10 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHLeaking AC compressor
Reported or suspected cause
clutch, and not a failed compressor
Reported cause
No successful repair reported for this finding.
1
Identified cause
0
Suspected cause
0
Reported fixes
Read evidence and context
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that report identifying a cause
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Reported cause
I always recommend replacing receiver dryers and condensors when I replace compressors, but when the client can't afford to I have skipped that when the problem was a bad clutch, and not a failed compressor.
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
An AC shop will first vacuum out all the remaining R134, then replace/repair the compressor, then fill the system with nitrogen to expel all the air (and water) and check for leaks, then refill the system with R134 and the correct amount of oil.
Leading evidence: 'clutch, and not a failed compressor' (1 discussions report identifying this cause; no attributable repair resolution). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'clutch, and not a failed compressor' (1 discussions; 1 report identifying it and 0 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Check leaks' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
Source reports, not a diagnosis or a success probability. Counts refer to discussions and can overlap.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
The 21 year old AC system has never been worked on, other than the compressor clutch getting replaced a couple of years ago.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
An AC shop will first vacuum out all the remaining R134, then replace/repair the compressor, then fill the system with nitrogen to expel all the air (and water) and check for leaks, then refill the system with R134 and the correct amount of oil.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
I use one set of gauges to evacuate refrigerant, and another to fill just to be certain that no metal ends up back in the new (and flushed) system.
These are separate views of the same evidence. Frequency alone does not establish a fix, and these counts must not be added together.
Check leaks
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
An AC shop will first vacuum out all the remaining R134, then replace/repair the compressor, then fill the system with nitrogen to expel all the air (and water) and check for leaks, then refill the system with R134 and the correct amount of oil.
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
An AC shop will first vacuum out all the remaining R134, then replace/repair the compressor, then fill the system with nitrogen to expel all the air (and water) and check for leaks, then refill the system with R134 and the correct amount of oil.
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
An AC shop will first vacuum out all the remaining R134, then replace/repair the compressor, then fill the system with nitrogen to expel all the air (and water) and check for leaks, then refill the system with R134 and the correct amount of oil.
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
An AC shop will first vacuum out all the remaining R134, then replace/repair the compressor, then fill the system with nitrogen to expel all the air (and water) and check for leaks, then refill the system with R134 and the correct amount of oil.
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
I always recommend replacing receiver dryers and condensors when I replace compressors, but when the client can't afford to I have skipped that when the problem was a bad clutch, and not a failed compressor.
These are separate views of the same evidence. Frequency alone does not establish a fix, and these counts must not be added together.
clutch, and not a failed compressor
No successful repair reported for this finding.
1
Identified cause
0
Suspected cause
0
Reported fixes
Read evidence and context
Discussions that report identifying a cause
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Reported cause
I always recommend replacing receiver dryers and condensors when I replace compressors, but when the client can't afford to I have skipped that when the problem was a bad clutch, and not a failed compressor.
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
10 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.
0 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Generation: 20261026T113718Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
Hi
My C4S AC compressor started leaking today.
I can see the leak is from the seal of the main shaft.
its now spilling that green lubricating oil in the engine bay.
Is there a way I can try to stop the leak, refill the oil and get my AC back to work?
I would like to avoid changing the whole unit as I have other projects.
Can I still use the car with AC off?
Do you think doing so will damage anything?
What if the AC compressor run out of oil? Will it seize and try to stop the belt?
Thanks for helping me out
Hugo
The compressor shaft seal is leaking. It needs to be fixed ASAP. Maybe a local AC shop can rebuild, or has an exchange. Good possibility without oil it will burn it up and freeze up.
As long as the AC is turned off and the clutch is freewheeling it won't hurt the compressor.
If it's leaking from the shaft, you're going to have to replace the compressor.
I always recommend replacing receiver dryers and condensors when I replace compressors, but when the client can't afford to I have skipped that when the problem was a bad clutch, and not a failed compressor.
That is at the client's risk!
Failing AC compressors shed a LOT of aluminum as they die.
Do NOT add R134a with leak stop. It has chemical components that expand when exposed to air. It may work, but when you open the system to fix it, it's trash.
Thanks for letting me know.
Ok I did some research and in the end the parts are not a major cost. I was expecting nearly double the price on the compressor..
The only issue now is time from the indy.
I dont have any experience with AC and I have ti read more before making a decision on DIY or have someone else do the job.
I wrench on the car for fun and do pretty much everything but Im affraid of this job!
Legally I don't think it is not allowed to evacuate the AC R134 freon into the air, so a DIY AC compressor change would require the system to be emptied first. An AC shop will first vacuum out all the remaining R134, then replace/repair the compressor, then fill the system with nitrogen to expel all the air (and water) and check for leaks, then refill the system with R134 and the correct amount of oil. Probably best to have a dealer/indy/AC specialist do this job.
The machines that AC shops use to evacuate the system cost about $7k. I looked into buying one at one time since I maintain a fleet of family cars.
They don't pressurize with nitrogen, they draw a deep vacuum and let it sit. If the system holds vacuum, it is good to go.
The AC system on my nearly bullet proof F250 SD stopped working this week. It is a 1999 7.3 liter. I have never had a major expense on this truck in the 11 years I have owned it. As much as I hurts to have someone else work in one of my vehicles, I think I will take it to a local AC shop to get a new compressor, dryer, and whatever else it needs. The 21 year old AC system has never been worked on, other than the compressor clutch getting replaced a couple of years ago.
I bought my Appion refrigerant recovery machine a few years ago.
Brand new it, and a new recovery tank, cost me about $600-$700.
A recycling machine (one that recovers and can recycle the freon) is a LOT more expensive.
Eventually I'm going to have to recycle what's in my recovery tank, or buy a second recovery tank.
Since the refrigerant in my recovery tank came out of failing & failed systems, it likely has aluminum in it.
I can't reuse it if I want the new systems to last.
I use one set of gauges to evacuate refrigerant, and another to fill just to be certain that no metal ends up back in the new (and flushed) system.
That's being overly cautious, but gauges are cheap.
Yes, vacuum is use to evacuate the system and also to remove any moisture in the system, reducing the pressure in the system allows the moisture to be converted from a solid to a vapor and remove while vacuuming, always a good idea to replace the drier beforehand.
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