I don't recommend changing the seal. I mean, you can try, but be ready to buy a compressor if it all goes south. I don't even try it any more, and I've been a tech since 2004. I have had minimal luck with getting clutches off without destroying them, and many require special tools to do so.

 

I think I'm going to have to give it a shot. I have a back up plan with another compressor if this should fail. Had already ordered part including installationon tool from century air. As i wait for the part i will try to get at the seal. Thanks

 

You should be happy the clutch slid off. I had to bash mine off due to corrosion and it was at that point I just bought an entirely new compressor.

 

Ok. Good news, I hope, and not sure yet if bad news.
Good is that I got to the seal safely. Autozone had the clutch hub and pulley remover tools for rent. So pretty easy pulling parts out to access the seal. About $110 deposit.
The bad that I'm not sure what to think yet, I didn't see what I expected to see to indicate that the seal was actually bad and leaking. Looking at the felt dust cover right outside the seal, it doesn't look or feel wet. The o ring\gasket between head and housing looked im decent shape. I see oil in the housing area behind the head plate, but is probably normal? Then again, the shaft where the seal sits does look black and i can even say there is a little bit of oil just immediately if where the seal sits on the shaft.

 

Should of bought a compressor lol.

 

The other aspect that might be missed is that over 20+ years, the lip seal can wear a groove on the shaft. You don't have much to lose though. Just a little time and the cost of a seal. Maybe replacing the seal won't be such a bad gamble? I still would rather not fool with it, but I can completely understand.

 

Got the parts and will be installing tomorrow. If it should still leak vacuum, is it possible that the service valve/s are bad? When valves were seated all the way clockwise, that isolated the compressor. But did it expose the schrader valves also? Or were schrader valves taken our of the equation by seating them like that, hence completely isolating compressor from other factors?

Also, is it possible that there is a leak through the actual stems that you turn to back and front seat the service valves? Just thinking ahead. I will post results hopefully seal fixes issue. Thanks

 

Well, new seal did not fix vacuum leak. And this is because leak is coming from the stems on the manual service valves. The ones you turn to back and front seat. Being that system is retrofitted and has sharader valves, I don't need to have those manual valves, right?

 

Are you sure the stems are the problem? Look back at the pic above. When Front Seated the service port and stem seal are exposed to vacuum/pressure. Did you ever try some leak detection dye?

With the schraders, you don't need to use the service valves but they also connect the hoses to the compressor.

Did you replace the o'rings under the stems that seal against the compressor?

 

This is how I know the service valve stems aren't leaking. The stem of the valves is exposed to vacuum whether back or front seated.

 

I pumped compressed air and heard air and saw soap bubbles coming out of stems. This was in the full clockwise (compressor isolation) position. I will say that after replacing manual valves i pumped air again and this time was leaking from rear head. I didn't tighten bolts enough after installing rear head gasket. Tightened some more and held vacuum.

 

But your original problem was that it held pressure and NOT vacuum. Sounds like the valves became part of the problem as you were fixing your original problem.

 

I'm confused. Are you saying it's holding now? You replaced the valves and tightened the bolts on the compressor head?

 

Holding vacuum now. Put freon in and seems to be all good. Thanks soo much. Now it Looks like i have a bit more troubleshooting. Ac only blows through defrost vents. Ideas? (:

 

That's a vacuum control problem. Look by the firewall on the passenger side. There's usually a hose loose or rotted away there.