RD 10018
1 $23.12 $23.12
RO 0900B RO 0900B
1 $6.48 $6.48
Subtotal: $78.72
Shipping (UPS Ground): $20.94
Total: $99.66

Click to expand...

Well, I thought I would update everyone on the status of my repair. I did indeed do the swap with the compressor still on the car. Pulling the old RCV and swapping it with the new one went without a hitch. I lost minimal PAG oil. The real bear was re and re'ing the dryer. That is one tight spot! I also replaced the TXV just for fun. Once I put everything back together, I had the local A/C guy recharge the system, started it up, and it purred like a kitten. I didn't have many cooling days left in the year, so I thought I would wait until after the winter before claiming victory.

The prognosis? She still cools as good as the day I met her.

Never got around to doing that tutorial though, but someday...

Total project cost: $99.66 parts + $80 evacuation, vacuum, recharge + 0.5 ounce PAG oil makeup = $179.66 (or 779.66 if I pay myself $100 per hour!)




Next project: The RCV on my wife's 2006 Jetta has the "sticking"/delayed A/C problem, so I plan to swap that out as soon as the part comes in from China. That job should be a bit easier...

Luc

Actually the drier on the 2006 is also a pain...

I just completed this same repair on my compressor. Prior pressures (90 degree and HUMID ambient) were 70 and 120, no bueno.

Because I am dumb, I didn't replace the expansion valve at the same time. (forgot to get it) and because I own the equipment, I elected to not swap the drier at this time. The system and compressor have 273k miles on it, and was beautifully clean inside. Never leaked gas, which was good. Pulling a vacuum got it right down to 24 inches - DEEP vacuum. Love it.

So after replacing the control valve, the pressures were down to 40 and up to 150, and the vent temps were weak... Barely made it down to 60 degrees. Still with a 90 degree and blazing sun, that wasn't going to cut it.

Toss the R134 charge (blarg - wasted money) and replaced the expansion valve with one from Autozone, and the pressures are now 30 and 160... but for some reason while I was working on it, the high pressure would sit at 160 for a few seconds, then rise to just over 300 and sit there! This is not a normal behavior that I have seen before.

I was having an issue with my high side port connector (gauge set problem, not pressing on the fitting hard enough) but it did seem to be consistent. I suspect from reading elsewhere that the airflow in the condenser may be to blame, so I will check that later.

The over-pressure fitting did not engage, so I am not worried about it, and I bled a little off to ensure that the charge is not over the 29 ounces that it should have. Driving around, the vent temperatures are now as low as 47, and 51 at idle!

Moral of the story: If you are changing the valve inside the compressor - change the expansion valve at the same time. Then deep vacuum the system before charging. As long as the system isn't open for more than a few minutes, the drier will be fine if you didn't have a leak before.

Hi,
Looking at doing the same with my system on a Mk IV Golf and some brilliant explanation here. In UK getting the Sanden spares is difficult, might end up from Belgium! Just a couple of Qs:

What is the reason for metal or fibre gasket set?

Compressor is still on car and pulley spins freely with no noise. There is a slight rock side to side, probably less than 0.5mm and wondered if that is acceptable.

Coil seems fine - 3.6 ohms and engages.

Hub turns shaft smoothly with no rough feeling or graunching noises, so hopefully all OK inside.

I guess I'll have to take it apart to look at the shaft seal to get the correct version - thanks for the pics which show the difference.
I'll have to make up my own tool to remove the hub.

When fitting a new seal, again I don't have the tool to slide on the new seal. Would winding a few turns of duct tape do the job with lots of oil.

I was also thinking of using PAO 68 oil as it is non hygroscopic and seems to be a suitable replacement and compatible oil.

Noted Geordi's comment about replacing the expansion valve at the same time - seems to be the first person to mention it?

Thanks.

I would not replace the expansion valve. They seem very reliable.
I have replaced several of these, and have re-used the metal and fibre gasket set, with no issues leaks so far. Some of these systems have been in service for 3 years or more.

Did your system leak the refrigerant out the shaft seal? If so perhaps the bearings are worn out, causing the seal failure, and a simple RCV replacement is not possible. Even replacing the shaft seal might not last very long.

It may be time for a new compressor.

DanG144 said:

Did your system leak the refrigerant out the shaft seal?

Click to expand...

Compressor dismantled and interior looks good, although oil a light brown rather than the expected yellowish.

No sign of any leakage past shaft seal which was the black rubber version with a felt ring. And no sign of seal sticking to shaft.

From both the USA and European Santech catalogues and reading here somewhere, I understand that there are two shaft seal systems:
1. Metal seal and felt spacer/sealing ring.
2. Black rubber seal and a spacer ring.
So not quite sure why my compressor has a black rubber seal and felt ring?? And not sure if I can order the components separately?

Also, I want to remove/clean all the old oil from the compressor which is draining. What is the best stuff to use and the equivalent to aircon flush.
I have some 90% isopropyl alcohol, which I think is the major component of ac flushing liquid and should do the job.

Thanks