Dash Air Conditioner Compressor Failure AGAIN

[Webz]

Well it happened again. The dash AC compressor locked up. First time was when I had 5K miles on it and on our first long trip.
Now I have 35K miles and it has happened again.
If you get warm air out of the dash vents with your AC on, turn off the AC immediately. When the compressor locks up, the clutch tries to turn it and soon the belt starts smoking and sparks emit from the clutch. If you don't turn off the AC, the belt will break and in my case, it is the same belt driving the alternator. In an emergency you can get a shorter belt and bypass the AC compressor.
Has anyone else had this problem? I was told that Freightliner got a bad batch of compressors in 2016.

 

[Webz]

Update. Emailed Freightliner last night asking if they will offer any relief for the compressor failure. Suggested a premature failure was usually due to not replacing the dryer at the same time as the compressor or that there could be trash in the system from the previous failure. The warranty is one year or 100k miles. Been longer than a year.
I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask.
Should hear something in a day or two.

 

[Webz]

Freightliner replied. They have no record of Excel Truck in Virginia doing any repairs. So they will not help with the $1500.00 repair. That does not surprise me since it took weeks to get a written record of the work performed. But there should be a record of being towed there since the repair was under warranty. I thanked the FL rep for his time.
Took the coach to A&H repair in Del City Oklahoma. Replaced the compressor, dryer and expansion valve. Also flushed the system. It was filthy. A&H did a fantastic job. Wife was in the coach during the testing after the repair. She lowered the driver window and asked if she could turn off the AC because she was cold. I looked at the tech, Sambo, and told him that was a rare request from the wife. So all is good. Wife is happy.
My guess is Excel Truck replaced the compressor and that was all they did.
The unwillingness to provide documentation is a big red flag.

 

[Chuggs]

Something sounds fishy.

I believe a seized compressor warrants a line flush, and new filter/drier/accumulator... I would also double check the low pressure cutout switch to make sure the compressor clutch is released if the refrigerant charge is low.

When you get a new compressor it comes with a precharge of oil...PAG for a R134A system. Different compressor mfg. do recommend differing weights of this oil. If all you had was a clutch failure, and a new compressor is less expensive than rebuilding the compressor you have...then when you remove the old compressor, pour the oil out in a measure to find the amount of oil you are removing from the closed system. Then pour the same amount of oil out of the new compressor and discard the rest. Place the measured amount back into the new compressor prior to installation. The system mfg...usually have charts showing how much oil is required to charge the system for each component... condensor, filter/accumulator, evaporator, compressor, or total system.

Sounds like they did a good job second time around. It's suspicious to have a fast failure like you did when the first one was replaced.

 

[Buly]

A mechanic friend of mine, advised me to never settle for a rebuilt compressor. Always ask for a new one.