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Earlier this summer my 1988 Z51 started leaking oil on the A/C clutch, right behind the belt, only when engaged. I unplugged the compressor & saved it for later, well now its later! The clutch still spins freely by hand, only issue is the oil leak. Everything else seems to be fine.
Cost of a new/refurb compressor and clutch is about $600. I found clutch rebuild kits on Rock for about $100. There are also used A/C units, but thats a gamble.
I know I have to replace the dryer, orifice tube & O-rings if I switch to R-134A, thats kind of a given either way. I previously used a kit from Best Refrigerant Artic Air R-12 to only top off the system, no 134A conversion yet. Worked great and super cold, it worked OK before but pressure was low so thats why I added the Best Refrigerant product. 5 stars on thier product but i wonder if its what's caused the failure to begin with...I do use thier stuff in my other 134A cars so they are a good company, but when it comes to R-12 it might be a risk.
Does anyone make a compressor & clutch rebuild kit? I'd much rather rebuild what I have as I "basically" know the problems.
New or rebuilt units, anyone have a lead on those?
Swap to R-134A? I am very happy with the Best Refrigerant R-12, BUT for long term it might be better to just swap over to R-134? Yes or no?
I just ordered the sketchy Doorman A/C delete pulley (2000ish S-10), but thats a last resort and I would rather just fix it since this is my daily driver in the summer and A/C is kind of a good thing to keep! If I was going any other direction I wouldn't hesitate to delete it, but I really do drive the car. Best part of all is that the A/C started slinging oil all over 1 week after I repainted the underside of the hood, karma!
Pic is a little hard to see, but it shows just behind the belt and clutch, focused on the compressor housing where the oil is slinging.
The factory service manual gives compressor overhaul instructions however it does require a few special tools needed to perform the repair. In particular is the seal installer needed to replace the front seal, doing so without the tool will likely result in permanent damage to the seal. Mastercool makes a kit for the whole job. There are also a number of good YouTube videos showing the rebuild process that would help you see what’s involved. As far as a reseal kit they are available at most any auto parts houses
I have been working on automotive AC systems since the 1980s, I was ASE certified in AC for most of the 80s and 90s, and I am very familiar with repairing the AC on C4’s. I will give you my professional advice and sorry in advance if I come across negative or condescending.
First, (and this is just my opinion) I believe the Artic Air “r-12” is basically r134a with added PAG46 oil, and believe it or not, you can actually add r134 to a functioning r12 system and it will work. Main difference between the 2 refrigerants is r12 works with slightly lower pressures and uses mineral oil where r134a runs at higher pressures and uses PAG oil. Back in the 1980s in Florida when r12 was being phased out and car owners were desperate for cold AC, and they didn’t have money for a proper repair, we would add some r134a to a r12 system to get it cold. It isn’t the ideal way to do it, and it will most likely cause more leaks and possibly compressor damage down the road, but when it’s 95 degrees outside and the car owner doesn’t have the funds to fix it, desperate times call for desperate measures.
Anyway, you are on the right track, you need to replace your compressor, accumulator/dryer, and orfice tube, Rock Auto has a brand new Denso compressor that comes with a new clutch with pre-filled PAG46 oil set up for r134a for $495. I installed this exact compressor just a few months ago along with a new accumulator and orfice tube, and my AC blows out at 40 degrees. The only small issue is the electrical clutch plug needs to be spliced and swapped from the old compressor and the pressure line manifold also needs to be swapped out from the old compressor to the new one. The new compressor comes with a new rubber manifold seal, so it’s really quite easy to do.
I evacuated the system for 2 hours, let it sit for another hour to see if it lost vacuum (it didn’t) then charged the system with 3 cans of r134a and it’s one of the coldest auto AC systems I’ve ever had.
If you plan on keeping the car, don’t buy or rebuild a compressor, the best way to go is with a new Denso. Retro fitting a system from r12 to r134a is no big deal, both refrigerants work on the same principles, and equipment, the only difference is the type of oil required and pressures are slightly higher for r134a.
Also be thankful your system doesn’t have a R4 compressor, because they were garbage when new.
When converting to 134 wouldn't you want to change the orfice size as well, or not?
No. Just use a standard replacement. r12 to r134a conversions are very simple, and all the r12 components can be reused (though I recommend at least replacing the orifice tube and accumulator)
I have been working on automotive AC systems since the 1980s, I was ASE certified in AC for most of the 80s and 90s, and I am very familiar with repairing the AC on C4’s. I will give you my professional advice and sorry in advance if I come across negative or condescending.
First, (and this is just my opinion) I believe the Artic Air “r-12” is basically r134a with added PAG46 oil, and believe it or not, you can actually add r134 to a functioning r12 system and it will work. Main difference between the 2 refrigerants is r12 works with slightly lower pressures and uses mineral oil where r134a runs at higher pressures and uses PAG oil. Back in the 1980s in Florida when r12 was being phased out and car owners were desperate for cold AC, and they didn’t have money for a proper repair, we would add some r134a to a r12 system to get it cold. It isn’t the ideal way to do it, and it will most likely cause more leaks and possibly compressor damage down the road, but when it’s 95 degrees outside and the car owner doesn’t have the funds to fix it, desperate times call for desperate measures.
