Warning - Rebuilt / Remanufactured A/C compressors are junk

[Peter Van Staagen]

Fellow MB owners,

I just wanted to share some information concerning rebuilt or remanufactured
A/C compressors. I recently had to replace my A/C compressor and decided to
try and save a little money by getting a rebuilt R4 style compressor for my 85
300D from Advance Auto Parts. The compressor was remanufactured by Factory
Air. I installed the compressor, a new dryer and expansion valve properly with
oil and R-12 Freon. As soon as the compressor started up it was clacking, a
typical sign of emminent compressor failure. I took the compressor off and
exchanged it for another. The next compressor was remanufactured by Four
Seasons, but was also bought from Advance Auto Parts. The guy at the store
said it is quite common to exchange these compressors under the one year
warantee. I installed that compressor and it clacked a little when I first got
it going. After i topped off the freon it seemed to quite down. The next day
it was clacking louder and about 2 hours after that the rear plate blew off
causing immediate failure.

So, after that I had to completely dissasemble the a/c system and flush out
all the parts and once again replace the drier and expansion valve. This time
I bought a NEW compressor and it works perfectly. It even blows 10 degrees
colder than the last three compressors that were on the car.

I spoke with two other reputable mercedes parts suppliers and both have
stopped supplying rebuilt compressors due to the high failure rate. A third
vendor stated that typical max liftimes for rebuilt compressors is 3 years. My
original compressor lasted 10 years and I hope this new one will do the same.

Guess the bottom line is always the same, you get what you pay for.

Good luck to all DIY A/C repairmen.
--
Peter Van Staagen
pet...@removethis.ro.com
Please remove the 'removethis.' in order to reply!!!

[Yuhn, James [RICH2:2Q80-I:EXCH]]

I've read similar warnings about remanufactured versions of the Japanese
compressors used in later MB models as well.

I've got a rebuilt R4 in my '84 300D - Factory Air brand. It's just coming
up on five years of service. At about three years of age, it started clattering
at idle, but has continued working acceptably well. That said, I share your
view - I'll never put in another remaned compressor. I only paid 75 bucks for
the thing five years ago, so I guess I can't complain. However, thanks to the
fact that I've been driving the same used MB for six years, money isn't as
tight
as it used to be :)

Be certain to check the torque on the compressor mounting bolts. Mine had
backed
out a bit after a year or two, allowing the compressor to rattle in its
mount. Retorquing them quieted things down quite a bit.

Two quick questions, if you don't mind. How did you flush out the system to
clear
the shrapnel? Most of the methods that used to be in favor are now illegal.
Also,
what did you see for low/high side pressures at idle? I'm only getting about
55PSI
on the low side at idle, which makes it difficult for the A/C to keep up with
our
humid 105F days here in Dallas. It'll pull the low side down to 30PSI above
idle.

- Jim

Peter Van Staagen wrote:
>
> Fellow MB owners,
>
> I just wanted to share some information concerning rebuilt or remanufactured
> A/C compressors. I recently had to replace my A/C compressor and decided to
> try and save a little money by getting a rebuilt R4 style compressor for my 85
> 300D from Advance Auto Parts. The compressor was remanufactured by Factory
> Air. I installed the compressor, a new dryer and expansion valve properly with
> oil and R-12 Freon. As soon as the compressor started up it was clacking, a
> typical sign of emminent compressor failure. I took the compressor off and
> exchanged it for another. The next compressor was remanufactured by Four
> Seasons, but was also bought from Advance Auto Parts. The guy at the store
> said it is quite common to exchange these compressors under the one year
> warantee. I installed that compressor and it clacked a little when I first got
> it going. After i topped off the freon it seemed to quite down. The next day
> it was clacking louder and about 2 hours after that the rear plate blew off
> causing immediate failure.
>
> So, after that I had to completely dissasemble the a/c system and flush out
> all the parts and once again replace the drier and expansion valve. This time
> I bought a NEW compressor and it works perfectly. It even blows 10 degrees
> colder than the last three compressors that were on the car.
>
> I spoke with two other reputable mercedes parts suppliers and both have
> stopped supplying rebuilt compressors due to the high failure rate. A third
> vendor stated that typical max liftimes for rebuilt compressors is 3 years. My
> original compressor lasted 10 years and I hope this new one will do the same.

[snip]

[lynda janzen]

Yes there are junk rebuilt compressors out there and there are good
ones. Any compressor sold through Texas Auto Air is good. We have been
using them for about 16 years and have only had two bad compressors.
One was a dusie. It was on a 126 SD. One of the balance plates on the
front of the clutch broke and cut the oil cooler line. The driver was
going about 80 when it happened and the engine locked up. The company
that rebuilts their compressors covered the entire replacement of the
engine. No questions at all. Texas Auto air is in Fort Worth Texas.
But they sell all over the southwest.
On the other hand any compressor from Universial Compressors is JUNK.
Lynda

