124 Evaporator Replacement 1995 300D - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Maxbumpo · #16 10-11-2018, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jay_bob

This is the 1998 E300 that my younger son currently drives. I bought it in March 2013 from forum member Citationtech, and I noticed the the a/c was weak driving it home from Maryland. I stopped by John VStech’s place in Charlotte on the way home and he charged it up. I was having to top it up constantly.

In July 2014 we had the gathering at the biofuel plant in Winnsboro. John was there and he applied the sealant.
It got better but not perfect. Still had to add a couple cans per summer and it struggled on hot days (of which we have none of those in Columbia, hehe)

Finally in the spring of 2016 I was driving home one night and the compressor seized tight. Tore the whole system down and built it back up again. Evaporator was clearly leaking. Oil stains and green goo in bottom of evaporator box.

In 2014 did John evacuate the system, install a new receiver / drier, and then install new refrigerant and oil (to make up for the leaks) and the sealant? I think if any of these steps are skipped, the sealant won't work.

If you never added new compressor oil to make up for what was leaking out, that would explain the death of your compressor from a lack of oil.

jay_bob · #17 10-11-2018, 11:20 AM

Yes John just shot the sealant in and recharged without doing the other steps.

No I don't know what kind it was.

I agree the compressor got starved for lubrication and died. I know a lot more now than I did back then...

Maxbumpo · #18 10-11-2018, 04:49 PM

What I've read on the inter-tubes (which one must always assess and validate) is that if the receiver / drier is not replaced, the sealant will activate against any water trapped in the desiccant, so the leak doesn't get plugged.