[s-cars] A/C Success Story!

[Charlie Smith]

After a lot of trials and tribulations, I have a success story to report!

As soon as the temperatures began to exceed 90F here in Ohio, the Audi
gods struck ... and decreed that cool air was not good.  So the A/C
immediately began to obey, and it faltered, quavered, and generally
stopped emitting any great amount of cold air ... or even cool air.

I've been going around and around with this for several weeks.  First,
the shop tried recharging the R134a.  This worked for all of about two
days.  Further inspection and detection revealed that the A/C compressor
was leaking around the shaft seal.

Thanks to this list, I went to Hancock Industries, 800-289-8282 -
    http://www.hancockindustries.com/
and found their listing for the Zexel DCW-17b compressor.  When I called,
they said a rebuilt unit was about $350.  I asked the price of a new one,
and the person on the phone says "I don't believe this" ...  and I say
you don't believe what?  She was seeing a price of $361 for a new unit
and it showed one in stock.  After she ran to the warehouse to actually
put her hands on it, the new compressor was shipped on it's way to Ohio.

I got the car back from the shop this afternoon, and it puts out colder
air than it has ever done before!  I'm delighted!

    - Charlie


  Charlie Smith   charlie at elektro.cmhnet.org  614-471-1418
  http://www.elektro.com/~charlie      Columbus Ohio   USA
  http://www.elektro.com/~audi     photos & technical info

  95 S6 Quattro  -  24 PSI, RS2 6 speed, and very cold A/C
  96 Dodge Ram   -  30 PSI, w/Cummins turbo diesel