MngreLMatt

Howdy folks, 1999 LS400

Here's another one for the gurus. I've done some researching and from what I have read it looks like I may have an A/C compressor that's on it's way out. When I first bought the car 2 years ago the AC worked flawlessly, it would kick on immediately and stay very cold etc. Now, it's a different story. I thought I was saving some gas money by not using the AC at all for basically the first year or so that I had the car. I think that this royally effed my AC compressor and its seals.

So here's the current - When the button is pressed I can hear the clutch engage, but it takes a second for the RPMs to rise. They used to rise instantly after it was engaged. Also, I can feel a vibration in the steering wheel with the AC on like the compressor is not running smoothly. The weird thing is, the AC still blows cold and it that regard works well. I can't see any bubbles or even oil for that matter in the sight glass, be it with it running, shut off and checked and just sitting still. Whereas in our other cars you can see the oil in there if you jiggle the drier a little. When I hook up the pressure gauge with it running on the Low side port it reads about in the middle of the green, around 40psi I think. When looking at the compressor, there is a slight film on the top plate.

I'm not exactly sure what to do at this point. I'm hesitant to keep running it because I don't want the metal shavings from the worn out compressor to spread throughout the whole system. If that is even what is happening.

Maybe I just need to add more oil to the system?

Thanks in advance, I sure would like to know more about AC systems that's for sure.

dicer

If the pressure is up to spec then it is likely not leaking. You can't just add oil to the ac because you THINK it needs it. There is a certain amount that it is supposed to have. If your VW is an old one it would have R12 unless someone converted it to R134. You can not use oil from one to the other they are not compatible. Noise and delay could be the clutch too, from corrosion etc.

Bill Dowd

If by any chance you live in So Cal near Orange County I found a AC shop called AC exchange in Garden Grove they sell to all the other shops compressors etc. Anyhow they do great work at great prices some of the biggest part stores also buy their compressors and AC parts here. they cut my expenses about in half and have done some of my friends cars and have saved them a ton of money and no problems. they can check out your system for a very low cost keep cool.

MngreLMatt

Hi Bill,

Thanks for the response, I actually am in Orange and would love to check out that place. What are the chances of that working out so nicely. AC systems are too pricey to start throwing money into things blindly. Thanks a ton for the tip.

Dicer, I agree and wasn't interested in adding oil without knowing more first. Sorry about the confusion. Also, the car is a 1999, which I should have added when I first posted. The part that raised an alarm was that there is no oil or bubbles in the sight glass while idle, while AC on, just after AC off etc. Many different situations were tried, as per instruction from clublexus. Do you mean corrosion like rust etc? The car is rust free as far as I have seen underneath the car. I was under the impression I had a leak due to the residue on top of the AC compressor as well as the noisy(er) operation of the AC. I was thinking from not running it for so long I probably dried out the seals and it sprung a leak which wouldn't surprise me after so many miles. 223k.

Thanks for everything

Matt