As I changed the TB/WP on my new car two months ago, everything was filthy with greasy and oily substances. The AC compressor seemed rather wetter than the rest. Since then, I have been loosely monitoring the floor under the car. All was well, until...

This morning, I found a substantial pool of a clear oily liquid (looked like rain water at first) under the AC compressor. Irregular, but the equivalent of about 8 inches around 1/16th inch deep (a few ounces?). Seems quite different than engine oil. I'll ask the stupid question anyway: is this the normally unseen AC lubricant?

The car has the new refrigerant, and the PO complained of having to recharge it every year; last August, he had a magic elixir added that was supposed to slow the leaking. I must also reveal that the AC pulley has a good wobble to it.

I have not turned on the AC in the last month; the leak developed since it was last run.

Any advice? Warnings?

 

Wobble on pulley = seal going bad. I believe it is time to find another compressor. When this is done you need to flush entire system. The magic elixer is some sort of stop leak which is supposed to react with air and stop small leaks. When system is now opened this substance will harden and pretty much ruin system. If original 'O' rings are still on system this is also where leaks will occur. All these need be replaced.

 

Refrigerant oil for R134a is typically clear. Sometimes we add a Fluorescent dye, usually appears light green or light orange.

The puddle size you noted is a good volume for sure; if you wanted to calculate how much you just grab a bottle of cooking oil and pour out 1 oz on the same type of surface (before you do just think about how you are going to clean it up) and wait a hour or so depending upon the temperature outside, and you an figure out how much oil is there.

As far as adding 'additives', 'stop leak' or 'snake oil' to any AC system..... NEVER do it. They don't work. Stop leak can't mend a weak o-ring, seal or rubber hose and in most cases it could end up clogging up things like driers, expansion valves or compressors.

If the leak is by the compressor, I'd say its either one of the two hoses, or a compressor seal. Best thing to do is clean up the mess and later take periodic inspections until you can pin it down.

Feel free to drop and email or PM if you need more help

http://www.griffiths.com/

 

Unless there is evidence on the compressor body, I would put some dye in to be sure. I found clear fluid, a little oily, a little to the driver side of center. It was coolant from the water bridge, same fluid was then found in low spot above cam covers where it formed before running to the ground. The wobble sounds incriminating, but it would be much less expensive to fix the bridge seals.