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Thread: Refurbing a Very Early A/C System

  1. #11
    Senior Member
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    Location:  Stayton, Oregon 97383

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    Now you know it's the compressor. Easy to swap out. If you must change the hoses now's the time. If the hoses look o.k. I would take the chance and put the compressor in and fill it up. R134 is $6 a can at Walmart. You can test the old compressor by taking off the hoses and plugging the suction and discharge holes with your finger. Hold in the clutch and rotate, you can feel the sucking and blowing if it's working.

  2. #12
    Senior Member BABIS's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DMC-81 View Post
    Well, I was able to remove the orifice tube today. I used an orifice tool from a rented OEM A/C kit. The tool hooks on the the end of the tube so you can pull it out.

    Here's the tool with a new tube:
    Attachment 53278
    this tool looks ace!
    Let us reply to ambition that it is she herself that gives us a taste for solitude.

  3. #13
    Senior Member DMC-81's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BABIS View Post
    this tool looks ace!
    Indeed! It made the job a breeze. Here is a picture of the separate orifice tool from the one in the whole A/C kit:

    OEM #27003 for GM, or OEM #27004 for GM and Ford

    image.jpg

    Here is a close up of the whole A/C kit, OEM #27150:

    image.jpg
    Last edited by DMC-81; 09-06-2017 at 08:01 PM.
    Dana

    1981 DeLorean DMC-12 (5 Speed, Gas Flap, Black Interior, Windshield Antenna, Dark Gray)
    Restored as "mostly correct, but with flaws corrected". Pictures and comments of my restoration are in the albums section on my profile.
    1985 Chevrolet Corvette, Z51, 4+3 manual
    2006 Dodge Magnum R/T (D/D)
    2010 Camaro SS (Transformers Edition)

  4. #14
    Senior Member DMC-81's Avatar
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    Compressor removal and teardown

    I removed my compressor next and tore it down to assess the condition and if it is still good, replace the shaft seal, etc.

    Compressor disconnected and ready to be removed. First was removing the 3/8" bolt holding the hose bracket, Then, there were 6 M10 nuts and washers (locking and flat) that hold the compressor to the bracket. I removed the 3 back bolts and slid the compressor forward (towards the rear of the car) as I couldn't remove the other 3 because the pulley was in the way:
    image.jpg

    I rented a clutch holding tool, but the hole in the center was too small to fit the 19mm socket. So, I just used my air ratchet just a bit to break it free. That worked no problem:
    image.jpg

    I borrowed the Deluxe A/C clutch hub puller and installer kit posted above from Auto Zone to remove the armature plate:
    image.jpg

    Armature plate removed. You remove this snap ring to remove the pulley hub. The snap ring has a beveled and a flat side. The beveled side goes up:
    image.jpg

    There were 2 shims on the shaft and a woodruff key that I removed:
    image.jpg

    I rented this OEM #27078 jaw puller to remove the pulley assembly:
    image.jpg

    I sprayed a little bit of WD-40 where the the inner race of the bearing meets the shaft hub. Then I positioned the puller and the pulley came off easy after a little bit of initial resistance:
    image.jpg image.jpg

    Next, I removed the snap ring for the coil and the Phillips screw and bracket that holds the wire. Then the coil came off easily. Same thing as before: the snap ring has a beveled and a flat side. The beveled side goes up.
    image.jpg

    To be continued...
    Dana

    1981 DeLorean DMC-12 (5 Speed, Gas Flap, Black Interior, Windshield Antenna, Dark Gray)
    Restored as "mostly correct, but with flaws corrected". Pictures and comments of my restoration are in the albums section on my profile.
    1985 Chevrolet Corvette, Z51, 4+3 manual
    2006 Dodge Magnum R/T (D/D)
    2010 Camaro SS (Transformers Edition)

  5. #15
    Senior Member DMC-81's Avatar
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    Disassembly continued..

    My next step was to remove the 8 M6 bolts and using a rubber mallet I gently tapped the cover loose. There was minimal oil in the compressor, yet it was good to see that there was no damage or debris:
    image.jpg

    Here's a close up of the 5 cylinder walls and the reed valves, both looking pretty good:
    image.jpg

    Here's a close up of the swashplate assembly. The pistons don't exhibit any scoring that I can see:
    image.jpg

    It looks like this compressor is still good. Therefore, I'll clean it well, and put it back together with new seals and a little bit of mineral oil on the moving parts during reassembly. (I will stay with mineral oil in the system.)
    Dana

    1981 DeLorean DMC-12 (5 Speed, Gas Flap, Black Interior, Windshield Antenna, Dark Gray)
    Restored as "mostly correct, but with flaws corrected". Pictures and comments of my restoration are in the albums section on my profile.
    1985 Chevrolet Corvette, Z51, 4+3 manual
    2006 Dodge Magnum R/T (D/D)
    2010 Camaro SS (Transformers Edition)

  6. #16
    Senior Member DMC-81's Avatar
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    Compressor cleaning

    Today I got some work done on my compressor.

