A/C line source

[69hurstolds]

Oh, and make darn sure your compressor O-rings and front seal aren't leaking. Nothing worse than going through the motions of fixing all that junk only to find the O-rings on the cylinder sleeve and/or the front seal is leaking.

This is a VERY common problem with R4 compressors. Especially NOS or original GM ones. The o-rings just get old and start leaking. They're Buna-N, or NBR from the factory and really only made for R12 applications.

My recommendations:

You NEED a double lip seal on these R4s. Why they didn't put them in I'll never know. They only have a single lip seal or early models used a mechanical seal.

The set of body O-rings is Santech MT2119- Autozone sells these for about 9 bucks. They're the green HBNR type, which are better than the original rings and compatible with 134a or similar.

Double Lip Shaft seal- Santech SK-741N

AC GM Compressor Lip Shaft Seal R4 V5 HD6 HR6 HR6HE DA6 HT6 A/C DOUBLE LIP 14MM | eBay

THIS 14mm DOUBLE LIP SHAFT SEAL KIT is considered an UPGRADE to the standard Single Lip Seal. only 1 14mm shaft seal kit. For 14mm Standard Shaft Size. can be used in A6 compressors and in early model R4 compressors replacing the regular "2 piece" type carbon seal.

www.ebay.com

Seal protector thimble is Mastercool 90484. If anyone attempts a seal replacement, you MUST use the protector. Kent Moore has a similar deal that GM techs used. No need for that. Too expensive normally.

mastercool inc, 90484, gm seal protector. | eBay

We have not cleaned or refurbished this item in any way.

www.ebay.com

 

[383_StealthRam]

Oh, and make darn sure your compressor O-rings and front seal aren't leaking. Nothing worse than going through the motions of fixing all that junk only to find the O-rings on the cylinder sleeve and/or the front seal is leaking.

This is a VERY common problem with R4 compressors. Especially NOS or original GM ones. The o-rings just get old and start leaking. They're Buna-N, or NBR from the factory and really only made for R12 applications.

My recommendations:

You NEED a double lip seal on these R4s. Why they didn't put them in I'll never know. They only have a single lip seal or early models used a mechanical seal.

The set of body O-rings is Santech MT2119- Autozone sells these for about 9 bucks. They're the green HBNR type, which are better than the original rings and compatible with 134a or similar.

View attachment 245290

Double Lip Shaft seal- Santech SK-741N

AC GM Compressor Lip Shaft Seal R4 V5 HD6 HR6 HR6HE DA6 HT6 A/C DOUBLE LIP 14MM | eBay

THIS 14mm DOUBLE LIP SHAFT SEAL KIT is considered an UPGRADE to the standard Single Lip Seal. only 1 14mm shaft seal kit. For 14mm Standard Shaft Size. can be used in A6 compressors and in early model R4 compressors replacing the regular "2 piece" type carbon seal.

www.ebay.com

Seal protector thimble is Mastercool 90484. If anyone attempts a seal replacement, you MUST use the protector. Kent Moore has a similar deal that GM techs used. No need for that. Too expensive normally.

mastercool inc, 90484, gm seal protector. | eBay

We have not cleaned or refurbished this item in any way.

www.ebay.com

Great points on the front seal and case shell/seal issues!

 

[chevy042]

AFAIK that line will work with most all the R4 type AC compressors, however depending on which compressor you are attaching it's inlet/outlet manifold too (back of compressor) it will use different types of sealing O-RINGS, or SEALING WASHERS and/or spacers/extenders to mate up properly. That particular hose (4S 55479) is for the 307 V8 Olds application, as you see in my pic it also fit fine for my serpentine pulley equipped SBC setup. The compressors are in relatively the same (passenger upper) location for the 307Y/9 engines, as they were for the serpentine style TPI engines.

Are you replacing the compressor itself, or is it the original R12 unit? That would likely have the original style O-Rings seals embedded into the compressor ports. If you replaced the compressor with a modern day replacement (4 seasons, for example) it may use the sealing washers and their should be instructions, and the additional parts in the kit similar to below included with the compressor, and/or the hose assembly IIRC.

Four Seasons 24342 Four Seasons Air Conditioning Replacement Components | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - Four Seasons Air Conditioning Replacement Components with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Air Conditioning System Replacement Components at Summit Racing.

www.summitracing.com

I also recommend you pick up the complete o-ring kit if you're changing them all out with the system apart/open, it's cheap enough to have on hand so you don't have to go searching locally for an o-ring.

