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V5 Compressor Shaft Leaking after rebuild

Chriskc on Wed October 30, 2013 4:27 PM User is offline

Year: 1997
Make: Chevrolet
Model: Lumina
Engine Size: 3.1
Refrigerant Type: R134
Country of Origin: United States

Hi people!

Had a V5 leaking around the large O rings so I rebuilt it in May. Replaced all the seals, accumulator, orifice tube, & Hi/Low valves.
Very, very, little metal in the old O tube and the inside of the compressor looked good and didn't see any metal or unusual contamination.
Vacuumed and charged fine. Cooling great! Everything working great until a week or so ago. Noticed it sounded a little noisier than usual so I looked under the hood
and see the compressor is leaking (still cooling fine though). Appears to be the shaft seal. Oil on the edge of the clutch and has slung some on the crank and in the areas
"in line" where the clutch spins. Not enough oil to look "wet" but noticeable.

Just a few questions to get some opinions:

I do notice I hear this bit of noise even when the AC is off. Since the clutch isn't engaged, should it not be spinning/making any sounds? Not sure how the insides of
a compressor actually work but is this normal? I assume it's making this noise because of losing oil/freon.

I purchased the shaft seal from ebay. Are there "cheap" seals out there and could I have gotten a 'cheap" one?
Or are there other things that could make the shaft seal go bad like a bad clutch (clutch appears fine)?

I'm unsure if I should attempt a seal replacement or should I go with a new/reman compressor. I know I can replace the seal but I'm unsure if
there are other issues a compressor can have that makes it so it keeps ruining seals, thus not worth replacing.

I'm sure more questions will come along LOL.
thanks!

GM Tech on Wed October 30, 2013 7:33 PM User is offline

If you use a double lip seal shaft seal, then you'll never need anymore. I've never had a double lip seal leak and have replaced hundreds..

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The number one A/C diagnostic tool there is- is to know how much refrigerant is in the system- this can only be done by recovering and weighing the refrigerant!!
Just a thought.... 65% of A/C failures in my 3200 car diagnostic database (GM vehicles) are due to loss of refrigerant due to a leak......

Chriskc on Wed October 30, 2013 9:38 PM User is offline

Hi!

I did use a double lip seal. Actually I had to get two of them. This is the first rebuild I've
done and I messed up the first seal due to my inexperience. The second went on pretty smooth
and I feel confident it is on correctly. 5 months and no leak until now.
Thank you!

iceman2555 on Thu October 31, 2013 9:13 PM User is offlineView users profile

A typical cause of this type leak could be a lose of lubricant around the shaft seal. This condition maybe the result of lack of lubricant migration due to lack of sufficient refrigerant or lack of lubricant added to the compressor body prior to installation.
How much lubricant was added to the compressor case prior to re installation. The lubricant should be introduced into the compressor body thru the drain port located on the compressor case. It is essential that lubricant be added to this location.
A insufficient recharge can also result in this type leak.

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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

Chriskc on Fri November 01, 2013 5:56 AM User is offline

Hello,

I put three cans off refrigerant in when I charged they system. Very close to Spec amount, just a bit over. I added
8 ounces of PAG oil to the whole system (was completely dry) and if I remember correctly I put 2-3 ounces in the compressor through the drain hole and added the rest to the new accumulator.
I didn't have a funnel small enough for the drain hole so made a funnel out of some tubing (cleaned thoroughly before use).
Turned the compressor by hand a bit to get things lubricated.

Thank you!

NickD on Sat November 02, 2013 1:01 PM User is offline

Did the compressor shaft have a grove worn into it?

Chriskc on Mon November 04, 2013 5:42 AM User is offline

You mean where the seal touches the shaft? No I don't remember any kind of wear. I cleaned everything very good before assembly.
Certainly nothing noticeable. The whole car is in great condition and only has 90k miles on it so the compressor can't have a lot of use, not like a 200k car.
Thanks!

