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Greasy dirt on inside of Hood above Alt./AC Compressor???

Black Ice said:
Thats exactly what I have. Its like a 3/4 inch wide and 5 inch long spot. I have no goo whatsoever on or near the compressor itself.

Ditto.
 
Remember that when you turn the temperature control knob on for heat or defrost, you are also using the A/C unit. Therefore, the A/C is working double duty throughtout the seasons.
Oil does evaporate... eventually. This "goo" will dissipate, dry up, and the dust from the road will form a cover over the goo and speed up the drying effect even more.
The compressor is under pressure. A leak will shoot in a 360 degree pattern. One area quickly noticed will be right under the hood of the car.
 
Don't forget the possibility of the serpentine belt acting as a delivery vehicle in the dispertion of the oil in the engine compartment.
 
Yeah, but...

...wouldn't that show up on the belts?
Sil
 
It's acommopn problem for vettes. (and all GM cars) GM uses a seal which leaks a little. seems that vette people are the only ones that complain! It's a design feature to lube part of the clutch! (AC) that's why Ecklers, MAD and almost everyone else sells the shield . it collects the oil thrown off the AC clutch and keeps it off the hood & fenders.
 
Im guessing it is a common problem. Just look at how many "Hits" this thread is getting. :duh
 
Seems awful weird to me that GM would allow the A/c system to leak oil and freon to the outside air in violation of the Clean Air Act just to "lube the clutch". I don't buy it.
The a/c system is supposed to be a closed system, in fact if this seal was designed to leak on purpose then the vacuum check at 30lbs would leak down and cause a failure.
 
I dont think the oil seeping has anything to do with the freon.
 
No it's not freon but the seal is designed to leak some oil! haven't had mine recharged it 8 years and it's 18 now so it can't be freon!
 
I suggest you look for or take a class on automotive air conditioners. If there is any type of leak...you have a problem. The majority of coolants in auto a/c units are odorless and invisible. Oil is introduced to help lubricate the compressor or pump. The orfice tube causes the oil and liguid freon to mist or turn to a gas prior to entering the compressor. The compressor does not work on liquid, that will cause it to lock up, It only works on gas. Therefore if you are seeing an oil leak at the compressor clutch....you are also leaking gas. Logic would dictate.I also have an 85 and there is no oil leaking...no gas leak...no GM designed oil leaking from the compressor to lube the clutch. In actuality it is supposed to be a dry clutch electrically actuated. Oil on the clutch will cause it to slip, lowering it's ability to provide cooling properties.
I would suggest you read the following Basic A/c for autos...auto a/c 101

Interesting ...I have an 85 Z-51 and it is only 17 years old...Gee wonder if I should take it back to the dealer cause it does not leak???????
 
Nope not true. The Mid America Catalog sells a shield for the compressor. It states and I quote, This shield keeps oil off your hood from the self oiling compressor AC berings. There you have it. Mike Yeager is NEVER wrong. :Twist
 
Both you guys are nuts....I have been working on a/c units for over 20 years. Go ahead and listen to some marketing nut from a mag that will sell you anything to make a buck....

call any a/c place and ask about the seal that leaks on purpose.....I would love to hear the hysterical laughter as they hang up on you.
Ya'll can go ahead and live in your fantasy world...I have better things to do then try to make you understand the laws concerning liguids, gases and oils.
And if you want to think they would make a part for a car that would purposefully scatter flammable oil into an otherwise hot engine compartment then I have a bridge I would like to sell you....property in Florida at a great price...
Bet you still believe in the Easter Bunny, tooth fairy and the man on the moon.

Ecklers catalog page 136...A/C "PULLEY" shield..."These shields trap any oil being slung from the a/c PULLEY, keeping the underside of your hood free of compressor oil buildup."

Read between the lines here folks...if your compressor is leaking...the shield will keep it off the hood. As usual a temporary gimmic but not a fix....
 
I have to agree with EAGLE

The A/C system is designed to be SEALED! PERIOD, that why you draw a vacumme
( sp ) to test the system... and that's a rough test.. not the final... the system can still have a leak EVEN when the system hold a vac for 20 or so minutes....

However, like all things mechanical in nature stuff breals , wear's out.

So simple science.

If it leaks ( while running ) it will throw Freon & Oil out the front seal ( or any other loose/broken fitting.)

The less FREON you have in the system the longer it takes to cool... to the point of not letting the compressor clutch engage due to the LOW FREON switch opening UP due to lack of internal pressure.

The front bearing on the clutch ALSO throws grease IF the seals are worn/blown.




Any questions?

Vig!
 
Easy there!

Eagle is commenting on how he won't waste time trying to inform someone of the correct information if that someone is refusing to accept the problem.

I think this is boiling down to someone trying very hard to make a plausible explanation to avoid facing the problem being a very expensive one, with a costly solution!

Myself, I can't believe anyone would design a seal (something whose purpose is to HOLD things in!) that is supposed to leak.
But what do I know?...I'm just a girl.
Silver
 
OH NOOO! This is the reason I left the Corvette Forum. (To much drama) :hb
 
Thank you Silver(a girl...and a pretty one at that) and Vig....finally some folks with sense. Like anyone else I can be anal at times...but it irks me to no end to read some of the crazy advise I see here on occasion. This place is for swapping info and helping others...but what do you do when you know what someone is saying is wrong? Spreading fasle info degrades the site and reflects on all of us. There are experts here...I have read the posts. There needs to be checks and balances, someone has to stand up and say " I do not believe that info is correct" instead of just letting it go. If this is to continue to be the best Corvette site then we need to strive for perfection in the info being passed. Now I realize there is a bit of backyard mechanic in all of us...and that is good. We all get to learn tricks and shortcuts. But to standby and let bogus info be spread is unsatisfactory. Not to mention dangerous to someone we might like. Realize that all the coolants are flammable, any leak can and has caused a vehicle fire.
nuff said...be careful my friends....to the others...try not to make an ash of yourselves.
 
I'd like to add here that this is a bit of a waxer thing the leak is usuall so small it's even hard to find enough fluid left over to wipe it up! If it's all that bad its probably not the clutch bearing as ther simply isn't enough oil or greas in it to cause a big leak! much less a fire. as to mis information most of this is caused by the fact that we simply can not see the problem ourself. now as to it being non existant. well to most of us a rag will wipe it up and thats it. however there are quite a few people who want every part of their corvette to sparkle.......... to these people MAD, Ecklers etal have come to the rescue. with a piece which hides the problem and looks good too. Nasty remarks make all of us less likely to pass on the information we have!
 
( Over Bull horn )

Back away from the chat board... and put down the keyboard & Mouse.... SLOWLY.


Vig!
 

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