Another new member with a 2000 Century

[CorvairGeek]

That is an awesome picture of the V5 body leak(s)! I figured yours had to be eaten up from the road salt.

 

[CorvairGeek]

Remember to add / drain all the oil through the crankcase bolt in the bottom of the V5 compressor. It was still a hold over from the days when compressors didn't have to inefficiently circulate all the oil like a 2 stroke. You can always add some for component replacements to an open system, but the V5 (and the old A6, as well as some other non GM designs) actually keep it primarily where it is needed.

 

[Zeroboostbuick]

Just as few stupid comments I'll spit out if you don't mind... as I'm sure you know better, but never hurts to ask.

You are trying to add through the firewall ac port ? correct ??

did you try to push the ball of the valve in to see if it's seized ??

Car has to be running and climate controls set to maximum AC and maximum fan to add the refrigerant.

 

[Waiex191]

Don't assume I know better! I have manifold gauges with the blue low pressure line going to the firewall. In theory the yellow refrigerant hose connects to the blue hose via the gauge manifold. I'm not sure what valve you are talking about. I did have AC turned on in the car, max fan I'm not sure.

I am going to grab a junkyard compressor and chuck it in. I actually bought one but grabbed it off another 3.1L GM car and the ports were in the wrong spot. So I'm going to exchange it today. Any advice on procedures is welcome. I've watched a few YouTube videos.

 

[Zeroboostbuick]

I've never used as set of gauges that fancy for filling up the AC.

Just 1 line going to the low side at the firewall is all I ever done.

 

[Waiex191]

So regarding the oil, I don't have to put any in the lines? That seems like a much better design.

 

[Zeroboostbuick]

You can buy a oil tester for a couple bucks. That will tell you if you need it or not.

I know some refrigerants already have oil in it while some others don't. I don't know much else besides that.

 

[CorvairGeek]

Nope, if you have the compressor off, drain any remaining (probably not much) and put all new back in the crankcase. Some does circulate in this style, but it is a far superior design.

 

[CorvairGeek]

GM V5 is PAG 150 oil, IIRC. I even use genuine ACDelco refrigerant oil.
Note that some non-OEM compressors for GM applications may reference using a different viscosity oil, i.e. PAG 100 or PAG 46. If this is the case, follow that manufacturers recommendation.

 

[Waiex191]

I found a 2000 Century with press in the AC system. I don't think the road salt got this compressor.


In Alldatadiy they still list oil amounts to put into the system when you replace a component.

 

[CorvairGeek]

Unless the compressor is physically in a position so that you can drain and refill the crankcase (the drain is always within about 20 degrees of pointing straight down on the V5, IIRC), you are faced with adding oil into the system like other sump-less designs. GM manuals have specs for this as well. The crankcase is under pressure when the system is charged, but there have been exceptions (non-GM) with isolation valves that did allow for compressor lubrication service without discharging the entire system.

The compressor you found definitely has a protective coating!

 

[Waiex191]

Success! Mostly. Here Adam is draining the oil while Matthew cleans up the rear cupholder. The anti-rattle foam had rotted.


In the name of science we took some stuff off the old compressor. Here is a valve thing:


Unfortunately they used sealer at some point. So the air is nice and cold. It was 48F out of the vent. Unfortunately my high pressure valve was leaking when I removed the manifold QD from the fitting. How well do those caps seal?

I busted the shaft of the old compressor trying to pull the clutch. Looks like there is a special slide hammer tool required. Is that right?

 

[Waiex191]

Also, I figured out why it was so hard to get the car to take refrigerant. If you back the can tap all the way out, the can seals up. I guess that is why they are called self sealing cans. The right thing to do was run it in, then unscrew it halfway or less.

 

[CorvairGeek]

I saved the old refrigerant control valve and clutch assembly from our original V5 too.

It is claimed in automotive AC that the cap is the primary and the shrader is secondary in sealing the ports. In the words of a senior citizen to their Amazon Echo Silver, "I don't know about that".

 

[Waiex191]

That UV dye stuff works.


This is by the leaky high pressure schraeder valve.

 

[Waiex191]

The cold seems to have gone away. I have another date with the UV blacklight. I bought one of these:
Amazon.com: MASTERCOOL 81490 R134a Valve Core Remover Installer: Automotive

The 460 A/C works great. I assume I don't have to explain that to Buick owners as I'm guessing we are not well represented in the Millennial generation.

 

[Zeroboostbuick]

I had to use the 4 60 AC for a summer...The sealer I thought didn't work, actually did seal a big leak, but not right away. So i went 1 summer using 4 60 AC.

I was gonna try a different sealer the net year. So I put a can of refrigerant before the sealer and it didn't leak out. I was happy as hell cause that summer was stupid hot for a long time.

 

[CorvairGeek]

IIRC, the W-bodies became known for evaporator leaks since they hung the evaporator on a string and built the car around it. Look for a glowing streak out of the drain. I hope for your sake it is only the high port. Even if the old story of the cap on the port being the primary seal, it is probably even less effective with the R134a style caps. I do put Nylog on the o-rings of the caps to try and reduce leaks.
The old 460 A/C was unpleasant even when I was young.

 

[Waiex191]

Look for a glowing streak out of the drain.

Where is the drain? I didn't take a picture but the high side port has definitely continued to leak. Thanks.

 

[CorvairGeek]

I can't say for sure, but somewhere in the middle to right in the car at the firewall. I'm sure if it is significant you would see it the way the dye glows.