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seal protector #90484

grtpumpkin on Sat October 10, 2015 9:12 PM User is offline

Year: 1997
Make: chevy
Model: lumina
Engine Size: 3.1M
Refrigerant Type: R134A

1997 GM V5 compressor.

This seal protector #90484 has a ball end to it leading to the taper. I do not understand this concept. It is difficult to get the seal over the ball end. The ball outside diameter is smaller in diameter than the main body of the protector by approximately .062". The reason I question this is because I ruined 2 seals during the install. I managed to have success on the third attempt. This was back in may of this year and the A/C worked awesome all season, & now the A/C has crapped out again. Got oil leaking out the front of the compressor again. My factory service manual shows a seal protector for installing the seal but it has no ball end. It is just a strait taper. It seems like the ball end spreads the two lips of the seal apart before it reaches the taper which looks really good but it does make it easy to tear the seal as it has to be forced over the ball end pretty hard. Keeping it square while installing over the ball is next to impossible. I'm thinking this is the issue with the failure. I will be pulling the compressor again & taking a closer look at the shaft for an pitting. It was pretty rusty on the outside of the seal but it did clean up nicely. Worst case, I'll by another compressor for next year.

Anyone have any insight on this seal protector & how it's used compared to the GM tool without the ball end?
Is it designed only for a specific type of seal? ie: the double lip seal.

GM Tech on Sat October 10, 2015 9:17 PM User is offline

Cut the ball end off- I've never used a seal protector (dog pecker) like that...

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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......

grtpumpkin on Sat October 10, 2015 9:19 PM User is offline

That's what I was thinking but I figure the ball is there for a reason. Would still like to know why.

grtpumpkin on Sat October 10, 2015 11:26 PM User is offline

Found this on you tube. Explanation starts at the 6 minute mark. Looks like the ball is there to pre stretch the seal to prep it for intallation. Interestingly he states to pre strech, you run it over the ball end backwards.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIeqahYPrCQ

GM Tech on Sun October 11, 2015 9:14 AM User is offline

I worked in the factory that made the GM compressors-we made over 100 million units- never heard of pre-stretching seals- just use the dog pecker and be happy....

-------------------------
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......

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