Peter Van Staagen wrote:
>
> Fellow MB owners,
>
> I just wanted to share some information concerning rebuilt or remanufactured
> A/C compressors. I recently had to replace my A/C compressor and decided to
> try and save a little money by getting a rebuilt R4 style compressor for my 85
> 300D from Advance Auto Parts. The compressor was remanufactured by Factory
> Air. I installed the compressor, a new dryer and expansion valve properly with
> oil and R-12 Freon. As soon as the compressor started up it was clacking, a
> typical sign of emminent compressor failure. I took the compressor off and
> exchanged it for another. The next compressor was remanufactured by Four
> Seasons, but was also bought from Advance Auto Parts. The guy at the store
> said it is quite common to exchange these compressors under the one year
> warantee. I installed that compressor and it clacked a little when I first got
> it going. After i topped off the freon it seemed to quite down. The next day
> it was clacking louder and about 2 hours after that the rear plate blew off
> causing immediate failure.
>
> So, after that I had to completely dissasemble the a/c system and flush out
> all the parts and once again replace the drier and expansion valve. This time
> I bought a NEW compressor and it works perfectly. It even blows 10 degrees
> colder than the last three compressors that were on the car.
>
> I spoke with two other reputable mercedes parts suppliers and both have
> stopped supplying rebuilt compressors due to the high failure rate. A third
> vendor stated that typical max liftimes for rebuilt compressors is 3 years. My
> original compressor lasted 10 years and I hope this new one will do the same.
>

[PrinceMyshkin]

In article <37BC4D23...@flash.net>, ly...@flash.net says...
>

>On the other hand any compressor from Universial Compressors is JUNK.
>Lynda

Well, that's straight from the mare's mouth :) An opinion to be heeded.

[Devo]

That sounds about right. Seems like the AC is one touchy mother, and if you
try to chinch on her she'll bite ya.

Peter Van Staagen <pet...@removethis.ro.com> wrote in message
news:7pg6nr$jj1$1...@news.ro.com...

[Doc]

I owned an Auto Parts store on Long Island for 10 years. I sold lots of
units, both new and reman. I can think of very few that were bad reman.
Four Seasons happens to be a good brand. Is it possible to get a bad one?
Of course. But for anyone to make a blanket statement that all reman units
are junk is truly just an ass. I have bought and sold many things that were
brand new, in a unopened sealed box that were also bad. Maybe this person
just picked the cheapest thing he could get his hands on. Sometimes the
adage that "you get what you pay for" is really true..

Frank

[auf...@webtv.net]

Rebuilt R4 compressors are NOT designed for a MB. All are universal for
GM cars. On a GM car the inlet/outlet holes are on top. MB took that
compressor and turned it 180º and put it under the engine. Take a look
at ANY R4 front cover plate. The one held on with 4 bolts right behind
the pulley. Between 2 of the bolts you will see an embossed X. This
marks the position of the drilled hole for oil to lube the front
bearing. Look at any GM or rebuilt R4, that X will be up, the same
position as the inlet/outlet holes. In order for oil to lube the front
bearing it HAS to flow down to the bearing. Now look at an original
factory MB R4. Find the X. You will see that when it is up, the
inlet/outlet holes are down. Just the way it is mounted on the engine.
Put a rebuilt on a MB and you will starve the front bearing of oil. Oil
cannot flow up the passage. Your lifespan of that compressor is very
short.

Karl

[lynda janzen]

COME ON NOW> I have been in this business since 1960. The compressors
that come on Mercedes are either York, an GM A6 or R4. Believe me
mercedes does not rebuild them themselves. I have been using rebuilt
compressors for many years on all cars but SL's. If you have a good
quality rebuilder there is no problem. The problem you get into is when
you start getting them from Auto Zone or Pep Boys places and they use
the cheapest rebuilder they can find. The R4 that is on my 300TD wagon
is into its second Texas summer and has about 35000 miles on it. No
problem. Lynda

[Doc]

The only R4's that had problems that I have seen were the very early ones.
That is when they literally were first starting to be rebuilt. These people
that are always trashing rebuilt products have no clue what they are talking
about. I do agree with you Lynda about the PEP Boys and AutoZone. They
have a real tendency to just buy the cheapest shit that they can get their
hands on. A product remanufactured from Four Seasons, Everco, and Murray
are just fine......as well as many of the independents that are out there.
However, I might be a wee bit concerned about a WHITE BOX unit made by
someone you never heard of. I used to call those "FRED'S."
We used to sell name brand and also some white box stuff in my auto parts
store. We explained the difference. If the customer wanted the cheap shit,
he got the FRED'S. If he wanted the good stuff even though a bit more
pricey upfront, he got the good stuff. We always tried to give him/her a
choice when possible

Frank

lynda janzen <ly...@flash.net> wrote in message
news:37C165F9...@flash.net...

[auf...@webtv.net]

Read it again. I did NOT say MB rebuilds R4 compressors.
MB supplies NEW R4 compressors but they rotate the front cover 180º
because of the oil passage to lube the front bearing.
All rebuilts are rebuilt to GM specs.
Before you accuse me of being full of shit, remove the clutch from a R4
and remove the front cover. Look for the X and the oil passage. Look at
the position of the X and the placement of the compressor in the car.
Not all compressors fail because of this problem right away. I have seen
them last one week, seen them last a year. Luck of the draw [or quality
of the front bearing]. If you read my last sentence, I said the lifespan
of the compressor was shortened. If you read a timeframe in that, you
have a problem!

Karl