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Compressors compatibility between GM engines

Meridivs on Thu August 30, 2007 6:27 AM User is offline

Year: 1992
Make: Pontiac
Model: Trans Sport SE
Engine Size: 3.1
Refrigerant Type: R12
Ambient Temp: 60
Country of Origin: Romania

I have a '92 Pontiac Trans Sport SE with the 3.1 engine and my AC compressor has just gone south.

Now a friend of mine had a Chevrolet Lumina with a 3.8 motor in near perfect state (body is unsalvageable after a horrific crash) and I wonder if it's AC compressor is compatible with mine so I can buy it from him.

Does anybody know if this GM 3.1 AC compressor and 3.8 compressor are compatible and can be intercharged?

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Pontiac Trans Sport SE

Chick on Thu August 30, 2007 6:40 AM User is offlineView users profile

What year is the Lumina? Is it a lumina van or car? Which compressor does it use, a V5 or H6?

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Chick
Email: Chick

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Freedoms just another word for nothing left to lose

Meridivs on Thu August 30, 2007 8:03 AM User is offline

It's a 1994 Chevrolet Lumina APV (MiniVan) with the 3.8 GM V6 engine. I don't know what type of AC compressor has but I'm pretty much sure it's a "stadard" issue compressor.

Do you think they could be interchargeable?

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Pontiac Trans Sport SE

Chick on Thu August 30, 2007 8:11 AM User is offlineView users profile

The 3.1 engine uses the V5 compressor I believe, while the 3.8 uses the HD6 compressor. they are not interchangable, and mount a little different also..Hope this helps..

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Chick
Email: Chick

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Freedoms just another word for nothing left to lose

Meridivs on Thu August 30, 2007 8:56 AM User is offline

How can I tell of it's a V5 compressor or a HD6?

Are they marked in any way? Do they have some districtive features like extra sensors or electrics?

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Pontiac Trans Sport SE

NickD on Thu August 30, 2007 9:43 AM User is offline

Go to the home page of this site, Tim has pictures of all the compressors. Link for ackits.com is above. Both compressors are notorious for compressor seal leaks, when I do an oil change, check the compressor very carefully for any signs of oil leakage. That way I can catch a problem before it becomes major. Plus a lot of other stuff, don't believe those commercials where you don't have to do anything for the first 100,000 miles, preventive maintenance can save lot's of headaches.

Meridivs on Thu August 30, 2007 9:53 AM User is offline

I've already checked the ackits.com homepage

My compressor is seized - probably a total loss. That's why I prefer a whole replacement... but I've found this one on the Lumina that's in very good state (been working flawlessly before the crash) and I was thinking if I could swap it.

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Pontiac Trans Sport SE

Chick on Thu August 30, 2007 12:07 PM User is offlineView users profile

Your car uses the V5, ;look for a "hex" on the body, that is the oil fill plug, the H series doesn't have it..Also you'd see in the 6 O'clock postion on the rear head, a "plug" held in with a snap ring..That is the refrigerant control valve on the V5.. Also the V5 is shorter, fastter than the "H" series..Below is a pic of the V5 cut away showing the drain plug, and the control valve. The H series has neither..The pic shows an older V5, so the pully is different than yours of course...


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Chick
Email: Chick

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Freedoms just another word for nothing left to lose

Chick on Thu August 30, 2007 12:44 PM User is offlineView users profile

Just to add... Your compressor will be O rings in the rear where the lines bolt up, the 94 "should" have flat sealing washers, maybe even Offset (you could get around that though) But I doubt you'll be able to put the H6 in place of the v5...

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Chick
Email: Chick

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Freedoms just another word for nothing left to lose

mk378 on Thu August 30, 2007 4:21 PM User is offline

Even if you got it to mount up and hook up, you would also have to modify the system controls to use a non-variable compressor in place of the variable displacement V5.

Edit: Also if the '94 was running R134a with PAG oil, you would have to very fully remove all of that oil before using the compressor with R12.

Edited: Thu August 30, 2007 at 4:25 PM by mk378

Meridivs on Fri August 31, 2007 2:44 AM User is offline

Thanks for the pictures! They are expremely helpful to understand this mechanism. I'll look into it this weekend.

Hopefully I don't have a completely shot compressor but this could very well be the case

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Pontiac Trans Sport SE

Edited: Fri August 31, 2007 at 2:47 AM by Meridivs

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