1985 chevy c20 now second time around with this

[jshaf00]

Ok everyone im officially baffled on this truck, first time around new compressor old one ran but didnt do anything but make rattle noises. so off it came put new one on with 4 oz PAG 150 oil( manufacturer recommended), changed out the hoses blew out the evap and condenser and liquid line, installed new orifice tube. i ran vacuum for a little bit but the evaporator had a huge leak and so back apart it came changed out the evaporator and dryer and added 4 oz of oil to these 8 oz total reccomended by four seasons chart only reference i could find, and charged system (old r12 sticker said 3.24 lbs) i added roughly 36 oz. at this time. the compressor was making a groaning noises and at this time and the belt was thrumbing like the string of an instrument (its tight), this seemed to get worse so i shut it off but that seemed to be its end because on examination of the orifice tube it was kinda ugly black with metal pieces al over it. so i ditched that compressor and flushed the entire system and i mean everything and replaced the dryer and orifice tube plus another new compressor, and a total of 8 oz of oil and got near 36 oz of 134a (after system was vac'd to -30in) and son of a gun this one is doing the same damn thing !!!!! what is going wrong here?????

[jshaf00]

right at the moment at 95 degrees lowside 45 / high side 200.

[Tim]

Four Season reman compressors?

[tbirdtbird]

2 comps made noise, OT " was kinda ugly black with metal pieces al over it".

Condenser was flushed, except that they cannot be flushed, they need to be replaced. It has a pile of metal fragments and trash in it just waiting to be set loose again when you install the 3rd comp.

So, need new comp, new dryer, new condenser, new OT (we suggest OEM), new O-rings, and flush everything else. Be sure you are able to remove all the flushing solvent. If any of it is left behind, your system performance will degrade.

FYI comps cannot be flushed with solvent, if you ever need to flush one, you fill with whatever oil you are using, rotate comp shaft a dozen times, drain it out, repeat, and then fill.

It wasn't stated but you need to pull a vacuum for at least 1 hr, even if you are at 30 inches.

New car to you? Someone else converted it to 134 we presume.

Tim, the forum owner, has extremely good prices on his parts, might check with him for a condenser and a comp.
BTW we do not ever suggest a reman comp, they usually have a high failure rate. You can always call him if you can't find what you want on www.ackits.com

[bohica2xo]

Presuming this is OEM equipment. A 5.7 (350 ) V8, with an R4 compressor.

Original condenser was probably tube & fin. Most replacements today are parallel flow units. If the condenser is a parallel flow type, they are not flushable by the average consumer.

A parallel flow condenser becomes the primary filter in the system. Blowing up a couple of compressors will block a significant part of the flow paths.

If you are seeing repeated debris on the OT, it is coming from the condenser.

.

[jshaf00]

Presuming this is OEM equipment. A 5.7 (350 ) V8, with an R4 compressor.

Original condenser was probably tube & fin. Most replacements today are parallel flow units. If the condenser is a parallel flow type, they are not flushable by the average consumer.

A parallel flow condenser becomes the primary filter in the system. Blowing up a couple of compressors will block a significant part of the flow paths.

If you are seeing repeated debris on the OT, it is coming from the condenser.

.

It is a good tube and fin condenser i did spend a good amount of time carefully flushing it, and all the lines and hoses and the hoses are new. really the only thing that was not new is the condenser. the compressor is supposedly a new manufacture compressor ( H4 pancake supposedly optimized for134) it has a lifetime warranty out of orielly's. im just thinking that perhaps the compressor just doesnt have what it takes to handle the situation and i am kinda of kicking the ball around to just waiting till ive got the money to just update the entire system to like a vintage air unit, or other like kit. ive spent quite a bit of money on trying to make this system go, parts, flushing tools and solvent, vacuum pump, gauges ect. and im kinda disappointed. so maybe it would just be better to save for an update. i dont know.

[jshaf00]

Four Season reman compressors?

Just used their chart for oil capacity

[jshaf00]

also was wondering since ive read elsewhere despite the manufacturer recommending PAG 150 maybe its just to thick and loading up the compressor???? maybe PAG 46 would be better despite the call out for 150.???

[JohnHere]

It is a good tube and fin condenser i did spend a good amount of time carefully flushing it, and all the lines and hoses and the hoses are new. really the only thing that was not new is the condenser. the compressor is supposedly a new manufacture compressor ( H4 pancake supposedly optimized for134) it has a lifetime warranty out of orielly's. im just thinking that perhaps the compressor just doesnt have what it takes to handle the situation and i am kinda of kicking the ball around to just waiting till ive got the money to just update the entire system to like a vintage air unit, or other like kit. ive spent quite a bit of money on trying to make this system go, parts, flushing tools and solvent, vacuum pump, gauges ect. and im kinda disappointed. so maybe it would just be better to save for an update. i dont know.

If it were mine, I would keep the system stock (with the possible exception of the condenser) instead of going to a new aftermarket system. I don't think you mentioned which compressor it had originally, but your truck came with either an A6 or an R4. The specs that I have list 44 ounces of R-12 and 10 ounces of Mineral Oil for the A6; 44 ounces of R-12 and 8 ounces of Mineral Oil for the R4.

[Tim]

Four Season reman compressors?

Just used their chart for oil capacity

So, are these new or reman compressors? If you're blowing debris with new compressors. You never got the system cleaned. And have continued to add more debris by destroying the new compressors. As others mentioned, the new condenser is toast now because all the debris filtered through it.

Not being harsh, sounds like an improper repair from the start which has added to continuing issues.

These systems will work well. As John mentioned, I would not swap over to a VA system.