Recovering from an AC pump crash

Every thing was working fine. Did some hay fields and came home and shut it off, no overheating nor any kind of problem. Fired it up the next day and the AC pump went nuts inside....

Got all the replacement parts including a purge cannister and a gallon of purge solution. The compressor and dryer plus seals will be the new parts.

I know that you need to flush from the high pressure port tubing from the compressor to the condenser coil, leaving the dryer port open to allow the discharge and then from the dryer outport tube up through the evaporator and out the return spiggot on the compressor...for the discharge.

Other than anything you care to offer in the way of help, do you worry about getting all the purge solution out or will the compressed air final process take care of that.

As usual, thanks for your time and thoughts.
Mark

After flushing using compressed air can introduce moisture into AC system. Be sure to add correct amount of Pag oil if using 134A refrigerant

You haven't mentioned the expansion valve. Very important part in what you're attempting to do. For one thing, you can't flush the system through it. You must remove it first, then flush the evaporator core by itself. Flush the pressure line and condenser as one unit, the cab pressure line alone, the evaporator and suction line back to compressor as one. You will want to replace the expansion valve as part of the package. I wouldn't trust it after all that contamination has run through it.

Are you sure the failure was internal, of was it the clutch? If it was the clutch or pulley bearing nothing was released internally.

The condenser is the first place the trashed compressor takes its dump.

It is near impossible to get it all out, and it is impossible to know if it's all out. If at all possible, replace it.

Also replace or at least remove and clean the expansion valve or orifice tube, and replace the filter dryer.

As far as blowing out the flush, nitrogen is recommended, or if you have a bottle of argon or argon/co2 that can be substituted, just be very careful dealing with the high pressure!

It will then need to be oil charged by the compressor manufactures specs, and vacuumed before charging.

after flush i run rubbing alcahol in everything. then assemble making sure comprersser has proper oil ,vacum it out then gas er up

Mark,
Just my 2 cents here.
What happened to your AC compressor that makes you think it needs to be flushed?

Hermetic compressors used on residential and commercial compressors need to be flushed if the insulation on the wires melted.

I would install a compressor, oil, vacuum it and fill it with freon using your old filter/dryer.

If there are things inside, they should collect in the filter. Replace the filter if the filter ices up..

I've seen HVAC techs replace the filter and not worry about flushing.

Many years ago, my daughter's dodge spirit compressor locked up. I went to a junkyard and bought a used compressor. I installed the compressor, pulled a vacuum and filled with R12.

It worked just fine. Don't overthink it.

My advice is worth every penny you paid me. lol

There is a screen in one of the lines that needs changes and they are very fun to find. SOme are in the opening to the coil out in front and some are in other places .It is like an easteregg hunt to find them on some. mine was in front and a pain to get out.

One of my confusion points is that the oil that the mfgr. puts in the pump is or isn't enough oil for the system.
Thinking about the assembly line building tractors or whatever the pump comes oiled with a seal to keep the oil from
coming out till you get it mounted and is this all they use? Do you need too second guess how much more you might
need depending on the capacity of your system?

Thanks, Jim

Well that complicates things taking the cab top off the tractor but I have done it before and locating the EV properly on the coolant pipe has been a trial and error adjustment thing in the past. Working alone I have 4 ropes hanging from one of my sheds whereby I use the 4 mounting holes in the top and just tie the ropes through them getting it 8-10 above the normal resting point.

You make a good point about the expansion valve and thanks for the directions and places to take things apart which is what I was after. I think I will put off completing the AC fix and get out early in the morning(s) and do my baling before it gets too hot. Second cutting is ready to come off.

Thank you sir.

The high pressure port on the old compressor shows mechanical damage debris. When my cleaner and installation cylinder get here I will have a better idea as to just how much crud I have in the system as I will start with the condenser blow out. The new compressor comes filled with oil and V belt/clutch assy included.

Thank you sir.

Back flush is a good idea. Thanks, and it will be via the dryer removed (to be replaced with new later).

Good ideas, Thanks.

Remove Compressor, Dryer, Expansion Valve. Blow out all lines, I use compressed Air (it can introduce moisture). Replace Compressor, Dryer and Expansion valve using new seals and or o-rings. New compressor should have proper amount of oil in it. Vacuum a minimum of 30 minutes (to remove moisture) and then recharge. I replace the dryer anytime a system is opened. We had the desiccant package fail in a dryer once and the desiccant beads collected and stopped up the expansion valve.

George, I think this is going to be nasty as the output port of the compressor has lots of metallic goo . On the bright side I am hoping the condenser coil has gotten most of the crud and the screen in the filter/dryer the rest so that when I do the initial flush on the evaporator and expansion valve the flush residue will come out clean. Being up over the cab gravity may deal me a winning hand......if not its going to be messy. On your daughter's car, I have cheated the system before and came out ok too.

What's funny is that I had been baling the week before and the thing was cooling just fine. I cranked it up to do some more days later, and it started locking up smoking the V belt. Shut things off, rolled the activation disc (sticking out beyond the v belt location, back and forth a few times and it seemed to be ok. Put the gauges on it and were normal readings. Went out and started baling again, working fine and next thing you know the AC quit cooling and I am where I am.

Sticker shock: Last time I had an AC problem was several years ago and I recall 134a being $4 a 12 oz can. A couple of days ago I bought it for this job and it was TEN BUCKS a 12oz can.......somebody is lining their pockets on this....same price at 3 stores I visited. Fabricated shortage or some marketing scam and it involves several companies as stock in the stores visited had a different mfgr..

Thank you sir.

are you referring to the orphace tube instead of an expansion valve ?

Once I get the cleaner and installation tool....be here in a couple of days, I am going to clean the the system from the compressor HP port through the condenser to the removed filter/dryer....ordered 2 in case my first lazy approach fails. Will flush and back flush this. Then I will get on the low pressure line at the compressor and reverse flush up through the valve and evaporator checking the debris at the outlet hose connection from the dryer.

If I pass that, I am going to cheat the system, install the new dryer and all new seals, pull the 29 In. of Hg. and vacuum for a couple of hours, letting it sit over night and the next morning fill and test if I pass the vac. test. If that fails its another forty bucks of freon down the tube and the real work will begin...getting to the exp. valve up over the cab. Wish me luck. Grin.

Thank you sir.

I thank all of you for taking the time to give me some ideas on this. I really appreciate your taking the time to help me.

My friend has a YTM55.
It was only a year or two old and the belt started smoking. He thought for sure it was a bad compressor.
The idler pulley bearing was locked up.
The dealer didn't have a pulley so we pressed the bad bearing out, went to town and bought a new bearing, pressed it and it has lasted longer than the new pulley bearing..