Airconditioning compressor kaput

[GregMilner]

Chris Munday, glad you tipped me into the aircon compressor issues you've had. Mine is indeed kaput, dealer bringing in a new one under warranty this week. They tell me they've replaced a few of these on 2011-2012 cars of late.
Point 1: Extending my warranty seems to have been vindicated already.
Point 2: We put men on the moon more than 45 years ago. Yet we can't build an aircon compressor that lasts more than three years?

[CSBrisie]

Hmmm. Grant/Graeme, take note! My pleasure Greg, hope your 2nd one lasts longer than mine...
cheers

[Graeme]

Mine has done only 28K so it hope it lasts a while yet. Not good prospects though.

[harlie]

wonder if it is the control valve. As these will be variable displacement compressors they have a control valve (the RCV) in the back which controls the angle of the internal washboard, which alters the displacement.

Other makes that introduced variable compressors well before LR have seen compressor failures for several years and the dealers (as dealers do) replace the compressor for an eye-watering sum. It is only lately that the enthusiast, handy owners have discovered that the $30 RCV sticks or fails with the result of no AC output. Drain refrigerant, replace RCV, recharge refrigerant all done.

The RCV I removed last year was dirty :o

[RR44TDV8]

Hmmm. Grant/Graeme, take note! My pleasure Greg, hope your 2nd one lasts longer than mine...
cheers
Chris, mine was done in March 15 but that is 28,000 k ago. Still seems to be working ok at present!:eek:

[Graeme]

I noted that the a/c compressor in my 2010 3.0 D4 was the old style fitted with a clutch whereas the 2.7 engines all were variable displacement type.

Harlie - its very good to know that the RCV is replaceable and can indeed be sourced. I wondered if the 4.4 had that style of compressor (have yet to check for a clutch or RCV) and if so, if a sticky valve was the cause.

Edit: That looks like a clutch on the front of mine and will check later to see if it moves. I wonder if the compressors are variable displacement and also fitted with a clutch.

[harlie]

This many failures - surely it is variable, the old style clutch activated fixed capacity compressors are very reliable.

Greg, what's the chance you can get photos of the old compressor for record? Assuming it is variable, now is a good time to prepare (for future out of warranty failures) - the RCV will be sourced based on the compressor manufacturer (Sanden/Bosch/Denso/ect) model number - there will be a plate on it with text. Much easier to photograph it on the bench [bigwhistle]. Our other car which is what I replaced the RCV on, was near impossible to get the details in situ, ended up sticking a phone down there and took more than 30 photos before I got the plate in frame and focus.

The LR part number is of no use....



.....

Edit: That looks like a clutch on the front of mine and will check later to see if it moves. I wonder if the compressors are variable displacement and also fitted with a clutch.

There is a sacrificial clutch on the variable compressors, it is designed to let go it the compressor seizes and not trash the belt which may be running other devices.

[Homestar]

They certainly used to make AC that lasted - The AC in my 86 Rangie was going fine up until I changed engines the other year and the 03 L322 is still going strong. Looks like a new fangled design has let you down.

[Graeme]

Yes, variable displacement type as the shaft spins even with the a/c switched off. That's both good and bad news for the same reason - that it has an RCV.

[Graeme]

Greg, what's the chance you can get photos of the old compressor for record? Assuming it is variable, now is a good time to prepare (for future out of warranty failures) - the RCV will be sourced based on the compressor manufacturer (Sanden/Bosch/Denso/ect) model number - there will be a plate on it with text. Much easier to photograph it on the bench [bigwhistle].Yes please!

[Graeme]

The original 4.4 TDV8's compressor from a late 2012 version of the parts catalogue has superseded to LR056364, made by Sanden.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

They certainly used to make AC that lasted - The AC in my 86 Rangie was going fine up until I changed engines the other year and the 03 L322 is still going strong. Looks like a new fangled design has let you down.The old York style compressors lasted for ages. As mentioned in another thread the one on my 85 model failed only recently. 30 years out of a compressor isn't bad.

We used to be an icecream wholesale distributor and one of our small urgent delivery trucks had a ThermoKing unit with an engine mounted York compressor which worked a treat for years and years. When we swapped from the Dodge (F150 size) truck to a small Isuzu the York wouldn't fit on the engine so we swapped to the Sanden type compressors, we would only ever get about 18 months out of a Sanden compressor.

[Graeme]

The parts catalogue has the 4.4 and the 3.0 using the same compressor part number. This conflicts with D4 release promos and with my experience in the D4 of hearing the compressor cut in and out. I'll ask my son to check the D4 itself.

[GregMilner]

Yes please!

Yeah I can do that, I'm waiting on a call this afternoon or tomorrow to bring the car in so I'll get them to take a photo when they get it out.

[Graeme]

The 3.0 D4 does not use the same compressor but it is used on one of the D4's engines.

[Graeme]

If it is a Sanden then its likely to be a PXE16 which will be on the LR label with the LR part number but the specific 4-digit model number most likely on a small Sanden label is required to fully identify it.

[harlie]

Pretty sure it is a PXE16 under the bonnet on the otherside of my garage, which means I have the links of where to get the RCV :D

[Graeme]

Easy to find suppliers using Google...

[GregMilner]

Gentlemen, just dropped the car off at the dealer's service department. Spoke to their chief technician, who told me that according to the LRA technical bulletin, the standard procedure in cases of compressor failure is to replace not the whole unit, but just the valves.
However, he said there had been a number of cases of compressor failure after this procedure, including a recent case where the replacement valves failed after only two months.
So he insisted that a new compressor be brought in for me. Apparently the new ones (pictured) have upgraded and improved valves.

I've also taken a shot of the first page of the technical bulletin which specifies just changing the valves.
Should all be sorted by tomorrow arvo. About a 5 hour job, apparently.

[Chrisnussey]

Make sure all your radiator cores are not clogged. This makes the compressor work overtime and call it quits.