borgerding

Hello all,
I'm trying to find a "direct fit" replacement a/c compressor for my 63 Olds Cutlass w/ factory air.

When I purchased the car, the original system wasn't working. All the components are still there, but had it tested, and they said it wouldn't hold vacuum.

I'm in the process of testing components/replacing hoses, etc. as well as planning to convert all to r134.

The original compressor has an unusual rear head on it. It has an extended ear on it used for mounting. (See pictures)

I have found replacement A6 compressors for the car, but from what I can tell, they don't have this particular rear head configuration.

The original sticker is worn off, and the only info I have is the #6555340 stamped on the rear. The outer diameter of the pulley measures 5 5/8".

- Does anyone know where I can find a replacement, (suitable for r134 use)?

- If anyone has the same car with factory air, maybe they could give me the part number off the compressor sticker? That would be a big help.

- Also, If I buy one of the replacement compressors available, can I simply swap out the rear heads to make it work with my mounting?

Thanks,

David

MDchanic

Interesting.

I would bet (but I do not know for sure) that the head ends are interchangeable.

However, since the possibility of getting a new compressor and swapping parts is now in the air, a better bet may be to have your original rebuilt.
I have not had this done, myself, but a large number of people on this board have used services such as VintageAir with good results - I will leave it to them to advise you on the best place to go with this one.

- Eric

Junkman

I'm coming to the party a little late, but as general information, I have used Classic Auto Air in Tampa Florida many times in the past, and have never been disappointed in the services that they provide. If you are looking for bargain basement pricing, they are not for you, however, they charge a fair price for the level of service that they have become known for. A complete rebuild of the compressor will run about $400, and is well worth it in the end. They can also advise you as to what needs to be done to get the rest of the system cleaned and working properly. If you are not certain about the condition of the expansion valve, they offer a checking service, or will instruct you how to do this yourself. If you are building a show car, they can refinish the expansion valve to look like a NOS unit. They also rebuild the receiver driers, so you can keep everything original looking, if that is important to you.


Personally, I don't believe in swapping out refrigerants, since the original hoses were never designed to work with R134. I have lots of friends that have "upgraded" their air conditioning systems to R134, and they are having to recharge them periodically, due to the leakage through the rubber hose. The only way to correct this, is to replace all the hoses with what is know as barrier hose, designed for R134.


Classic Auto Air




4901 Rio Vista Avenue
Tampa, FL 33634
(Local Phone - 813-251-2356)

gmiles

+2 for Classic Auto Air. I used their parts on my 64 Cutlass (compressor, hoses, drier, condenser) and bought a whole system for my 63 Cutlass. They can rebuild most of the parts from your old system. You can call and let them know whats going on.

For my 64, I pulled the evap core and took it to a local shop and had them test it. It was the only original piece in the car and I didn't want to put new stuff on without having it checked for leaks.

Did you have each peace of the system tested? Did the techs tell you where the leak was at? Could the leak be in the evap core or condenser? You could pull the system apart and have each piece tested and have a shop fix it locally.

Junkman

Evaporator core leaks are not that common on the older cars.