I replaced the evaporator on the TE a couple weeks ago and though I was through with the job. Pumped down nicely, no leaks, worked like a charm.

Last Sunday on the way to the family reunion I had no AC. Sure enough, no charge. What a pain in the butt!

No vac this time, so blew in 40 psi of R134a and went sniffing. Big leak at the manifold connection. Got new seals, pulled the Reciever/dryer lines and replaced those o-rings too just in case, still won't hold a decent vac.

I'm thinking hose manifold by now, and my wallet is screaming (stupid thing costs a huge pile instead of having hose fittings, grrrr!).

Blow in some more 134a and I can HEAR it leaking -- right out the seam in the middle of the compressor!!!!! Oil everywhere.

Ho boy, do I get to spend money! However, I did some poking about and it appears that a set of gaskets and seals is pretty cheap.

Anybody ever taken one of these apart and replaced shaft seal and body o-rings? I don't see any reason to replace it instead of doing a quick rebuild,not to the tune of $700 anyway!

My friend Hans happened to have a 10P15C compressor sitting in the shop with a fried clutch, otherwise fine that a customer wanted replaced with a new compressor, so I'm OK there (except I suspect the shaft seal leaks on that one, oil on the front end.

Any thoughts welcome!

Peter

__________________
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!