The seals come out the front, can be done with the compressor on the car. Common failure.

I'd check around for a Benz shop (or Toyota, it's a Nippondenso compressor) and find someone to change the seals for you, it's much cheaper than a new compressor, and likely nothing else is wrong.

however, given that there was no pressure differential and the compressor was running, it may be toast, I cannot imagine what beside a broken shaft would do that (and on a Benz, the Klima will kick out under those conditions as the speed sensor is on the tail end of the shaft).

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!