Smartin Posted July 19, 2020 Share Posted July 19, 2020 Besides sending the old compressor out to a rebuilder, is there an alternative/modern replacement compressor that can be subbed in and still work with the existing plumbing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted July 20, 2020 Share Posted July 20, 2020 Pretty sure the answer is NO.......... More than the plumbing/hoses having different fittings, the compressor mount would need to be changed or fabricated. I suspect others have changed to modern compressors so the information is out there somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Stoneberg Posted July 20, 2020 Share Posted July 20, 2020 The connection for the hoses to the compressor is not the same as a Sanden or a A6. You will have to have new hoses made. Whats up with you A5 that it can’t be used ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted July 20, 2020 Author Share Posted July 20, 2020 The old one is acting up, and the owner is looking to have a more reliable system. We are pretty much going to lean toward waiting until Winter to rip it out and send it to be rebuilt. The front seal leaks and the clutch doesn't want to engage all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capgage Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 Are the 57 A5s bolted together and hence rebuildable? The 58/59 (and on up to?...) are sealed and not rebuildable. Except I hear a place in Florida can do it for many $$$s. Also, I know that the 58/59s don't bolt to the 57 brackets. Sorry just sharing this random knowledge trying to get a compressor in my 58 with a hanger AC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted July 21, 2020 Author Share Posted July 21, 2020 Hmm. I had just assumed... I guess I need to make some phone calls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 57 Buick used compressor 5910224 as did 57 Cad and Chev; 56-57 Olds, Pontiac. I would guess that one has the bolted-on rear cylinder head and can be re-sealed (if it were a 55 , I could help with all seals). Find an extra one and take it apart and figure it out from there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Stoneberg Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 @Smartin, If you want to do it yourself, here is a link that can help you. https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums/c1-and-c2-corvettes/2862546-how-to-step-by-step-a-c-compressor-front-seal-replacement.html 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NTX5467 Posted July 26, 2020 Share Posted July 26, 2020 If the clutch is not fully engaging, what do the friction surfaces look like? Of course, they should BOTH be smooth, not with high spots and such, as in little nubs where metal has transferred from one to the other. I suspect that "engage" voltage is adequate? The air gap between the clutch facings should also be "in spec". Replacing just one side of the clutch (the front half) will not work well, from my own experiences of doing such. The factory service manual said to engage the clutch about 30 times for them to "wear-in". Looked like the 4th of July with all of the metallic sparks flying! They never did seat well. The rear half is part of the pulley. Ended up getting a reman compressor as the pulley and clutch were about the same price as the complete reman compressor. Denso has an A-6 bolt-in replacement compressor, aluminum-bodied, that is a close copy visually. Used to be about $300.00 a few years ago. Might be an option if the brackets can be worked out? The Sandens have about 16 different "backs" for them. ONE of which is the factory GM A-6 style, rather than the "bug antennae" one which seems to be on most of them. Just some thoughts, NTX5467 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted July 26, 2020 Author Share Posted July 26, 2020 The compressor decides when it wants to run right. There are times when it will run 100% on as it should, and then the next time you run it, you can watch the clutch WANT to catch, but it only spins 1/4 turn and stops...then keeps turning slightly every second. Like every one RPM it catches a little and stops. I'll be sure to check electrical connections before blowing it apart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NTX5467 Posted July 26, 2020 Share Posted July 26, 2020 As I recall, the '70s-era systems had a thermal limiter fuse to cut power to the compressor when it's load was too great. Low freon and such? Anything like that on eh earlier models? Just some thoughts, NTX5467 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted July 26, 2020 Author Share Posted July 26, 2020 I had the freon topped off a month ago to make sure this wasn't the issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted July 26, 2020 Share Posted July 26, 2020 43 minutes ago, Smartin said: I had the freon topped off a month ago to make sure this wasn't the issue. What refrigerant are you using? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted July 26, 2020 Author Share Posted July 26, 2020 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted July 26, 2020 Share Posted July 26, 2020 Have you considered a bad switch on the dashboard? Happened in my 69. I think prior owners would turn the fan on and then switch to ac mode causing an arcing at that point of the selector. I was able to take the selector switch apart, clean the contacts, and it has worked ever since. Now I will select ac first then energize the system with the fan switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted July 26, 2020 Author Share Posted July 26, 2020 It is definitely a consideration...might check voltage at the compressor when it is acting up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avgwarhawk Posted July 26, 2020 Share Posted July 26, 2020 I would believe voltage at the clutch to engage when on is low. Question is, why sporadic low voltage if that is the issue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caballero2 Posted July 26, 2020 Share Posted July 26, 2020 (edited) 28 minutes ago, avgwarhawk said: I would believe voltage at the clutch to engage when on is low. Question is, why sporadic low voltage if that is the issue? A poorly grounded circuit would explain this. Run a jumper wire from the frame of the compressor to the negative terminal of the battery. Then try. Then, if the problem persists, the problem could be the switch, or the connection to that switch, or the fuse block connection, or maybe the chassis ground wire is missing between the engine and the firewall. Edited July 26, 2020 by Caballero2 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted July 26, 2020 Share Posted July 26, 2020 10 minutes ago, Caballero2 said: Run a jumper wire from the frame of the compressor to the negative terminal of the battery. If no joy then try 12v+ to the clutch. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Stoneberg Posted July 26, 2020 Share Posted July 26, 2020 (edited) Low voltage would not surprise me, as I was troubleshooting my AC, I found I was only getting 8.4 volts to the clutch. 60 year old wire will do that. Replaced the harness at that point and then I had almost 12 V. Edited July 26, 2020 by Bill Stoneberg (see edit history) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted August 30, 2020 Author Share Posted August 30, 2020 Following up... Good voltage to compressor. Pulley and clutch were removed...everything was cleaned and dried of any old oil/ garbage. It appears to have solved the intermittent slipping issue. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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