So I've worked on cars a good bit but never delved into A/C repair. Always just tore it out. But with discretion being the better part of valor I'm resisting the urge to rip my A/C out.
I'm ducting my radiator and noticed green oil on my steering rack. A good amount, hard to quantify but all over the part of the rack below the compressor and dripping from the rack. Traced it up and its leaking out of the joint where the A/C hose exits the compressor. I thought simple enough replace the o-ring and have it recharged. But reading more it seems like the consensus is that if the compressor is run out of oil then its probably toast. Then if your compressor is suspect you need to repace the condenser too. And any time you open the system you need to replace the drier and orfice tube. And lots of S550's have evaporator core issues, so is that possible what caused the system to run dry and now leak oil?
So I feel like the list of parts to potentially replace is quite large but this is just what I read online.
So hoping that some of you have worked on A/C systems before and given this situation with the leaking oil can provide some advice for what diagnostics to start with. Wondering if I should just try and replace the offending o-ring, drier, and orfice tube for $45, have it recharged and see if it holds that charge? If I need to replace the compressor and condenser I'll probably just rip everything out and regret it. So could it work to just replace that oring and recharge or am I likely wasting my time?
Thanks in advance.
I'm ducting my radiator and noticed green oil on my steering rack. A good amount, hard to quantify but all over the part of the rack below the compressor and dripping from the rack. Traced it up and its leaking out of the joint where the A/C hose exits the compressor. I thought simple enough replace the o-ring and have it recharged. But reading more it seems like the consensus is that if the compressor is run out of oil then its probably toast. Then if your compressor is suspect you need to repace the condenser too. And any time you open the system you need to replace the drier and orfice tube. And lots of S550's have evaporator core issues, so is that possible what caused the system to run dry and now leak oil?
So I feel like the list of parts to potentially replace is quite large but this is just what I read online.
So hoping that some of you have worked on A/C systems before and given this situation with the leaking oil can provide some advice for what diagnostics to start with. Wondering if I should just try and replace the offending o-ring, drier, and orfice tube for $45, have it recharged and see if it holds that charge? If I need to replace the compressor and condenser I'll probably just rip everything out and regret it. So could it work to just replace that oring and recharge or am I likely wasting my time?
Thanks in advance.