    Cylinder Head cover cleaned:
    image.jpg

    After removing the 5 bolts I used a rubber mallet to knock the cover loose from the seal:
    image.jpg

    On closer inspection, the reed valves still look good. I'll replace the seals:
    image.jpg

    2 sets of thrust bearings cleaned with mineral spirits and lubed with mineral oil:
    image.jpg

    ..and the inside of the front cover:
    image.jpg

    ..plus the piston assembly:
    image.jpg

    After cleaning the main case, the spring, and the woodruff key, the piston assembly is ready to go back together:
    image.jpg

    Back together in the same orientation, lubing with mineral oil:
    image.jpg
    Dana

    1981 DeLorean DMC-12 (5 Speed, Gas Flap, Black Interior, Windshield Antenna, Dark Gray)
    Restored as "mostly correct, but with flaws corrected". Pictures and comments of my restoration are in the albums section on my profile.
    1985 Chevrolet Corvette, Z51, 4+3 manual
    2006 Dodge Magnum R/T (D/D)
    2010 Camaro SS (Transformers Edition)

  7. #17
    Senior Member
    Join Date:  May 2011

    Location:  Northern NJ

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    My VIN:    10757 1st place Concourse 1998

    A LOT of work. It is often a better choice to just get another compressor, they aren't expensive or hard to find. I hope when you are all done it works OK and doesn't leak.
    David Teitelbaum

  8. #18
    Senior Member NckT's Avatar
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    Location:  Yorkshire UK

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    Good work there Dana, keep it up

    I'd recommend to soak any O rings in air con mineral oil overnight before fitting to aid sealing.
    Last edited by NckT; 09-24-2017 at 02:17 PM.
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    I say Sir, I must be mad, one loves fixing K-Jet !

    Make sure there's plenty in the tank for the weekend chaps....

  9. #19
    Senior Member DMC5180's Avatar
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    Location:  Reedsburg, WI

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    Refurbing a Very Early A/C System

    The puzzler here is that it didn't build system pressure. Because it is closed loop, any blockage/restriction should cause the Highside to climb like crazy.

    Broken reed valves would cause no pressure to build. But from your teardown inspection all the components appear to be good.

    Fwiw, when you reassemble the clutch, be sure the air gap is within spec.
    .016"-.031". Adjust or remove shims as needed to bring into spec. When I was redoing my system last year, I noticed the clutch was slipping intermittently. The Clutch Air gap was almost .060. Since I was replacing the compressor anyway with an SD7H15, it didn't matter to me. For comparison the New compressor's clutch was near the bottom of the spec.
    Last edited by DMC5180; 09-24-2017 at 04:06 PM.
    DENNIS

    VIN 5180, Frame 3652, STAGE II​, DM-eng Solid State Solutions (RPM Rly, Dm.Lt.Mod., Fan Fail Mod. , FAN Rly, HS.Rly) , HID headlights, SPAX user since 2009, Eibach springs, M Adj. Rear LCA's, DPNW poly-sway bar kit, DMCEU LCA Stabilizer link kit, DMCMW Illuminated door sills, Aussie Illuminated SS Shifter plate, REAL MOMO EVO Steering wheel, DELOREANA Extended View Side Mirrors w/ Heaters, DELOREANA LED Door Lights.

  10. #20
    Senior Member
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    Location:  Northern NJ

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    My VIN:    10757 1st place Concourse 1998

    You can tell if the compressor is turning by observing the clutch. I worked on one car, the clutch would engage fine but once it let go, it could not re-engage the clutch again. Checked the gap and it was way too big. Removed some shims and it was fine. Yes, if it is turning you should see some pressure differential between the high and low sides if it is working. When you don't see any action you check the oil for metal and when you tear it down you should have found *something* not right. Are you sure your test lines depressed the service valves and your manifold gauge works? When I do something and doesn't seem to make sense I recheck what I did to make sure I didn't do anything wrong.
    David Teitelbaum

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