jonlabree Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 I know you guys have had a lot more experience with Reatta's than I do,so I amasking a gereral question on AC Compressors.About when in miles,or time do they generally go bad?. If there is such a time.The reason I am asking is I paln a fairly long trip this summer and I would like not to caught on the road with a siezed up compressor or worse. As I have no records on the car I don't know if it has been replaced or not. I have replaced almost everthing else on it. The car has 114,000 miles on it.Any ideas??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadster90 Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 I have also had the same thoughts / concerns Viking as I have to drive to Duck, N.C. several times a year. I have been involved with used cars all of my life, and there is really no parameters or guidelines in which to go by. I have bought GM products for resale with over 200,000 miles with the OEM compressor still pumping away.....I view it like this: It is an electrical and mechanical device that is prone to breakage at any time.......Thinking here...Padgett seemed to have a great deal of experience with the different GM compressors...mabe he can shed some light on the reliability of the compressor type that the Reatta uses....Nic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Posted January 30, 2006 Share Posted January 30, 2006 The original compressors can last a long time. They do seize up on rare occasion but simply by shutting off the AC will disengage the clutch from the compressor and you will be able to continue with your trip. Sometimes the clutches go bad but not that often. I have found on working systems most of the time you will loose the freon to a bad seal before the compressor seizes up and at that point you can replace the compressor. If yours is working correctly I wouldn't worry about it. I do not have any newer compressors on my parts cars, only used ones. You will not need the AC in Duluth anyway. We, as you know, are known as the "air conditioned city." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest EDBS0 Posted January 30, 2006 Share Posted January 30, 2006 My first Reatta had the compressor pulley shear off at some 180,000 miles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jchudyk Posted January 30, 2006 Share Posted January 30, 2006 Just some information......I had to replace yhe AC compressor on my '89 at 39000 miles. The rear seal was leaking and the system wouldn't hold a charge. I kept R-12. On the other hand, I have had other GM cars with over 100,000 miles with no AC problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Buick Mike Posted January 30, 2006 Share Posted January 30, 2006 At 114,000 miles any of a vast number of things could suddenly give out while on your trip... but probably won't.Why you focused on the A/C compressor is somewhat curious.Anyway, I wouldn't worry about it.Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonlabree Posted January 30, 2006 Author Share Posted January 30, 2006 Simply put, It's about the only thing I have not replaced or rebuilton the car, short of the whole engine.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tomt Posted January 30, 2006 Share Posted January 30, 2006 My 89 has been around Chicago most of it's life. Seals broke at about 66 K. This was two years ago. The replacemnt failed after one year. That was while still under warrantee. It was replaced by the Buick Dealer at no charge. So the original went till 03, and the replacement only lasted a year. It was new from a Buick Dealer. Just goes to show that you really can't tell. A good A/C man could probably tell what shape it is in by looking for leaks. Find someone you trust and ask the question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest EDBS0 Posted January 30, 2006 Share Posted January 30, 2006 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> the replacement only lasted a year. It was new from a Buick Dealer. Just goes to show that you really can't tell. </div></div> The system was not flushed properly and it suffered the "black death". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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