clusco Posted March 22, 2005 Report Share Posted March 22, 2005 Hi everyone. I just changed my compressor and clutch assembly and the drier but I also hear I should change the "orifice tube". Where in the world is this piec located on my car? I have a 1995 Cadillac Seville STS. Please help soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted March 22, 2005 Report Share Posted March 22, 2005 Here is a diagram of the 1996 AC System, See #2, Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clusco Posted March 22, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2005 Thanks so much for the quick reply and help. Also, I changed my compressor, clutch and drier but while waiting (the last 3 days) to get my A/C recharged, I left the 2 A/C lines unattached to the drier because the label said not to unseal the drier until right before charging. Should I have been driving around with the 2 lines unattached if I wasn't using the fans in the car? And now I have attached the 2 lines up to the drier until tomorrow afternoon, at which time I will get the system charged with freon, and my question is: Is this bad for my drier (i.e. moisture, etc...)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted March 22, 2005 Report Share Posted March 22, 2005 I am not an AC expert but no you don't want to allow air to get at the dryer you should leave the caps on the dryer, just tape the ends of the lines that go to the dryer to keep debris out. The AC shop will evacuate the system. If you find and debris in the orifice tube tell the shop they will need to purge the system. I am doing the exact same job that you did, soon. How much of a job was it to get the compressor in and out? Did you put oil in the compressor and how much? Thanks, Mike Kevin (KHE) on here is knowledgable about AC systems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted March 22, 2005 Report Share Posted March 22, 2005 PS, I am sure this is obvious, but don't put the new orifice tube in if you find debris in the old one, they need to purge the system first. They use some sort of volitile solvent to clean the system. I am very interested in how your compressor came out. Here is a picture of my old compressor, my hub bearing went bad and overheated the clutch coil, Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted March 22, 2005 Report Share Posted March 22, 2005 If there is debris in the orifice tube screen, then the system will need to be flushed but the original post did not state why the compressor was being replaced. Usually it is a shaft seal leak (which could have been fixed for much less money than replacing the compressor) or a body seal leak. Don't worry about the lines you left disconnected at the accumulator as the evacuation process will remove any residual moisture in the system. If it were my car, I would have connected the lines to the accumulator as not much air would be in the system anyway and the evacuation process would extracte it along with any residual moisture anyway. Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clusco Posted March 22, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2005 In response to Scotty's post: I bought my new compressor and clutch combo from a local shop here (O'reilly's) and they assured me the compressor came with the adequate amount of oil added already. To get the compressor out is not as difficult as getting the compressor out because you go through the fender well. The hardest part is to fit your ratchet underneath the car to loosen the bolt that holds the A/C lines to the compressor. It's a bit harder to put it back on as you'll need someone to back the compressor out to give you room to line up the A/C lines back up with the entry ways on the compressor. Can someone please find and post the step-by-step instructional of how to change your A/C compressor clutch combo? I looked but can't seem to find it again. Anyway, there is one step on that analysis that I don't agree with however: To get to the bolt that holds the A/C lines to the compressor underneath the car, the instructional tells you to get a deep socket and a deep extension to your ratchet. I found all you need is the deep socket. I could not find anyway at all to fit an extension in there. Loosen it with the ratchet and then use just the socket and turn it with your finger to remove the bolt. Also, the toughest time I had or would have had, in hindsight, is to remove the 3 bolts directly under the wheel well that hold the clutch assembly to the engine. Now, if I wouldn't have had a impact wrench, I would still be muscling that bolt off. And after seeing your hub in the picture, you will probably need some type of power tool as well. As soon as I applied the impact wrench with a 6-inch extension, it broke the bolts for me with ease. It was much easier than the alternator. Hope I helped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted March 22, 2005 Report Share Posted March 22, 2005 Thanks for the insight and tips, Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted March 22, 2005 Report Share Posted March 22, 2005 In response to Scotty's post: I bought my new compressor and clutch combo from a local shop here (O'reilly's) and they assured me the compressor came with the adequate amount of oil added already. To get the compressor out is not as difficult as getting the compressor out because you go through the fender well. The hardest part is to fit your ratchet underneath the car to loosen the bolt that holds the A/C lines to the compressor. It's a bit harder to put it back on as you'll need someone to back the compressor out to give you room to line up the A/C lines back up with the entry ways on the compressor. Can someone please find and post the step-by-step instructional of how to change your A/C compressor clutch combo? I looked but can't seem to find it again. Anyway, there is one step on that analysis that I don't agree with however: To get to the bolt that holds the A/C lines to the compressor underneath the car, the instructional tells you to get a deep socket and a deep extension to your ratchet. I found all you need is the deep socket. I could not find anyway at all to fit an extension in there. Loosen it with the ratchet and then use just the socket and turn it with your finger to remove the bolt. Also, the toughest time I had or would have had, in hindsight, is to remove the 3 bolts directly under the wheel well that hold the clutch assembly to the engine. Now, if I wouldn't have had a impact wrench, I would still be muscling that bolt off. And after seeing your hub in the picture, you will probably need some type of power tool as well. As soon as I applied the impact wrench with a 6-inch extension, it broke the bolts for me with ease. It was much easier than the alternator. Hope I helped. Did you verify that there was oil in the compressor? The reason I ask is that the PAG oil used for R-134a is hydroscopic and will attract moisture which is not good for the system...that is why most compressors are shipped dry these days. Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted March 22, 2005 Report Share Posted March 22, 2005 Mine shipped dry, it was from a GM/Cadillac dealer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clusco Posted March 22, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2005 My compressor was a remanufactured piece and the auto shop assured me it was equipped with the proper amount. Didn't check myself though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clusco Posted March 22, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2005 Just found out today that the compressor was actually shipped without the adequate amount of oil. Turns out a new guy at this store didn't know the correct answer. Luckily for me, they were just starting to evacuate and recharge the system and I called and let the shop know that it was a new compressor and it did need oil added. I guess the moral to the story is: Never trust anyone's word; Check yourself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted March 22, 2005 Report Share Posted March 22, 2005 The moral of the story is thank heavens we discussed this and that Kevin saved the day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted March 23, 2005 Report Share Posted March 23, 2005 Glad to hear that you were able to contact the shop and warn them before they started up the system. It was probably fairly dry since you replaced the accumulator at the same time. I think the idea of shipping compressors with oil added stems from the days of R-12 as the mineral oil would not attract moisture. It was still a PITA as the compressor always seemed to be overfilled and needed to be drained, measured . Then the proper amount of oil needed to be added back into the suction port. It is much easier to start with a "dry" compressor and add the proper amount of oil through the suction port while turning the compressor over by hand. Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clusco Posted March 23, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2005 Where, on the compressor exactly, is the oil to be added? Walk me through please so that I don't mess it up. And the mechanic at the A/C shop told me to add exactly 4 oz. of oil to the compressor. Does this sound right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted March 23, 2005 Report Share Posted March 23, 2005 Ideally, you add it to the suction port of the compressor (where the lines attach) The suction port will be the larger of the two lines. The line from the accumulator to the compressor is the suction side. Unfortunately, it means removing the compressor but it's the only way to assure that the compressor doesn't run dry. I think you will need to add additional oil to the accumulator since you replaced that as well but I'd need to check the shop manual for the quantity of oil but 4 ozs sounds about right. Add the oil and then turn the clutch (not just the pulley) in order to get oil into the compressor. Don't go too fast or you will get sprayed from the discharged port....If it won't take the all the oil before puking it out the discharge port, add the rest to the accumulator. The proper oil is PAG High viscosity refrigerant oil. Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.