Automotive Air Conditioning Information Forum (Archives)

WyrTwister on Sat May 18, 2013 10:53 PM

Year: 1996
Make: Chevy
Model: Lumina 4 door sedan
Engine Size: 3.1L
Refrigerant Type: 134a
Ambient Temp: 95
Pressure Low: 35
Country of Origin: United States

Well , latest charge of 134a leaked down , earlier in the week . Could not find any leaking hoses or lined . But where the 2 hoses bolt to the compressor ? All of the underside of the engine and the compressor is encrusted with oil and dirt . So , I could not tell if anything was leaking at the hose / compressor interface .

Also , pretty much the same thing , could not tell if it was leaking at the compressor shaft seal , either . ( I had introduced red dye / oil mix to the system last time I charged it with refrigerant . )

So , I pulled the compressor clutch and the shaft seal area was wet with dirty brown oil . No evidence of red die , but I decided to replace the seal .

Last time . I bought a seal kit from O'Reilly Auto Parts , for the 91 Caprice . They seem to no longer carrier it . Same with Advanced . Auto zone seemed to show it in the computer , but would have to order it . I wanted to get the car put back together today .

Praise the Lord . NAPA had the Seal kit , but it was more $$$ than what I had paid for the previous one at O'Reilly's . Such is life .

Got it all put back together and vacuumed it down . Seemed to hold a vacuum , so I put 2 cans of 134a in the system . Do not think that is quite enough , but I could not remember the proper amount and was too tired to figure it out / look it up .

Discharge air at a fast idle was a hair below 50 degrees F . If it does not leak out , I will add more .

God bless
Wyr

GM Tech on Sun May 19, 2013 9:18 AM

Compressor belly leakers are common on your V-5 compressor- as well as shaft seals.

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The number one A/C diagnostic tool there is- is to know how much refrigerant is in the system- this can only be done by recovering and weighing the refrigerant!!
Just a thought.... 65% of A/C failures in my 3200 car diagnostic database (GM vehicles) are due to loss of refrigerant due to a leak......

WyrTwister on Sun May 19, 2013 8:49 PM

Quote
Originally posted by: GM Tech
Compressor belly leakers are common on your V-5 compressor- as well as shaft seals.


Are you saying leaks in the body of the compressor ?

Does it use gaskets or o-rings ?

Thanks , :-)
Wyr
God bless

GM Tech on Sun May 19, 2013 10:21 PM

O-rings- corrosion crawls under them...

-------------------------
The number one A/C diagnostic tool there is- is to know how much refrigerant is in the system- this can only be done by recovering and weighing the refrigerant!!
Just a thought.... 65% of A/C failures in my 3200 car diagnostic database (GM vehicles) are due to loss of refrigerant due to a leak......