Hey folks. I took apart my A/C system during the week but not before I had a shop make sure there was no R-12 left in there (It all leaked out over the years) and so I was going to use my R-12 A/C pump as an air compressor. I already bypassed the safety switch which prevents the clutch from engaging onto the pulley and I also took off the two hoses that go the A/C system. I got it to run and it puts out ALOT OF AIR! I am gonna use an “Inline Tool Oiler” on the side that intakes the air and on the air line thats gonna go to my air tank I am gonna install an Oil and water Separator. Has anyone else done this? Do I need to do anything else? or (As I was told by a car A/C Mechanic) The A/C pump should live a long and happy life as long as I keep the intake line oiled with the inline oiler? I also Fabricated an intake Filter for the pump so no dirt or other harmful particles get into it.
hmmm sounds interesting, any pics and whats a “inline tool oiler” when its at home?
ill be running a rv2 mopar compressor on my old dodge…10.2 cfm 
I’d like to do this on my 1999 honda civic!!
Inline tool oiler like this?
http://www.amazon.com/Tool-Aid-98500-Line-Automatic/dp/B002XMSA14
How much is the oil separator?
I doubt that inline tool oiler will work for lubricating the pump. They’re designed to provide a little oil to air tools. It might extend the times to add oil. Those A/C pumps only have compression rings because the freon flows through the entire pump and acts like a lubricant. As an air compressor the crankcase needs plenty of lubrication.
The old York pumps would discharge 1 ounce of oil from the crankcase every hour of operation.
Oil separators (coalescing filters) should be as far from the pump as they can be. On the output of a tank is the best location. Check Grainger online to get an idea of their cost.
What type of compressor? If it’s relatively common, there may be a complete kit for it and you would simply convert it.
Also make sure the oiler you end up using will be suited for your needs. My EDC is a Sanden SD-5 series and requires a special grease for the modified internals.
-Kris
I’ve heard that Yorks are very very popular to convert to being an air compressor. Partly because they have their own oil resovoir, like they are designed to be lubed that way anyway, so it has a system that prevents oil from spitting through the output port.
I might search to see if it is possible on a civic. I’ll also look up the compressor part#/brand that comes with a Civic like mine.
Trying to lube a compressor that wasn’t designed to be lubed by oil I’d assume would be tricky and would be dangerous if any oil got on the engine somehow. Messy too I’d guess.
A standard York will discharge oil through the output port as I stated above and the level has to be checked regularly with a dipstick. The optimal level in an ET210 is about 10 ounces and the minimum is over 6 ounces or it might seize from lack of lubrication. Any amount over 10 ounces will get discharged faster and more could hinder its operation.
The nice thing about them is they can make 200 PSI easily. They can go higher because one customer told me his pressure switch failed and when he realized it and shut it off manually the pressure was 300 PSI. I told him he needed a safety valve.
how much psi does it put out?
My car takes either a Denso or a Sanden. Still trying to find the right model numbers. It seems like a messy business with the oil and all. Good luck repeatman, let us know how it goes… and what oiler thing you end up using and what oil catcher you end up using (and if you end up with oil filling up the bottom of your tank!)
@repeatman How do the tubes connect/lock to the compressor? Is it done with fittings like how we would connect a tube to an air tank?
I read on some other forum sites that they have been pushing up to 140psi but Im gonna see if I can get it up to 200psi. They can handle 200psi when the A/C system is charged on the high side which is the side I am using.
@danwat12345 I am just gonna clamp on the oil catcher on the out line so My tank doesn’t fill with oil lol. I will update this as I go along. I made some phone calls yesterday so this is kind of going to be a bit of a slow project but I will see what happens once I get everything setup.
Sanden SD-5 (SD-509) is what you’re looking for.
-Kris
Is that for a 6th gen Civic with the d16y7 engine?
EDIT Seems like my engine/car can take a Sanden TRS090… when I look up AC kits for 96-00 Civic on ebay, that’s what I find. It might be code for Sanden SD-5, not sure.
Is ~$100 for a used compressor sound about right, or could I do much better going to a scrap yard?
EDIT: The sanden sd-5 is a 5-cylinder piston compressor, the TRS(A)090 is a scroll type compressor
EDIT:, username “PaxtonTransAm” on jeepforums said on a thread (about 8 years ago), that scroll type compressors aren’t good as EDCs because they don’t do much when the engine is idle.
So should I only consider piston-style compressors? Would scroll-type still be more fuel efficient for the same work done?
New post:
I am now 95% sure that my car will take the Sanden TRSA09 (also maybe called the TRS090) scroll type compressor.
I could buy it $95 shipped used, not remanufactured.
I think that the Denso model that my car takes is a 10PA15C, 10 cylinder.
EDIT: Now 100% sure for both!(2000 HONDA CIVIC 1.6L L4 SOHC A/C Compressor | RockAuto)
EEDDDIIIITTIT: Above edit with rockauto link is inaccurate! Sanden is for Civic CX, DX, maybe others, Denso is for the Civic SI! So only Sanden for my engine
The Denso is nearly twice the cc/revolution than the scroll type Sanden but I don’t know if that really translates to nearly twice the air pumpage per turn of the compressor. The denso moves 155.3 ml (or cc) per revolution, which is nearly as much as a York 210, which is 169 ml/rev.
Questions;
- Where to find the 4 bolts to mount it to my engine block (junkyard duh)
- How much cost is involved in getting an inlet oiler, inlet air filter, and an effective outlet oil catcher/recirculator.
- Should I get a Denso piston-style instead.
- Will a piston-type or Scroll type have better longevity in this application and will one have a much higher chance of being able to pump up to 150psi?
- Is there a strong likelihood that a good working compressor that I get might not be able to pump up to 150PSI? (will stop doing work at some point, won’t pump up more)
Yeah, makes sure you’ve got either the Denso or the Sanden. I’m seeing both on the searches I’ve done … also check which pulley you’ve got; 5 groove or 6 groove. I’m finding new Sanden TRS090 compressors from $200 to just under $300 depending on the grooves on the pulley.
-Kris
del me
I think mine is 4-groove
i looked and it is 4-groove. Yep so if the cc/revolution is a good indicator of performance, i’d definetely go for the piston type compressor, as long as it can handle 150psi because it is nearly twice the cc/min as the scroll-type Sanden.
Problem is that the Denso isn’t seen very much online, whereas the Sanden compressor is all over the place and much cheaper.
So I’d need to find the Denso 10PA15C for less than $150 to ever do this… has to be 4-groove and the proper 4-bolt mounting pattern.
Rather than guessing on an inline oiler device, I’d probably just oil it myself by adding an ounce or 2 for every hour of operation into the inlet hose/tube.
–>What’s a good oil/air separator? Air filter?