Thread: Air Con Compressor

Just installed a new a/c compressor in my 89 Rangie (no name brand sourced in USA) and had the pros purge the lines, new dryer and regas. All works well except for monstrous drag from compressor. Despite belt adjusted quite taut it screeches on engagement of compressor clutch sometimes for 10 seconds and feels like I'm towing a trailer such is the drag on the motor. Any ideas on what's going on appreciated

we had troubles with a local brand of generic compressor.
I believe that the clutch magnet and the disc metal was faulty as they come in after a weeks work with the front bearing destroyed or the coil burnt out.
replacing with a genuine clutch no more fault.

the compressor was not as good as the internals arnt high tolerances.
so its possible that liquid is returning and hydrolic lock.the clutch wasnt as good so slips and you dont get as much pressure to the TX so it would not adjust correctly.

the chinese seconds last alost as long as some of the name brands but at a very low cost.

R12-R134A--stuff all difference if the condensor is in good order.
an old range rover had so much over kill for operating in northern temps.

compressors normally come with oil.in fact you often have to add extra oil.if the compresssor was ameican reconditioned--new internals with some old parts added for tax reasons it may be full aof aunty ester oil and need a good flush.

Tight arse will tell you a system needs small quantity of oil to allow the gas to flow and often the compressor comes with double system requirments.unless you have a sight glass with oil condition the rule of thumb is when you flush with nitrogen or degass excess oil will come out.

to gas a car requires lots of preknowledge and scientific best guess.then the new automatic gas stations [I dont know what im doing units] seporate oil from gas when decanting and then add oil for recharging.service points are added at possitions so as not to remove oil im modern vehicles.americans have flushing systems that are required by dealers so there advice isnt compatible with OZ local use.

imposible to flush evaporator or a modern parralel tube condencor.-a suction debris filter should be used-found at comercial A/C repairers like a heavy steel parker dryer with a low pressure switch as protection.made for brands like thermoking.cant find one on line so that tells you how rare they are.

I seen only a few supplied to me by customers for trucks and chev utes.and replacments are hard to get.some of these customers also supplied oil seporators for increased life.and links these together as an oil return.

the discharge filters are common from the usa and last unit i got was genuine GM part.this wont save the compressor.but saves the condencor and evaporators.