I now have all of my engine oil leaks stopped on my 83 300D...at least I think. Now I notice what appears to be oil leaking from the hose that goes into the air conditioner compressor.

Has anyone seen this before? It's been awhile sense I tried the A/C so I don't know if it even works. My basic understanding of the A/C system is that there is some oil in there, but not much.

Joe

There is a small amount of oil in the A/C system that will run through the system but is mainly in the compressor. It sounds like you have a leak that is pushing out a bit of the oil. Depending upon which side of the compressor it's on, it may start to leak pretty vigerously if you turn the A/C on. Chances are if you see oil coming out the hose, the freon is long since gone and it won't cool at all. The hoses are easy to replace, any good auto A/C place should be able to make one up if the MBZ version is too expensive. I'd also recommend switching to the new refrigerant (134A?) at the same time. I had this done on my '85 300TD and it cost about $135. I found the new stuff to work just as well as the old R12.

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LRG
1987 300D Turbo 175K
2006 Toyota Prius, efficent but no soul
1985 300 TDT(130K miles of trouble free motoring)now sold

lrg

I just tried to run the a/c system and the compressor comes on and cycles. It is about 50 degrees here so it only stays on for maybe 20 seconds, then cycles off for another 40 seconds. It seems like it is cooling.

I guess the system still has freon in it, or else the compressor wouldn't even come on. I cleaned up the area of the leak, and will try running it awhile to see if I can pinpoint the leak.

I know it's not motor oil because it's too clean.

thanks for the input.

Joe

Do not assume that because it comes on that it has freon...if the low pressure switch is not functioning it could ruin your compressor....In fact ,the fact that it is cycling on and off may be a direct clue that you are low on freon...most of the oil is in the bottom of the compressor, however, some needs to circulate and freon is necessary for that circulation... the only safe way to determine this (imo) is to put gages on it... that is an expensive compressor that may be perfectly good now... so why take a chance on making it bad ? Greg

Joe,

If you are getting some cooling you probably do still have some Freon left. I'm not sure where it is on the 240s but look for the dryer, it's a cylinder about the size of a large orange juice can - usually black, which should be attached to one of the A/C lines. In the 300 I believe it's in the left front corner of the engine compartment so you might want to look there first. The dryer should have a small glass window on top, it's about the size of a pencil eraser. With the system on and the compressor turning look in the window. If you see lots of bubbles going by it means that you have air in the system and it is not fully charged (ie. you probably have a leak). If you don't see any bubbles then the system is still fully charged (or completely empty). One or two tiny bubbles is OK, you just don't want to see a whole bunch. If you do see bubbles, the chances are you have a slow leak in a low pressure area and it's only a matter of time before the freon is gone. One thing, DO NOT try to remove the hose unless you are 100% sure the system is completely empty. Freon has been known to blind people if they get sprayed in the face! Also, it's important not to get any moisture in the system so if you do end up removing the hose be sure to immediately cap the open ends of the system or else you'll also be buying a new dryer. Good luck.

Randy

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LRG
1987 300D Turbo 175K
2006 Toyota Prius, efficent but no soul
1985 300 TDT(130K miles of trouble free motoring)now sold

I am all for DIY stuff, have been doing all my own stuff for 30 years... I want to say for the record that high pressure systems like Air Conditioners have the potential for doing great damage to you. Some things, unless you are willing to get an AC manual in this case, and UNDERSTAND what is necessary to keep from injuring yourself,are best left to others... Greg

I have to agree with Leathermang on that one. Besides the fact that the A/C guys can drain the old R12 and save it from being vented into the atmosphere, IMHO, for the couple hundred bucks you'll pay it's worth it to have a Pro do it. If you have lost some oil, they'll probably need to add some more and it's important to use the right stuff (it's not your garden variety 10W-40). Verify that your line is leaking and then take it to a good A/C - radiator shop for repair. BTW, the dealer wanted several times the $135 I paid to do the same job.

__________________
LRG
1987 300D Turbo 175K
2006 Toyota Prius, efficent but no soul
1985 300 TDT(130K miles of trouble free motoring)now sold