Original A/C components rebuilt

[Jerry Skidmore]

A few months ago I sent my original AC components out to a place called original air group in Tampa Florida to get rebuilt. The dryer,expansion valve and POA valve look great but I haven’t charged with Freon to see how well it works yet. One reason is because just during engine break in the pulley on the AC compressor is slinging oil and you can see a line of oil on the frame as well as spatters elsewhere. They do fill the compressor with oil but I haven’t connected the hoses or wire harness to engage the clutch on the compressor so I wouldn’t think that would have any affect on oil leaking past the seal. I sent my original hoses to be cleaned and have new barrier cushions installed but they ruined them by blasting all the aluminum making it rough and dull in appearance instead of just cleaning. They weren’t supposed to replace the hoses but did anyhow and the new crimps aren’t anything like the originals so I had to start over to find new original hoses. Has anyone here had better luck and better customer service anywhere else.

[Rob Peters]

Jerry,

I went with Old Air Products in Ft Worth Texas.  They have a one year warranty that the place in Florida did not.  They rebuilt my compressor and I bought new lines, POA, Expansion Valve and Drier from them.  Their Tech/Customer Service department is great to work with.  Their website is https://www.oldairproducts.com/ and their phone number is 817-531-2665.  I hope this helps.  I am not sure but if, when you were breaking in the engine, the lines were not connected and the clutch was engaged and there were plugs in the outputs and input ports that the compressor may have been trying to pump the oil.  It could not know the difference in freon/oil/or oil & Freon mix that it was attempting to pump the oil with having no place to go the pressure may have pushed it out through the seal.  I would remove the  electric plug from the compressor  until you have new lines attached, proper amount of oil in the system, freon pumping into the lines and all components (lines, evaporator, condensor etc flushed out and totally clean.   Also, before charging the system I would take it to a shop with everything connected and have a vacuum leak test performed on the whole system and if there are leaks detected correct them.

rob

[Jerry Skidmore]

Thanks Rob, I also talked with Leo Konik and he also recommended old air products. I will give them a call. No I don’t have the plug for the compressor hooked up as I just have a rolling chassis right now, the body is in the body shop so no where to plug the harness in. There was a guy at the Carlisle show who had a 70 Chevelle that had some work done and recommended but he said they were called vintage auto air however his work was done over 20 years ago so not sure if this company is still around.