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Name that Part! A/C Compressor Sensor. Replaceable?

Discussion in 'Generation 1 Prius Discussion' started by MchEngNrd, Aug 2, 2014.

  1. MchEngNrd

    MchEngNrd Junior Member

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    Hi all,

    My A/C compressor is leaking oil from a mysterious sensor located right in the front-bottom (as mounted on the car). See the following picture:

    [​IMG]

    The sensor I'm interested in has the two yellow wires leading to it, with a cap screw holding it on to the top left. I've established that my compressor is leaking from behind this sensor (I can see the oil beading behind it very slowly when it is running). I would like to know if this part is removable/replaceable. On all the toyota parts websites I'm familiar with, it's not listed separately from the compressor.

    Even if the part is not available, I am wondering if anyone has any experience replacing the o-ring or gasket behind it.

    If I can't get any feedback, I might just take it off just to see what the deal is (when the system is completely empty of course).

    Thanks!
     
    #1 MchEngNrd, Aug 2, 2014
  2. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    By the weirdest coincidence, you're looking at the same sensor that PriusChat member Wisco was just earlier this week! Wisco also found out what happens when you remove it.

    It seems that it did not let off the whole refrigerant charge. Best guess is the compressor does have shaft seals before the bore the sensor fits in, so all that happened is that some refrigerant leaked past the seals over the years and collected in that space, and only that much pooted out with removal of the sensor.

    If yours is actively leaking oil at a rate you can see when the compressor runs, then possibly your shaft seals are in worse condition and the sensor bore isn't as well isolated from system pressure any more; that might mean that you would get a (probably slow) continuing discharge of refrigerant after taking the sensor out. That might point to a problem with the other seals internal to the compressor, and mean compressor replacement was in order.

    I'm sure Wisco can comment on what kind of O ring or seal happens to be on the sensor itself, and how hard it is to find a replacement. It might turn out to be a reasonably standard O-ring size you could pick up at an auto A/C shop, being sure to get one made from an R134a-compatible elastomer.

    -Chap
     
    #2 ChapmanF, Aug 2, 2014
    Last edited: Aug 2, 2014
  3. MchEngNrd

    MchEngNrd Junior Member

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    An unpleasant surprise! I'll have to join that thread to see if Wisco found the part anywhere. The funny thing is I had just been through all of the AC posts here on PC for the gen 1 a couple weeks ago.

    Your assessment about the leak sounds pretty reasonable. After recharging the refrigerant a couple times, the charge leaked out to a level where it would no longer work after only about 1.5 weeks. I'm going to have to give some thought to how much oil to put into the system when I'm all done here.

    So the shaft seals are actually a toyota part? See the following Image (part 88330A)

    [​IMG]
    Or are these parts external to compressor shaft (the seals being internal to the compressor and not shown in this part list, thereby most likely requiring me to just buy a new or reman unit). It seems at least one of them is just a washer according to the description. Maybe this is the one Wisco refers to in his post.
     
    #3 MchEngNrd, Aug 2, 2014
  4. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    No, those are the clutch-adjusting shims. I don't know enough about Toyota part numbering to explain why the diagram says 88330A when the ordering number is 88335-14020, but that's what they are.

    -Chap
     
    #4 ChapmanF, Aug 2, 2014
  5. MchEngNrd

    MchEngNrd Junior Member

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    Thought that might be case... Thanks!
     
    #5 MchEngNrd, Aug 2, 2014
  6. Wisco

    Wisco Member

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    Any luck on the O-ring?

    McMaster-Carr would have something if you can't find it locally..

    P.S. I finally got the AC running in mine, without any more unpleasant surprises.
     
    #6 Wisco, Aug 10, 2014
  7. MchEngNrd

    MchEngNrd Junior Member

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    Glad you got it running! I got the o-ring at Ace, the helpful employee there helped me size it out. Unfortunately, I forgot to ask what size it was (there was no package). I do know it was metric. I'm waiting to borrow my neighbor's vacuum pump at the moment.
     
    #7 MchEngNrd, Aug 18, 2014
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