This is my first post on this sight which has been very helpful to me in my first three months of MB diesel ownership. I am about to button up my A/C system on my 1985 300TD. It has a new parallel-flow condenser (old one was leaking), new high pressure/manifold hose, new expansion valve, and a new Four Seasons compressor (why not?). I have flushed the evaporator and all hoses so that I know where I'm starting from on oil quantity. Before changing out the receiver/dryer I was thinking about charging the system with dried, filtered air from my compressor as a leak test. I would then change out the receiver/dryer, add the rest of the oil and pull a vacuum before charging with refrigerant. What do you think? This would hopefully narrow any refrigerant leaks down to the connections to the dryer. I couldn't find any threads discussing pressure testing with air on this sight so I'm guessing there might be a reason not to do this. Obviously, this would be a static test (engine off).


Incidentally, here is a list of everything I have done to this car since I bought it three months ago:

new timing chain/tensioner
new valve stem seals
adjust ip timing
new injectors
new glow plugs
adjusted valve clearances
new engine mounts, shocks, shock mounts
rebuilt vacuum pump
new water pump/thermostat
new front crank seal
new hoses, belts
new voltage regulator
new batter/tray
new radiator
new oil cooler lines
new fuel lines/filters (running B100)
all fluids flushed and new filters
new accumulators
many new vacuum connections, vacuum signal to trans. adjusted
new parallel flow condenser, compressor, hoses

-Jeb
Austin, Texas
1985 300TD, 220,000 miles

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1985 300TD "Ted", 220,000 miles