AC Lubricant. What is ICE 32? Snake Oil?

[Kurtatron]

I attempted to reseal my Denso 10PA17c compressor. If you have opened up a compressor before, you have seen the bunch of plates that control the inlet and outlet of refrigerant. The order is easy to mess up if you don't know what you're doing. I messed up the order and literally ground my compressor down to dust. I opened it up to find fine grey sludge. Thankfully the way I messed it up prevented any of the sludge from contaminating my AC lines.

Now I was able to determine where i messed up, using this diagram. I need to get a new (used OEM) compressor, but when I was recharging the system, all auto stores were touting something called ICE 32. It's some kind of lubricant that is supposed to improve Compressor life and performance. Does anyone know what this is? Is it snake oil?

 

[Chris142]

Our last supplier really pushed that. We had to use it to keep the warranty. No idea if it worked as advertised. I always guessed it to be ester oil.

 

[MolaKule]

Your OM and specifically the service manual should specify the type of Freon and Lubricant the A/C system will need.

I see no industry tests or oil properties for this stuff.

 

[DukeOfFrontenac]

"Not For Human Consumption" Tells me a lot right there.

 

[nthach]

When I tore down my AC to reseal it, ICE32 was added to parts store oil. That stuff is also hawked in commercial HVAC. I didn’t bother.

 

[GMBoy]

Only use the oil recommended by the OEM.

 

[Snowflake White]

Forget about this nonsense, use exactly what the OEM said in the repair manual.

 

[JDenyer232]

Exactly what others have said. Use only OEM approved oils. How did you grind the compressor to dust without sending junk out of the high pressure side and into the system?

 

[kschachn]

Exactly what others have said. Use only OEM approved oils. How did you grind the compressor to dust without sending junk out of the high pressure side and into the system?

Yes how is that possible?

 

[nthach]

Yes how is that possible?

I assume the OP fudged up the install of the reed valve plates and gaskets. Having torn down and reassemble a Denso 10PA20C Lexus V8 AC compressor successfully on my first try, it’s very easy to lose track on parts order.

 

[kschachn]

I assume the OP fudged up the install of the reed valve plates and gaskets. Having torn down and reassemble a Denso 10PA20C Lexus V8 AC compressor successfully on my first try, it’s very easy to lose track on parts order.

But how doesn’t that result in the metal shavings being distributed throughout the system?

 

[Kurtatron]

No, the reed valves were assembled in such a way that valves were prevented from opening at all, meaning the pistons were experiencing pressures high enough to grind the bearings. The outlets of the compressor were clean as a baby’s bottom, but inside it was metal paste.