New A/C system, Oil amounts in components. 1990 Silverado 5.7L R4

[1998_K1500_Sub]

here's a picture from someone that was running a 3" spacer w/ oe

Looks like the water pump bearing failed. I wonder if the installer checked the runout before and after the installation.

OTOH, if the clutch is out of balance and a spacer is added, those forces become harder to manage at the water pump on account of the added leverage. Perhaps this is why you didn't find any clutches with long stub shafts.

 

[1998_K1500_Sub]

The oil should only be added to the compressor. Nothing else.

I disagree. During startup of a clean system, it's better to put some oil immediately upstream of the compressor (in the R/D) so, as soon as refrigerant starts to flow, there's oil flow to the compressor.

In a properly functioning system, the refrigerant and the oil mix

Agreed, oil flows throughout the system with the refrigerant, and most notably when the refrigerant is in a liquid state as PAG and R134a are miscible.

in the compressor the oil is separated from the refrigerant, and the oil is left behind to lubricate the compressor.

The old A6 compressor had an oil sump; R4 / HT6 and other newer compressors do not. They're designed to be lubricated by the oil flow into the suction port.

Of course, in the steady state of operation some volume of oil will always be present the compressor, just as oil will always be present in every other component of the system. Too, in the steady state the volume of oil that leaves the compressor per unit time needs to return to the compressor in roughly the same unit of time ("conservation of oil"). But for new, dry system startup, I stand by the practice of placing oil upstream in the R/D.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

With regards to the Where to put the oil in the system. The oil should only be added to the compressor. Nothing else. In a properly functioning system, the refrigerant and the oil mix but in the compressor the oil is separated from the refrigerant, and the oil is left behind to lubricate the compressor. Of course, all the oil is not separated from the refrigerant, however, there is only negligible amounts of oil flowing throughout the system.

Side note, not really all that important. During long periods of sitting time of the vehicle, 3, 4, 5 months or more, oil and refrigerant migrate to the coldest part of the system. If the compressor is mounted low this would be the evaporator; and if the compressor is mounted high, this would be the compressor. So when the vehicle is running and taken out of hibernation, low-mounted compressors tend to blow up, because there is no oil in the compressor, and it's basically dry stating the pump.

Actually the compressor gets too much oil when it is low mounted and liquid cannot be compressed. They make a product called a deslugger that pulses the clutch to rid the compressor of excess liquid before it full engages.

 

[1998_K1500_Sub]

Here's a relevant section I've snipped from the Sanden Compressor Service Guide on Oil Flow Theory.

"Compressor lubrication occurs as the oil which circulates with the refrigerant passes
through the compressor crankcase during operation. The Sanden SD series
compressor achieves optimal durability and cooling performance when oil circulates
through the system at a ratio of 3.3% to 8% oil to refrigerant."

I've probably got some other references at hand but this Sanden guide is the one I found, first.

Sanden also comments on the amount of oil that that should be in the compressor in the steady state. The table from their Guide, below, indicates values from 1.2oz to 3oz. This is of course not a static, resident volume but rather an average volume, as oil is flowing in-to and out-of the compressor during operation.

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[tayto]

Looks like the water pump bearing failed. I wonder if the installer checked the runout before and after the installation.

OTOH, if the clutch is out of balance and a spacer is added, those forces become harder to manage at the water pump on account of the added leverage. Perhaps this is why you didn't find any clutches with long stub shafts.

Yes, I suspect the spacer excelled the water pump failure. OEM ran spacers like this, but only with non-clutch fans. Have read to not run a spacer with a clutch fan. Will get out the dial indicator and have a look though.

 

[1998_K1500_Sub]

Yes, I suspect the spacer excelled the water pump failure. OEM ran spacers like this, but only with non-clutch fans. Have read to not run a spacer with a clutch fan. Will get out the dial indicator and have a look though.

Have you ever seen anyone move the water pump out from the block using two spacers on each pump leg, on a serpentine belt system? This distance is limited by the depth of the water pump pulley and the serpentine belt's travel path across the pulley... perhaps one could move it 1/4" to 1/2" in this way without other changes. There may be other limitations.

 

[tayto]

that would change where the pulley is unfortunately

 

[1998_K1500_Sub]

that would change where the pulley is unfortunately

That's why I said perhaps one could move it 1/4" to 1/2" The belt's running location on the pulley, and the pulley's extra depth, does allow some latitude which could be used, here. It's a limited range, but sometimes anything helps.