Automotive Air Conditioning Information Forum (Archives)

Provided by www.ACkits.com

We've updated our forums!
Click here to visit the new forum

Archive Home

Search Auto AC Forum Archives

Compressor woes

oversizedad on Mon October 25, 2010 9:10 AM User is offline

Year: 92
Make: Geo
Model: Metro
Engine Size: 1.0 lite
Refrigerant Type: 134-a
Ambient Temp: unable
Pressure Low: unable
Pressure High: unable
Country of Origin: United States

Greetings all. Have my 92 geo metro daily work car. Great little car, recently had to replace the compressor with a local rebuild that a nice gent did for me. Had a core that he checked out and resealed for me and worked great for about 3 months. Last week I noticed that I had no cold air when the ac was on...Yes, we are still in the high 80's here in florida. When I replaced the old compressor with the rebuilt, I flushed and replaced all o-rings and dryer. As stated, worked great for about 3 months, until last week. When the system starts up it runs fine for about 5 minutes and the low side gets nice and cold then the compressor stops being turned by the clutch or does the slipping thing. Thus, when I put my gauges on the car i noticed that the clutch was slipping against the metal face while being driven by the pulley. The compressor shaft was being rotated very slowly while the pulley was running at engine speed. No squeel or smell of anything..I was unable to get a good reading on the system because of the compessor not turning correctly...I hope I explained that correctly....just like a drive clutch slipping. When I charged the system after the intial rebuild, I know I did not overcharge the system as the gauge readings were ok. The high side was around 240 and low side little under 35..I tried to leave room a bit for the difference between the 134-a and r-12 chemistry..Just wondering if I should replace just the clutch or is something inside the compressor holding things up...Was shopping on this site for a replacement compressor..any feelings on those offered here....Regards from Steve in (still hot) fla....

mk378 on Mon October 25, 2010 10:51 AM User is offline

It's going to slip either because the high side is too high (what did it read when it was slipping?) or the compressor is suffering mechanical failure and is about to seize. That could be due to residual flush agent or using the wrong amount or type or oil.

Chick on Wed October 27, 2010 7:55 AM User is offlineView users profile

Also check the clutch gap, could have worn thru the summer use and the coil can't pull it in all the way...just a thought...

-------------------------
Chick
Email: Chick

---------------------------------------------

Freedoms just another word for nothing left to lose

oversizedad on Sun October 31, 2010 9:06 AM User is offline

Thanks for the reply from both folks...finally got around to taking the metro back to the gent who rebuilt the compressor and he said that I needed to remove one of the shims that creates the air gap between the clutchplate and clutch body. I did find out what the air gap was supposed to be. Book calls for .013 to .025...I did as he suggested and took out one of the shims and got the airgap down to 0.17 which was nice and comfy in the middle. Clutch will engage fine,but still after a few minutes it will start to slip again. At the start of this job about 3 months ago, the pressures were close to book, but I only put in on can of gas...and the correct amount of oil that the book calls for..Worked great for about 3 months....now the slipping starts...Guess it is possible that the head pressure is getting too high, but that would simply mean compressor failure again...The tech that did the work does not think that the compressor has failed( not sure who to believe)..Is it possible for the clutch to fail, or wear out per se? I can replace the face of the clutch without taking the compressor out...thoughts anyone...Regards, Steve n Fla..

mk378 on Sun October 31, 2010 9:25 AM User is offline

Need to measure the pressure when the clutch starts to slip. That will tell if it is too high. Do the condenser fans work?

oversizedad on Mon November 01, 2010 10:51 AM User is offline

Will hook up the gauges this weekend and start the system and see what the readings are. I did that at the first of the week when I realized the clutch was slipping,,,High pressure was very low,.,about 150ish and the low side was 45ish...I thought that the pressure was low simply because the compressor was not turning fast enough, or the charge was low..All fans are working and the cold side gets nice and cold when the compressor it turning...Expansion valve not opening perhaps? I did not flush the interior section of the car when the original compressor failed. I only flushed the condenser...got no "stuff" our of it when blowing the flush out...did change the dryer and put new o-rings all round...Pretty sure I got the oil amounts right,,,just followed the book,,Guess the standing question would be, does the clutch wear out? No bearing whine or sound that seems out of place. Thanks to all for there views...Steve n Fla

oversizedad on Sun November 21, 2010 8:03 AM User is offline

Checked the start up pressures yesterday,,,The high side was around 200 and the low side went to 20...seems low on both accounts to me...The clutch did not slip this time , but did not run the car that long...any ideas as to why the clutch was or may slip in the future...regards, Steve n Fla...

iceman2555 on Sun November 21, 2010 1:53 PM User is offlineView users profile

How much lubricant was added to the system and what type? Why was the evaporator not flushed? How much refrigerant was introduced into the vehicle?
Post this info? If it was posted, I may have missed it. I think I saw 'on can' (one can) and nothing concerning the amount of lubricant.
The most important of any system diagnosis is knowing exactly how much rfrigerant and lube has been charged into the system.

-------------------------
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.
Thomas Jefferson

Back to Automotive Air Conditioning Forum

We've updated our forums!
Click here to visit the new forum

Archive Home

Copyright © 2016 Arizona Mobile Air Inc.