A/C compressor

SVX_MY_BABY · #1 06-04-2013, 06:28 PM

My a/c isn't working. Took it to the dealer and had it recharged. They said the system was empty. After recharge the compressor wouldn't cut in, so think the compressor is bad. $1700 plus labour and maybe other parts dryer, evaporator as the system is "probably contaminated" from being empty. They sucked out the coolant as they figured it would just leak out anyway which isn't good.

Any ideas as to what else may cause this type of failure?

Old Davy · #2 06-04-2013, 07:18 PM

Slow leak or fast? Been there, done that. Diagnosis is a sequential step by step process, not guesswork.

Have the Condenser radiator checked for leaks or stone holes - it sits directly in front of the coolant radiator and gets the brunt of road rash objects. One the placee a leak will develop, if not at an O-ring.

The condenser pump will not turn on without pressure, if as you suggest, the freon is leaking out as fast as they fill it.

I had my dealer first install a new OEM Condenser ($650) since we found a 1" hole in it from a rock.
All pipe/hose connections, dryer, sensors, relays and O-rings checked out fine, it's been holding the recharge 10 months now (even tho the original compressor was seized - had to disconnect its electrical plug until we could replace the pump in the Spring, which of course required the system to be evacuated again). My final problem, when we fired it up was a seized compressor we couldn't know about until the system was charged, that squealed like the blazes so I got a good used one from a Pennsylvania member with a stockyard of parts SVXs and no problems since.

""probably contaminated" from being empty"". Too glib and pointless an explanation to sell a lot of labour & parts, methinks.

Of course it is but contaminated in the sense that moisture and air has entered the system and must be vacuumed out before concluding "ALL" components must be replaced. Not necessarily so....
Replacement Compressor pump fired right up with pressure in the system.

Compressor can have 14V applied to it to check if the magnetic clutch engages and then you should be able to turn the pump by hand.

Any decent shop, once the true leak is found & fixed, will evacuate the system, vacuum it dry for 20 minutes, recharge it and test it. New recharges always contain a UV dye that will show where any joint leaks are still present.

A $1700 total rebuild is a the LAST resort.

Go to this URL and download the Air Conditioning chapter. read up and know as much or more than your dealer mechanic.

http://phantomotaku.com/SVX/

In fact download the entire SVX Dealer Service Manual - invaluable info for the SVX owner to have on hand.

Blacky · #3 06-04-2013, 07:30 PM

Check Ebay. Used with 6 month warranty for under $100 and reman for around $300.
I put a $50 used one on my daughters Outback filled it with $25 of R134A and it worked perfectly for 3 years until we sold the car.
O-rings are the number 1 cause of leaks in car AC systems.

I'm putting new o-rings and dryer on the '97 Svx and swapping the compressor and putting new o-rings and dryer on the '92 next weekend. I may pick up a cheap vacuum pump to evacuate the moist air out of the system on the '92. It's been empty since I bought it 5 years ago.