So my ac compressor is locking up and making a ton of noise. The clutch moves a little bit every couple seconds even with the climate control set to economy and it makes this terrible scraping noise. When it first started doing it you could turn the A/C on and the A/C would work and the clutch would lock up and it wouldn't make noise. Now it makes the scraping noise regardless of what mode you have it in.

So I gather its time for a new A/C compressor. Napa says my car takes the R4, which it does not, and thats all they can get for an 1987 300D. So I went on Rock Auto, I know I have the Nippon-Denso compressor.

However, do I have a 10P15C or a 10PA15C? Would all 1987 300Ds have the same compressor? I have a parts motor with a locked up compressor that I could try to pull the part number off of since it is easier to get to.


Thanks!

__________________
68 280SL - 70 280SL - 70 300SEL 3.5 - 72 350SL - 72 280SEL 4.5 - 72 220 - 72 220D - 73 450SL - 84 230GE - 87 200TD - 90 190E 2.0 - 03 G500

Nissan GTR - Nissan Skyline GTS25T - Toyota GTFour - Rover Mini - Toyota Land Cruiser HJ60 - Cadillac Eldorado - BMW E30 - BMW 135i

10P15C. You should check whether the problem is with the compressor internals or the clutch. You might be able to restore operation by just replacing the clutch from your parts motor. PITA to do in the car but it can be done without releasing refrigerant. Or you might have to buy a replacement compressor with clutch. Some don't come with a clutch.

Sixto
87 300D

You can also pull it off and take it to a repair shop, they will rebuild it and put a new clutch on it for less than what it cost to buy a new one. I had mine done this summer, it was the R4 and they charged me $75. The only downside is you have to release the refrigerant.

My friend who I bought the car from tells me he bought the compressor off of ebay when the original went bad. So who knows how many miles are on this one.

When the motor is off you cannot turn the center of the clutch by hand, it is locked up. When the motor is running it has enough power to turn it over but its starting to affect my idle.

The clutch alone for the PA15C is like $85 so I was thinking a new clutch and a rebuild probably won't be much south of the $225 for a Reman from rock auto.

The car was converted to R134 when the "new" compressor was put in a few years ago and my car was cold, but weaker than other conversions. I'm not super keen on the mechanic who used to work on this car, my thread in the performance section has a lot of stuff about things that he never bolted back down.

The receiver/dryer looks pretty original, so my plan was to do a new receiver dryer, oil, pressure switch, and all the o-rings I can get to, basically re-do the conversion to 134.

__________________
68 280SL - 70 280SL - 70 300SEL 3.5 - 72 350SL - 72 280SEL 4.5 - 72 220 - 72 220D - 73 450SL - 84 230GE - 87 200TD - 90 190E 2.0 - 03 G500

Nissan GTR - Nissan Skyline GTS25T - Toyota GTFour - Rover Mini - Toyota Land Cruiser HJ60 - Cadillac Eldorado - BMW E30 - BMW 135i

one site online lists the 10P15C for $290.79, it's $331.58 from fastlane, and like $445 from *****.

Anywhere cheaper to buy these? Can't find someone local who rebuilds them.

Fastlane says the P is 4.75" pulley and the PA is a 5" pulley, wish I'd looked at fastlane first, thats a pretty easy way to tell.

It's not allowed to post alternative sources for parts on this site.

__________________
68 280SL - 70 280SL - 70 300SEL 3.5 - 72 350SL - 72 280SEL 4.5 - 72 220 - 72 220D - 73 450SL - 84 230GE - 87 200TD - 90 190E 2.0 - 03 G500

Nissan GTR - Nissan Skyline GTS25T - Toyota GTFour - Rover Mini - Toyota Land Cruiser HJ60 - Cadillac Eldorado - BMW E30 - BMW 135i

Redo or undo?

How's your luck? There are remanufactured/rebuilt/repainted compressors on eBay for under $150. The $45 unit in my 87 300D is holding up well, BUT it doesn't have an rpm sensor. No biggie since I had already bypassed the flaky Klima relay. Which has me wondering whether your Klima relay is working. It should disable compressor engagement long before the innards are too difficult to turn by hand.

Sixto
87 300D

I have to wonder if the supplier for the low priced compressor is equal or not to the fastlane source... I'll ALWAYS call Phil and get a price quote or price match for something like a compressor... often he's got bundle specials that include the drier and o-rings etc for the same price as a bare compressor from others...

__________________
John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 560SL convertible
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

My Klima died last spring and the compressor wouldn't come on, I had a new aftermarket spare and the compressor came back when I put it on.

I suppose it could be dead again, is there is a how to on bypassing it? They seem to be problematic.

__________________
68 280SL - 70 280SL - 70 300SEL 3.5 - 72 350SL - 72 280SEL 4.5 - 72 220 - 72 220D - 73 450SL - 84 230GE - 87 200TD - 90 190E 2.0 - 03 G500

Nissan GTR - Nissan Skyline GTS25T - Toyota GTFour - Rover Mini - Toyota Land Cruiser HJ60 - Cadillac Eldorado - BMW E30 - BMW 135i

I had to dig really deep to find this - http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/95748-anybody-have-part-003-545-6905-a-2.html

Sixto
87 300D

Saved! Thanks.

There are some awfully cheap remans on ebay, even one that comes with a dryer. Do I dare try an ebay one though. Some of the information is conflicting, like the picture shows a 6 groove pulley and its looks spot on my compressor but if you read the description it says "4 groove 10P15E"

I may have to send some messages to sellers.

I want to RE-DO the 134 conversion, I don't want to run 12 in this car, I run the AC a lot and drive the car a lot so I'd rather it be running the cheaper more serviceable freon if something goes wrong, like it just has. I have R12 in my SDL and a few extra cans of 12 around, but I don't want to do it in this car. I understand by definition, or rather laws of heat transfer R134a won't ever be as cold as R12 especially using an R12 condenser, but I'm okay with that

__________________
68 280SL - 70 280SL - 70 300SEL 3.5 - 72 350SL - 72 280SEL 4.5 - 72 220 - 72 220D - 73 450SL - 84 230GE - 87 200TD - 90 190E 2.0 - 03 G500

Nissan GTR - Nissan Skyline GTS25T - Toyota GTFour - Rover Mini - Toyota Land Cruiser HJ60 - Cadillac Eldorado - BMW E30 - BMW 135i

if you are set on 134 in the car, you should order the barrier hoses for the car. stock hoses with 134 in them will leak down about twice each summer, and your new compressor will not like running low, or losing oil...

in ohio, it's likely you won't need perfect a/c. the 124's a/c system works pretty well with 134 in it, but the leaking is bothersome...

__________________
John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 560SL convertible
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

I don't know what hoses are on it, but I had a friend at an AC shop check the pressure and it was nearly full after 5 years. The conversion was done in like 2005. I bought it in 2010, and had a friend check to make sure it was full of freon before I went on a road rally down south last summer.

__________________
68 280SL - 70 280SL - 70 300SEL 3.5 - 72 350SL - 72 280SEL 4.5 - 72 220 - 72 220D - 73 450SL - 84 230GE - 87 200TD - 90 190E 2.0 - 03 G500

Nissan GTR - Nissan Skyline GTS25T - Toyota GTFour - Rover Mini - Toyota Land Cruiser HJ60 - Cadillac Eldorado - BMW E30 - BMW 135i