Four Seasons 26735 Four Seasons Air Conditioning O-Ring and Gasket Kits | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - Four Seasons Air Conditioning O-Ring and Gasket Kits with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Air Conditioning Replacement O-Rings and Seals at Summit Racing.

www.summitracing.com

A good video that goes into detail about the Compressor Suction/Discharge port seals/o-rings is the following:

The compressor was replaced at some point prior to my ownership. See photo attached. I’m pretty sure it’s a 4S replacement, but not sure. I planned to keep this unit, but everything else I plan to replace. Great advice on the o-rings and yes I plan to refresh all while I’m replacing everything.

Honestly, I thought the 85-up hoses were defunct. My bad. Shows you how much I pay attention.

Factory "Parker" brand hoses on 1987 Cutlass are rated for R12 or 134. I haven't even looked at the 85 so I don't know. I was actually surprised to see this. I had to peek up under the sponge rubber to see it. I'll have to take a pic of it. I kept the hose for some darn reason. The compressor let loose on my 87 and I had NOS setup for it anyway, so....

Interestingly, it appears this 55479 will fit and function in the place of the 22525317 which superseded to 25526129, although it doesn't look exactly like original. Same overall length but theres more metal line near the accumulator on the 85. In all cases, if you buy a new aftermarket or find an NOS hose, it'll have a bright metal connector nut at the accumulator. The factory nuts are a black phenolic-like material. Also, the muffler can on the 4 seasons is shaped a little differently. But it will fit your 85. If you just HAVE to have 100% correctness, get yours re-hosed. A good hose shop can hook you up and make it look factory again.

AFAIK, the "long pipe" version was used on 85 models only. But it's functionally the same fit.
View attachment 245284

86-88. Again, these hoses are interchangeable with 85.
View attachment 245285



My 6-87 parts book shows 85 only as having 22525317, and the 86-88 as having 25526129. The 1991 parts information shows it as the superseded number...

View attachment 245287

Well, looky here. Rockauto.com has them for 86-88 Cutlass. I don't know WTF that other hose is about. And use that discount code for 5% off, you can get it for $68.20. If I needed one and not worry about 100% correctness, I'd buy it. Oddly, if you look for this hose under the 85 model year, it doesn't even exist.

View attachment 245286

Well, I guess technically they are defunct if you can’t get the “long pipe” version anymore, as that’s what’s currently on mine. But I’m glad to hear the 55479 is a viable option sans long pipe.

I’m not so much looking for a concours replacement, it’s just nice having original looking twigs and berries when you pop that hood. But the 55479 should more than suffice. I will, however still call around and get pricing on having my originals re-hosed. Sadly a lot of the smaller hose and tube shops around me are long gone and most of the bigger shops won’t touch one-off jobs like mine. They’re more commercial oriented, which seems to be the same for machine shops as well…

Oh, and make darn sure your compressor O-rings and front seal aren't leaking. Nothing worse than going through the motions of fixing all that junk only to find the O-rings on the cylinder sleeve and/or the front seal is leaking.

This is a VERY common problem with R4 compressors. Especially NOS or original GM ones. The o-rings just get old and start leaking. They're Buna-N, or NBR from the factory and really only made for R12 applications.

My recommendations:

You NEED a double lip seal on these R4s. Why they didn't put them in I'll never know. They only have a single lip seal or early models used a mechanical seal.

The set of body O-rings is Santech MT2119- Autozone sells these for about 9 bucks. They're the green HBNR type, which are better than the original rings and compatible with 134a or similar.

View attachment 245290

Double Lip Shaft seal- Santech SK-741N

AC GM Compressor Lip Shaft Seal R4 V5 HD6 HR6 HR6HE DA6 HT6 A/C DOUBLE LIP 14MM | eBay

THIS 14mm DOUBLE LIP SHAFT SEAL KIT is considered an UPGRADE to the standard Single Lip Seal. only 1 14mm shaft seal kit. For 14mm Standard Shaft Size. can be used in A6 compressors and in early model R4 compressors replacing the regular "2 piece" type carbon seal.

www.ebay.com

Seal protector thimble is Mastercool 90484. If anyone attempts a seal replacement, you MUST use the protector. Kent Moore has a similar deal that GM techs used. No need for that. Too expensive normally.

mastercool inc, 90484, gm seal protector. | eBay

We have not cleaned or refurbished this item in any way.

www.ebay.com

Awesome advice on the compressor shaft seal! I wasn’t even tracking that. And thanks for all the videos, part numbers and other info. You’re all incredible references to have and this is a perfect example of why this is the best forum out there no matter the flavor of hobby.