C5 Covette AC questions

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bohica2xo
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Re: C5 Covette AC questions

Post by bohica2xo »

Actually the V5 / V7 has an oil sump, that is why we fill them there.

The percentage of oil in recirculation passes through the sump slowly. On the suction stroke a small quantity of sump oil passes the piston in to the chamber. On the compression stroke a small amount of refrigerant & oil passes the piston & winds up in the crankcase.

So spinning a V series compressor does spit some oil, but not as much as some types. Here is a blast from the past:

https://autoacforum.com/messageview.cfm ... adid=12050

So flush the heck out of your new V7. If it still feels like crap when you spin it maybe the same people who put your condenser together assembled it?
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weslp00
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Re: C5 Covette AC questions

Post by weslp00 »

He He ..I will take a knock on that one! I am gonna give the flush process a go in a while and see how we go...On the compressor front maybe the chimpanzee had a brother and he took care of my compressor.
Thanks for the recommendation on a new condenser. I will look at that now..
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weslp00
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Re: C5 Covette AC questions

Post by weslp00 »

Right its the hangar queen reporting back.
Your excellent flush procedure was followed and plenty of suck, blow and smoooothness was felt albeit a tad tighter than the old compressor but hey that's got 56000 miles on it.
You were right about watch out for the outlet port..she blew!
no crap out of the outlet port but just a few bits of black stuff bearly visible to the knacked eye out of the sump afterwards.
Put nearly 8oz through it starting with a bit in the sump, turned with a slow battery drill drained and repeated. Same with the inlet port.
The notchy feel has gone! Does that suffice??
All I gotta do now is deal with that pesky condenser and yes I am abroad and the country I am in just lost the soccer..guess where I am and maybe I am a limey maybe I am not!! :lol:
thanks for the help guys..I am learning fast..
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weslp00
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Re: C5 Covette AC questions

Post by weslp00 »

cond 1Pro.jpg
cond 1Pro.jpg (161.04 KiB) Viewed 6557 times
Would you use this and this is the better bit!!
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bohica2xo
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Re: C5 Covette AC questions

Post by bohica2xo »

Well, a long way back my people came from one of those islands... but they spoke a bit different language.

That condenser is a bit banged up, but if it is only fins they can be straightened.

Glad the compressor flushed ok. Now you know it is clean & has the right oil.
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Re: C5 Covette AC questions

Post by weslp00 »

I don't think the language is so different.. spelling yes.. compressor vs compresser, color vs colour, fiber vs fibre, wind shield vs wind screen, hood vs bonnet, now that's a weird one! But you guys did the right thing when you broke away. Best thing you did as we seem to be a leaderless ship at the moment and we lost the soccer (mind you I am not into that) I love US cars and have been driving them most of my adult life and that's been a while now! :lol:
And I try to spend time over the other side of the pond :D

Anyways I am pleased with the compressor and I may repeat the flush activity. I wish I had put more than an ounce in the sump before I started testing. hope that little bit of oil was ok to start with and I put the same amount in the inlet port at the same time. I dumped and refilled with an increased amunt and so on. Are these things lubed on assembly, I suppose they must be ? And there is no load on it anyway...

As for the condenser..I am stuffed there. Yes the fins can be sort of straightened but they don't run true with the tubes. They hang out the side in places. I tried pushing them back in sideways but the whole thing is soldered tight..what can I do but try for another condenser???

I am using normal PAG 150 which I understand soaks up water..whats this talk of "DEC" is it safer?
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Re: C5 Covette AC questions

Post by bohica2xo »

I was thinking more in terms of the Gaelic my ancestors spoke. I never had a problem understanding most of the brits. I usually spend a few weeks there when I go to Goodwood. If you have never been, the Revival is a great show!

I understand the sloppy look of the condenser is not exactly appealing. But as long as all of the fins are solidly brazed & straight it is probably ok. RockAuto is usually pretty good about returns here in the US, but I suspect the freight on that part is more than the value of the item itself.

Double End Capped PAG refers to the long chain molecule arrangement. When it is capped it can't polymerize with water.

https://www.autoacforum.com/messageview ... adid=17571

And polymerize it does. Significant heat is generated when you mix un-capped PAG with water. It was an interesting experiment.

If you are not sure which oil you have, take a sample & mix it with water. SEC PAG is ok, it has worked for years. Just make sure it is from a fresh, sealed container.
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Re: C5 Covette AC questions

Post by weslp00 »

Bohica, that makes you either Scottish or Irish I guess.. I am half Scottish my self so deffo not a limey!
As for Goodwood I plan to go next year as I don't live far from there and always follow it on the net..some amazing cars and girls! It is really expensive tho and I cant afford it because I spend all my money on AC parts :lol:

Thanks for the info on the DEG PAG but I doubt if I will be able to get DEC PAG over here non expensively so I am using normal SEC PAG 150 from a States side company called Supercool.

I flushed last night from a sealed 8oz bottle and went through the whole lot and used another sealed bottle full again today. The comp is on the bench draining then I will seal it till assembly time... I am still getting the odd minuscule bit of non metallic stuff coming out. So tiny I can hardly see it. Do they use gaskets in these things? I know it cant be perfect inside because even a rebuilt engine will bleed metallic waste and bits of gasket into the filter on run in. In that the case with my new comp? It is still a bit tight and I can barely be spun by hand but its hard to get hold of the clutch. Not tight enough though to stall engine or jump the belt.

As for that condenser I have spent my Goodwood money on another from Rock :roll: Its a generic item APDI or something. I will send the other one back later. Why is there so much Chinese crap around :evil: ...bet that ACDelco item was made in China!
The new lines I ordered, high and low, look a bit suspect too and came unsealed. Never even got a pressure switch. They are Delco and have made in China on them!.. would it be a good idea to flush with brake cleaner and seal them in a bag then I haven't got to worry about shop air?
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bohica2xo
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Re: C5 Covette AC questions

Post by bohica2xo »

Dude, take a deep breath & have a wee dram or two. 18 yr old Macallan is a good place to start.


That compressor will be fine. It has had a gentle break in with lots of oil. Thinks of the thousands that just get tossed on a car every year without any of that.


There will always be some resistance on that compressor - there is a lot going on in there. Have a look


https://www.autoacforum.com/messageview ... adid=21972

I prefer to rent a place in London & ride the train to Chichester to attend Goodwood. The wife would rather spend a week in Kew doing absolutely nothing. So we compromise. Which means we stay in Kew.
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weslp00
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Re: C5 Covette AC questions

Post by weslp00 »

You know your single malts! I prefer a Glenlivet myself..been to the distillery in Scotland and nearly didn't get out of the tasting room :shock: . Same in Lynchburg at the JD distillery but they didn't allow drinking something to do with a dry state in those days! My fave tho is a nice Jamaican rum..not everyones tipple tho..

That comp rebuild vid is very busy.. they really are complicated. The wobble plate gets me! The Chinese will be making them soon.. :roll:

I live in London which isn't a fair distance from Goodwood. Kew is a train ride from me on the underground/subway..you ever tried that??
Right I'm off to flush those refrig lines thru and sit by the door and wait for another bent up condenser FedEx delivery ..ha.ha. This is driving me nuts :mrgreen:
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