Anyway, you are on the right track, you need to replace your compressor, accumulator/dryer, and orfice tube, Rock Auto has a brand new Denso compressor that comes with a new clutch with pre-filled PAG46 oil set up for r134a for $495. I installed this exact compressor just a few months ago along with a new accumulator and orfice tube, and my AC blows out at 40 degrees. The only small issue is the electrical clutch plug needs to be spliced and swapped from the old compressor and the pressure line manifold also needs to be swapped out from the old compressor to the new one. The new compressor comes with a new rubber manifold seal, so it’s really quite easy to do.
I evacuated the system for 2 hours, let it sit for another hour to see if it lost vacuum (it didn’t) then charged the system with 3 cans of r134a and it’s one of the coldest auto AC systems I’ve ever had.
If you plan on keeping the car, don’t buy or rebuild a compressor, the best way to go is with a new Denso. Retro fitting a system from r12 to r134a is no big deal, both refrigerants work on the same principles, and equipment, the only difference is the type of oil required and pressures are slightly higher for r134a.
Also be thankful your system doesn’t have a R4 compressor, because they were garbage when new.
^^^^^^ There is no need for "opinions". We have had the "internet highway" for ~30 years +. I believe Al Gore says he invented it in the '90's. Reliable information is available on everything if one takes the time to access it. There is no HFC's whatsoever in any of these alternatives labeled "replacement". While the SDS does not reveal what specific compounds are in these cans, they are labeled "hydrocarbons". In the case of Arctic R12, their site says it is a mixture of two "environmentally safe" products. These would more than likely be R290(propane) and R600A(isobutane).
The OP, LukeBizzy, is planning to change his office as well. On my 87 the office is stuck and just crumbles when I try to remove it. He may have the same issue. Any suggestions on that matter? I'm working to get my evaporator now and he could possibly benefit from any suggestions you might have should he come up against the issue I'm having.
Thanks Solar! No worries, I am looking for advise and appreciate it
I am tempted to find a used compressor since most Vettes are lower mileage, but that means I might be doing it twice if I dont get lucky with a used unit. I need to get over the $500 price for the compressor itself, since I'll be replacing everything else while I'm in there so thats more $$. Easy to pass on now but when its summer I might think different!
I am kind of wondering if the "late S-10" compressor is similar and can be retrofitted. The Doorman A/C bypass pulley I got seems to line up, so it had me thinking a S-10 compressor must physically bolt up. Might take some research, but I might take a shot (we have a junkyard nearby to snag some test parts). I need to verify, no idea where the lines are directed on the S-10, but worth a look at least.
^^^^^^ There is no need for "opinions". We have had the "internet highway" for ~30 years +. I believe Al Gore says he invented it in the '90's. Reliable information is available on everything if one takes the time to access it. There is no HFC's whatsoever in any of these alternatives labeled "replacement". While the SDS does not reveal what specific compounds are in these cans, they are labeled "hydrocarbons". In the case of Arctic R12, their site says it is a mixture of two "environmentally safe" products. These would more than likely be R290(propane) and R600A(isobutane).
You say “no need for opinions” but then you say, “These would more than likely be R290(propane) and R600A(isobutane)”. By saying “more than likely” sounds like a opinion 😆
Thanks Solar! No worries, I am looking for advise and appreciate it
I am tempted to find a used compressor since most Vettes are lower mileage, but that means I might be doing it twice if I dont get lucky with a used unit. I need to get over the $500 price for the compressor itself, since I'll be replacing everything else while I'm in there so thats more $$. Easy to pass on now but when its summer I might think different!
I am kind of wondering if the "late S-10" compressor is similar and can be retrofitted. The Doorman A/C bypass pulley I got seems to line up, so it had me thinking a S-10 compressor must physically bolt up. Might take some research, but I might take a shot (we have a junkyard nearby to snag some test parts). I need to verify, no idea where the lines are directed on the S-10, but worth a look at least.
I wouldn’t suggest using a used compressor or any used AC parts unless they’re not available as new or rebuilt. There are plenty of rebuilt compressors available out there, and the amount of time and money for refrigerant, parts and labor isn’t worth risking a used compressor that could foul a system. Here is a picture of the reason I replaced my compressor, the orfice tube had small metal particles stuck in the screen, this is a sign the compressor is starting to fail. Though the compressor might work for a while longer there’s a good chance it’s going to fail soon.
The OP, LukeBizzy, is planning to change his office as well. On my 87 the office is stuck and just crumbles when I try to remove it. He may have the same issue. Any suggestions on that matter? I'm working to get my evaporator now and he could possibly benefit from any suggestions you might have should he come up against the issue I'm having.
If the orfice tube breaks inside the line, you have a couple options. You can cut the line and splice in a new orfice tube line with compression fittings, or if you’re replacing the evaporator you can just remove the whole line and ream out the orifice tube with a metal rod. No matter how you do it, you need to make sure to clear out the whole system with compressed air.
A/C help needed!
