AC compressor 1972 280SEL 4.5

[geen]

The ac on my 1972 280SEL is leaking and I need to replace the compressor and dryer. dealer wants $3k. anybody any thoughts on where to get the Dryer or a rebuilt compressor. They put die in the system and fixed it once but a small leak from the compressor.

thanks
Rich

[compress ignite]

Give these guys a call:

Arizona Mobile Air, Inc. | Automotive Air Conditioning Parts & Equipment

[Idle]

All those old Yorks are the same with only minor differences. On Mercedes the inlet and outlet have some special valves but these are just bolted to the compressor and can be swapped from one to another.

The dryer might be a problem since some of those back then started having ports for the high and low cut-off switches built into them. But these ports can be plumbed in by any good A/C repair shop to an off the shelf dryer.

So if you are building a show car you might need to go the dealer dryer route but if you just want cold air any reputable A/C shop can deal with this for far less than three grand.

[vandor]

A 280SEL 4.5 does NOT use a York compressor. It used a large GM compressor, I think it's called an R4? Someone correct me. New ones are available around $250, one can even get aluminum ones. The driers are hard to find, sometimes they show up on eBay. When I needed one for mine I went to a local AC shop and showed them the old one. They went in the back and after a while found one that was close enough. Supposedly it was for a semi, but they did not give me a part number.

[Funkloch]

Hey Rich,

you can look here for the dier, I bought this one for my 4.5:

New A/C Drier [fits] Mercedes-Benz 280S 280SE 280SEL 300SEL | eBay

and the compressor youŽll find here:

used:
Harrison Mercedes Benz W107 W108 W114 W115 AC Compressor 1131197 | eBay

new:

Klimakompressor Jaguar XJ Mercedes 240D C43 E240 Heckflosse S-Klasse SL 95799 | eBay

or here:

a/c compressor w/ clutch for Mercedes 300SEL 280SE REMAN | eBay

greetings from Germany

[alabbasi]

The v8's use a GM A6 compressor, you can buy them for $150 all day and all night rebuilt.
They went into just about every car built in the 70's.

[geen]

alabassi,

I looked at pics of the A6 online and looked at the one in my car it appears that it is an A6 thanks for the help. The dealer fixed one leak and recharged it with R12 but said its leaking from the compressor. However it is working great and blowing very cold now so I will wait and see how long it lasts.

[Baxterdown]

Rich,

I replaced the drier on my 1972 W108. Bought new from Bud's Benz in Atlanta. I wanna say it was $95. They make both versions, the long-skinny and the fat-chubby.

Jose

[geen]

Baxterdown

I just bought one form Buds, thanks for the heads up.

I have one question my current drier has a window to see if the r-12 level is good or not .
The one from buds does not seem to have the window. Do I lose that feature or does the old one stay on in the install?

[tyl604]

Maybe I am confused but I remember a drier to be a unit that you opened only briefly when replacing the AC and then quickly replaced some kind of insert and closed it up again. Is the drier the unit with the site glass??

[Baxterdown]

Originally Posted by tyl604

Is the drier the unit with the site glass??

Yup!

[BWhitmore]

Commonly called a receiver/drier.

[Funkloch]

...the original drier of an W108 280SE 4.5 got no site glass.
The site glass of the 4.5 is in the hose which is between the condenser and evaporator.
It is in the fitting which is connected to the drier.

If you look at the link I post above, you can se an good fitting aftermarkt drier.
The same shop offers new a/c hoses for the 4.5 and he put the site glass in the hose near the battery.

If you are intersted, I can post pictures of the hoses and teh dier.

greetings Jan

[Funkloch]

Hello,

here is a picture of the drier you get, when you follow the link I post above



This drier got a site glas :-)