A/C failure

kf6kmx · Post by **kf6kmx** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 4:21 am

My truck decided to pick 104deg day to apparently destroy its air conditioning

This all happened in the space of less than 2 miles.. I left the house to meet my girlfriend at the local farmer's market last night.. About 1/4 mile from the house I started hearing a low whine (like a siren on a low battery), which would come and go if you cut the a/c compressor off.
I cut the a/c and went the rest of the way to the market..
With the truck idling, if you cut in the a/c, it IMMEDIATLY stops the engine cold.. makes a belt 'bark' (sounds just like a Cummins diesel being shut off)..
Though there wa an off chance that something was over heated in the a/c, so an hour and a half later when we left, tried it again, same result, kills the engine..
Wont have a chance to get any estimates until at least tonight, but I have a bad feeling on what its going to cost...

(I used to work in the inventory management dept of an auto parts company.. )

I looked over the system, there are NO signs of any leaks, seepage, oil, nothing.. (I keep an eye on the engine for any leaks regularly anyway, but relooked last night to see if I missed anything, nope, no signs/warnings of impending failure). Right after it failed I took my temp sensor (one of the non-contact ones with the laser-sight on it) and the back end of the compressor (about where the bearings should be) was 30deg hotter than the rest of the casing.. I'm guessing it ate the bearings?

Anyone else have an a/c sudden failures? from past experience, its not going to be cheap.. In order for a new compressor warranty, you have to replace a whole series of components (rec/dryer, etc) along with the compressor.

Post by **HenryJ** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 4:31 am

That is unusual. Those compressors are pretty good ones.
You are right about many components being needed for the repair. You can expect the condensor to be replaced as well. The passages in the 134A systems are very small and difficult to clean. Replacement is suggested in some cases.
I would be interesting to see if it had adequite lubrication, and where in the system it collected.
Is there any chance that your condensor was filled with debris/bugs? That can make the system run warm and shorten it's life. I know that this is probably not the case in your situation since you take really good care of yours, I'm just trying to find some reason.

kf6kmx · Post by **kf6kmx** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 4:43 am

HenryJ wrote:That is unusual. Those compressors are pretty good ones.
You are right about many components being needed for the repair. You can expect the condensor to be replaced as well. The passages in the 134A systems are very small and difficult to clean. Replacement is suggested in some cases.
I would be interesting to see if it had adequite lubrication, and where in the system it collected.
Is there any chance that your condensor was filled with debris/bugs? That can make the system run warm and shorten it's life. I know that this is probably not the case in your situation since you take really good care of yours, I'm just trying to find some reason.

Yeah, I figure I'm looking at upwards of $1,000 (?).. when I replaced the R12 unit on my '90 1-ton back in '98 it was about $450 and I got wholesale prices when I worked at the auto parts place..

I thought about the debris, especially recently as we have all the local silage cutters running around here and they NEVER close the tops of the trucks.. driving the country roads to the air base and back are like driving behind a lawnmower in weeds!

I thought maybe I had sucked up a lot of cut sileage into the front (I've been taking the air cleaner out and cleaning out the cuttings that are collecting in the air box twice already in the past month), but it looks like most of the chopped sileage is going into the air box (!) and on the windshield..
The engine temp hasnt gotten much higher than expected for a 108deg day either (in the line waiting at security at the base it gets up to about the line above the 210 mark (what is that, about 220 or 225?) and goes back to the regular 210 as soon as you get rolling in clear air away from the car in front of you again, so I dont think the radiator is plugged where it doesnt show..
I was just thinking (yesterday morning in the line at security in fact) about taking the stock fan off and putting a set of dual electrics on the truck! with the a/c expense, that will be out until a late winter project now

From the way it appears, my guess so far is the back bearings lost lube somehow and went, rather suddenly.. Either that or the compressor section somehow failed, started makjing noise, then flew apart and seized (seems less likely on this design... now an old 70's Dodge compressor, thats a whole new experience in ways to plow the compressor!)

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 7:34 am

There has been new compressors on ebay for around 300 bucks if that is any consilation.

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 7:44 am

Sharon's '97 Lumina blew out a seal in the A/C compressor a few weeks ago. Of course it just had to happen on a 95 degree day! They had to replace a bunch of other stuff (not sure what all) to warranty the new compressor. Cost? $767.40!

Make sure you know the shop well that you take it to. Her replacement compressor blew it's seal 5 days later and had to go back in again for yet another new compressor. Fortunately, that one was under warranty so cost was zero, other than my having to give up my truck for a day so she had something to drive.

(at least I got it back this time!)

kf6kmx · Post by **kf6kmx** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 9:58 am

Well, a friend who has a shop that I trust checked it out... The compressor is blown..
From what they can tell without taking it apart, they are guessing that the pump/piston itself came apart inside.. It will turn 1/4 turn back and forth, but makes a huge amount of grinding sound to do that.. And there are NO signs of any leaks from freon, oil, etc... I guess I got lucky (?) and had a defect from the factory..

Not sure the $ yet, they are working on getting an estimate for me.

One question though, do the other '03 Crews have a 'flat faced' compressor? Randy has been doing a/c for 15 years, and he said this is the first time he can recall seeing a FACTORY compresor that has no apparent balencer on the front.. the front of the clutch is just flat, metal..
we looked at another (non CC) '03 and it had a completely different a/c compressor in it (4cyl).. we didnt have another 03 v6 to compare it to anywhere around the shop. he was wondering if the factory left something off mine and caused it to vibrate itself to death..

gocntry · Post by **gocntry** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 10:08 am

Here's What Mine look Like...

quickbiker · Post by **quickbiker** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 11:50 am

Just rip it out. The A/C in the S10's seem to be worthless. They only work when it's below freezing.