RTH: Air Conditioning: Adding Oil to compressor (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Joined
Nov 16, 2006
Threads
60
Messages
341
I just replaced my expansion valve and AC drier (along with OEM o-rings) and am currently putting a vaccum to the system. The question i have is do i need to add compressor oil if i'm using my old compressor or can i just use the first charge refrigerant can that contains some oil.

Any help is appreciated!
 
You probably lost an ounce or two that were in the drier. You could just add an ounce or two from a can of oil charge when you are ready to charge it. You don't want to over-do it and get too much oil in the system.
 
Are you converting to R134a from R12?
 
I just replaced my expansion valve and AC drier (along with OEM o-rings) and am currently putting a vaccum to the system. The question i have is do i need to add compressor oil if i'm using my old compressor or can i just use the first charge refrigerant can that contains some oil.

Any help is appreciated!

I know this is quite late on this but I will add some info in case anyone comes back to this thread.

Take the following information about AC compressor oil and apply it to whatever you did to determine your course of action. :
1) An AC system is a closed loop with a lawnmower type engine that is the AC compressor helping move refrigerant around.
2) Like all "engines", the AC compressor needs lubrication.
3) For a new AC system, All the oil needed for the compressor is poured in the compressor. The compressor usually has the amount stamped on it's body somewhere. Let's call this value X.
4) Once refrigerant is added and the compressor starts working, the oil that was poured into the compressor moves around the closed system along with the refrigerant.
5) From that point forward, the amount X is scattered throughout the system.
6) Any work on the closed system that involves removing a part or removing the oil that is now in a part of the closed system (a hose, evaporator etc.) requires you to replace the amount of oil removed with the part such that the total amount of oil in the closed system is X.
7) If you take apart the closed system completely and flush all the oil out from all the parts (note - don't flush the compressor but turn it many times so that the oil comes out), you can put it all back together and put the total system oil amount in the compressor. Then pull a vacuum and add refrigerant and you are back in business with the correct amount of oil.
 
  • Like
Reactions: OSS

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom