keep blowing compressor front seal

[vidfix55]

I'm on my last bit of tolerance on my 94 A/C. I replaced the compressor about 3 months ago. It locked up while I was at a stop light. anyway after replacing just about everything that can't be flushed, the A/C work OK but not great until now. One morning I got in and no A/C and of corse its going to be 98 that day. Anyway using I sniffer I found that the front seal on the compressor was leaking. Well before I get to far into this let me tell you what my A/C would do. It worked fine while driving but if I sat at a light or a drive through or some place where I just sat the air would not work as good and eventually you could feel the engine start to load. If you turned off the A/C the problem when away. If you start moving again the problem went away. So I'm assuming this is a air flow problem and instead of the hot gas from the compressor moving through the condensor and turning into a liquid it just stayed a hot gas and overloaded the system. The fan clutch is fine I've checked it several times. Ii replace the front seal with a new one, oiled the compressor, replaced the oriface tube (clean, no metal or black death) pulled vacuum, checked for leaks, It held vacuum all night, added R134. Everything ran great A/C was nice and cold, as long as I was moving. Went to work happy as can be. Went to lunch sat in a drivethrough, engine started loading again and my air went warm, started moving, air got cold. Got gas, went in side to pay, back 5 minutes later, NO A/C. I just so happend to have my gauges with me with about 1/2 a can of 134a, tried to charge the system and you could hear it hiss out the front of the compressor. I don't want to replace the compressor if I'm going to blow the seal in it 2 days later. Does this sound like a air flow problem, I had a 92 XLT with a converted system and never had this problem. My low side when its 95 out is 40-45psi high side is 150 at idle-250 at 1500rpm.

 

[vidfix55]

I'll answer myself just to possibly help someone else out. If you replace the front seal it comes with a new circle clip. With a set of snap ring pliers widen it up a little. The ones that come with the seal don't have enough snap to them to seat in the groove of the nose piece. My kept blowing b/c the snap ring would slowly push back out. use a socket and a rubber mallet to tap the snap ring down to the groove. make sure the socket is wide enough to make full contact with the snap ring. If its two small you'll ruin the seal b/c you'll wack it not the snap ring.

 

[96eb96]

I'm on my last bit of tolerance on my 94 A/C. I replaced the compressor about 3 months ago. It locked up while I was at a stop light. anyway after replacing just about everything that can't be flushed, the A/C work OK but not great until now. One morning I got in and no A/C and of corse its going to be 98 that day. Anyway using I sniffer I found that the front seal on the compressor was leaking. Well before I get to far into this let me tell you what my A/C would do. It worked fine while driving but if I sat at a light or a drive through or some place where I just sat the air would not work as good and eventually you could feel the engine start to load. If you turned off the A/C the problem when away. If you start moving again the problem went away. So I'm assuming this is a air flow problem and instead of the hot gas from the compressor moving through the condensor and turning into a liquid it just stayed a hot gas and overloaded the system. The fan clutch is fine I've checked it several times. Ii replace the front seal with a new one, oiled the compressor, replaced the oriface tube (clean, no metal or black death) pulled vacuum, checked for leaks, It held vacuum all night, added R134. Everything ran great A/C was nice and cold, as long as I was moving. Went to work happy as can be. Went to lunch sat in a drivethrough, engine started loading again and my air went warm, started moving, air got cold. Got gas, went in side to pay, back 5 minutes later, NO A/C. I just so happend to have my gauges with me with about 1/2 a can of 134a, tried to charge the system and you could hear it hiss out the front of the compressor. I don't want to replace the compressor if I'm going to blow the seal in it 2 days later. Does this sound like a air flow problem, I had a 92 XLT with a converted system and never had this problem. My low side when its 95 out is 40-45psi high side is 150 at idle-250 at 1500rpm.

when you replaced the compressor, did you pre oil it before installing?

 

[vidfix55]

Oh yeah, had to. Every time it blew the oil went with it. added 4oz every time and turned it through. It was the circle clip that came with it that caused the problems. Used the original one that came with the compressor and problem solved.

 

[Evil Eye]

Thanks for posting up your resolution!