A/C Compressor Black Death

 

Black death is caused when A/C Oil breaks down. A/C Oil is mixed in with the refrigerant to keep the air conditioning compressor  lubricated. When it breaks down it causes the compressor, condenser and other parts to no longer be lubricated and thus overheat. The actual black ’sludge’ is actually a combination of solder flux from the condenser, alumninum from the compressor and other contaminants. This new ’sludge’ cools and hardens in various parts of the system. Notoriously the low side of the system including the condenser, orifice tube, expansion valve etc, etc.

It cannot be flushed out. Most of the system, including condenser, will have to be replaced.  Attempting to install parts in a contaimated system will almost certainly cause the system to fail.  The compressor pumps with very small tolerances and any debris will get trapped in the compressor pistons and cause it to fail.

 

air conditioning compressor