Edited: Mon November 04, 2013 at 5:43 AM by Chriskc

wptski on Mon November 04, 2013 7:44 AM User is offline

Quote
Originally posted by: Chriskc
You mean where the seal touches the shaft? No I don't remember any kind of wear. I cleaned everything very good before assembly.

Certainly nothing noticeable. The whole car is in great condition and only has 90k miles on it so the compressor can't have a lot of use, not like a 200k car.

Thanks!
I have a '90 Buick with 20K on it and the shaft seal leaked so it seems that mileage isn't a factor.

TRB on Mon November 04, 2013 6:18 PM User is offlineView users profile

I get everyone wants to buy a seal to fix a compressor. I some cases it works but I see repeated purchases of seals and a lot of frustration from people trying to replace it. To do a seal replacement properly you need the correct tools which will cost you more than replacing the compressor.

On this vehicle I would have just replaced the compressor with an import unit and be done with the repair.

http://www.ackits.com/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=01&Product_Code=20-10842-AM&Category_Code=




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Contact: ACKits.com

wptski on Mon November 04, 2013 7:21 PM User is offline

Quote
Originally posted by: TRB
I get everyone wants to buy a seal to fix a compressor. I some cases it works but I see repeated purchases of seals and a lot of frustration from people trying to replace it. To do a seal replacement properly you need the correct tools which will cost you more than replacing the compressor.

On this vehicle I would have just replaced the compressor with an import unit and be done with the repair.

http://www.ackits.com/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=01&Product_Code=20-10842-AM&Category_Code=

You can rent many tools from auto parts chain stores. You "do" need a seal protector tool for sure. The double lip Teflon seals are really stiff and difficult to install even with the tool.

The seal removal tool I got from ACkits wouldn't even work but since I had the compressor all apart, I just knocked it out from the back side. Later it was found out that the threads were jacked up on the tool and I worked that out with some lapping compound. I'm unsure if that tool would work as it should on the new seal as the recessed pocket it grips on isn't as deep with a large radius is the bottom corner. The worst part for me anyway was the snap ring holding the seal but maybe it was my snap ring pliers which are 35 years old. Can't imagine trying to remove it with the shaft in the way!!

Here's a post from this site that lists all that's needed for a V5

Edited: Mon November 04, 2013 at 7:22 PM by wptski

Chriskc on Tue November 05, 2013 2:12 PM User is offline

No one rents the seal removal tool around here. I did like you, since I had the compressor apart I just knocked it out from the backside. I do have the shaft protector tool. No issues with the snap rings here.

The first seal I put on was pretty stiff since it was new and when I slid it on the shaft one of the lips rolled under and messed it up. When I got the second seal it was recommended I "prestretch" it by sticking it on the shaft tool
only a time or two since the shaft seal is the same size as the shaft. After that it slid on great. I used the post you listed as reference when doing my rebuild, along with other info I gathered in my searches.
Checked my temp at the vents yesterday and riding down the road it gets as low as 43 degrees so it's still cools good just the bit of oil leaking. Since oil leaks it's safe to assume the freon is leaking too so
I keep checking the temps to see how much affect the leak is having.
Thanks!

wptski on Tue November 05, 2013 7:03 PM User is offline

Quote
Originally posted by: Chriskc
No one rents the seal removal tool around here. I did like you, since I had the compressor apart I just knocked it out from the backside. I do have the shaft protector tool. No issues with the snap rings here.

The first seal I put on was pretty stiff since it was new and when I slid it on the shaft one of the lips rolled under and messed it up. When I got the second seal it was recommended I "prestretch" it by sticking it on the shaft tool

only a time or two since the shaft seal is the same size as the shaft. After that it slid on great. I used the post you listed as reference when doing my rebuild, along with other info I gathered in my searches.

Checked my temp at the vents yesterday and riding down the road it gets as low as 43 degrees so it's still cools good just the bit of oil leaking. Since oil leaks it's safe to assume the freon is leaking too so

I keep checking the temps to see how much affect the leak is having.

Thanks!
Mine was a HR6E not a V5. Supposedly with a slow leak, oil is retained in the system but a fast leak is where the oil is lost with the refrigerant.

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