Leaking C2 A/C Compressor

[Richard L.]

I have an original A6 A/C compressor that has just starting throwing oil again in the engine compartment. It has been rebuilt 3 times by Classic Air and also has the ceramic seal installed. I'm tired of bleeding the system down, removing the compressor, sending it to FL, re-installing the compressor, evacuating the system, charging the system, blah blah blah...$ $ $...

Does anyone sell "Brand New" A6 Compressors (that haven't been rebuilt) with the ceramic seal installed..??? Anyone else have any other ideas on how to stop this compressor leakage from occuring on the front end of the compressor..??? Any other suggestions on another type of compressor..??? Still running R-12 Freon in the system...System works great but I cannot stand an oil leak of any kind...

I've already looked in the archives but I can't find any real answers to my questions noted above...

Any help or suggestions to the above issue would be appreciated...

Thanks,
Rick

[Randy S.]

Re: Leaking C2 A/C Compressor

Rick,

I don't have any answers for you buy maybe some comfort that you are not the only one. Two rebuilds of original A6 by Classic Auto Air and 2 leaks at the ceramic seal. I'll guess the compressor had less than 20 hours of service

I just bought a new A6 off ebay and sent the drier to Classic Auto again to be rebuilt. I'll keep you posted.

Randy

[Don H.]

Re: Leaking C2 A/C Compressor

I bought a rebuilt at parts chain store (Advance, O'Reilly, etc - not sure who it was) about six years ago and it still works great. Don H.

[Jim S.]

Re: Leaking C2 A/C Compressor

Rick,

This is not a fix but a good solution.
Its from one who has has two rebuilds as well !
Go to Ebay and look up #8062431091.
Jim

[Jack H.]

Re: Leaking C2 A/C Compressor

Well, something's wrong at your supplier's house! When properly installed, the ceramic seal/bearing should last almost indefinitely. Those seal kits that we've installed locally (one of our chapter members is an HVAC journeyman) have run like iron without a hiccup.

Now, there is one caveat here. The ceramic seal kits come with what looks like an 'extra' part (washer item) and there's nothing mentioned about it in the instructions... The Achilles' Heel of the ceramic bearing/seal is foreign contaminants. The 'extra' part is for lifting/transporting the seal assy so you DO NOT touch it with your hands.

If these guys are installing ceramic bearing/seal kits without getting the front nose shaft area of the A6 COMPLETELY clean before installation OR they're physically handling the components via human hand, expect their rebuild jobs to exhibit erratic service lives...

Also, there will be some very MINOR leakage as the bearing an seal wear in. Delco installed a thin wrap of absorbant cloth in the nose assy (above the seal) to catch minor blow-by during the seal seating period. Last, once the bearing and seal have been replaced, you WANT to exercise the compressor to achieve seal seating (similar to new pistons in a freshly honed cylinder bore) by logging 4-8 hours of rather continuous use on the compressor. Don't install it, run it a few minutes to verify the cooling system's integrity, then go let the car sit in storage!

[Richard L.]

Re: Leaking C2 A/C Compressor

Thanks for all the suggestions...

On the trail of a new compressor with new and improved ceramic seal insert and will repair the other compressor myself...It can't be that difficult with the right tools...

Appreciate all the information...

Rick