My Better Half is very calm and peaceful and says that you dont need AC in the summer, the whole trick is to be tranquil and to think cool and Zen will take care of the pyschometrics and thermodynamics.. In the summer she does garden work in white clothes and never gets them dirty.
However I sweat like a Pig and Dirt follows me like a magnet. Until I mellow, I need AC!

In that respect:
Whats the lifespan of an AC Compressor?... My feeling is that you are lucky if you get 15 years out of one. By then the seals wear out and when you recharge the system, you ruin what is left of the seals retaining capacity. On my W123 Benzes, I never found one with the original compressor that was still alive..the compressor usually had to be replaced...





Whats the lifespan of an AC Compressor...

Like anything else depends on how well its been cared for.

Run them low on oil and their life will be severely cut.

Original compressors if the system had leaks would have lost oil with the R-12.

I have a dealer remanned compressor that's blown three clutches. I think there's something wrong with it.

YMMV.

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Brian Toscano

My A/C compressor is 15 years old and has turned 382K so far.
It still has the original R-12 and oil in i with no sign of weakness yet.
I don't see how one you can "take good care " of an A/C compressor or abuse it.
You leave it alone as long as it runs and fix it when broken.
JackD

When cars get old things happens, A/C systems can open up and they can be run low on oil. Prolonged running like that can in my mind be considered "bad care".

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Brian Toscano

sorry I had to ask,

1) How do you determine your system is running low? Base on noise? Coolness? or what?

Some say use the guage some say don't plug any guage unless you know something wrong with the system. By plugging in the guage you are taking the risk of introducing stuff in the system!

I really don't know and I really don't want to get a new compressort because I don't know the system is low on oil and let it ran as it is!

JackD, do you mean you never recharged the system, never touched the system in all that 15 years and 382K??

Car in concern is W140 1992 M104 engine. Dunno if its R12 or not.

Any light will help.

It was 80 degrees yesterday and very humid..

I ran the AC in my "new"87 300D and it wasnt very cool, we were better off with the windows open.

I ran the AC in my trusty 85 300D where I recently replaced the compressor and high pressure Hose. It was Freezing.

I'm not talking anything sophisticated like Hi Side pressure or temperature measurements at various points in the system....

I never recharged the system, never touched the system in all that 15 years and 382K.
All I know is that the system still cools the car in hot/humid temperature (at least, it did last summer) as it did when new.
Obviously, during the winter time, the cooling requirements are not equal to what is seen in Arizona, but the compressor is still engaged a few times during winter.
I still don't know how it will operate this coming summer as the warmest we had so far this season in our neck of the woods is about 70deg
jackD

Over the years you will lose refridgerant via leaks in the system. Its like death and taxes.

You also lose oil via the leaks.

If you keep refilling the system AND don't also add oil you eventually run low on the oil and the system self destructs.

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84 300DT Puke Yellow. Totalled after 438,000
84 300DT Orient Red. 169,000 (actual mileage may vary)
2002 Explorer EB (wife's)

Dear Eric:

You are right

Being a little young and stupid, sometimes I just say "%^&" it I will Tear it Down and REBUILD IT before I troubleshoot--so I have great rebuilding skills, terrible troubleshooting skills..Only altely after I bought a used Volvo 940 have I become patient and started to carefully toubleshoot because of the ECU's criticality

70% of the time its usually the best thing for long term success...I know that sounds very stupid and arrogant, I apologize. But if u think about it, its true. Regardless, the compressor can't last that much longer, nor can the Hi side hose (dry rot)--
Every summer I do mini overhauls--brake calipers, timing chains, cylinder head jobs, engines, because in the winter, when I need the car, i wont have the time/ weather to do it...

Since none of my cars has over cost >2000 dollars, I guess the cost in the long term is not that bad..

I guess why ZEN wise thats why I need AC


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All W140s use R134a.

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currently just 1989 300SE 185k miles