2000 impala ac compressor leak

I was wondering if someone has any advice on an impala LS I recently purchased. Air did not work when I bought it so I vacuumed system and charged, AC worked wor about a week then quit. Put leak detector in and recharged, this lasted 3 days. Leak was coming from around where compressor is pressed together. A friend owns a junk yard and he gave another compressor and it leaked after a couple days in same spot. Now have 3rd unit on and doing the same thing. Do these go bad here or am I doing something wrong? Help me out before I spend money needlessly.:confused:

I was wondering if someone has any advice on an impala LS I recently purchased. Air did not work when I bought it so I vacuumed system and charged, AC worked wor about a week then quit. Put leak detector in and recharged, this lasted 3 days. Leak was coming from around where compressor is pressed together. A friend owns a junk yard and he gave another compressor and it leaked after a couple days in same spot. Now have 3rd unit on and doing the same thing. Do these go bad here or am I doing something wrong? Help me out before I spend money needlessly.:confused:

when replacing the compressor did you replace the seals and place some refrigerent oil on them...also are you sure that you have enough refrigerent oil....you will use pag 150....use of other oils will damage the seals and cause other problems..

Yes did all that, leak is where the two halves are pressed together. Every one leaked in the same place.

Yes did all that, leak is where the two halves are pressed together. Every one leaked in the same place.

how did you determine the exact leak area...soap bubbles,leak detector,dye ???

leaking in this area is not common...usually the shaft seal,,,or the use of old mounting gaskets to the piping..

did you use pag 150...oil ?


I would charge up the a/c and look for soap bubbles at this seal....and the other compressor leak areas...

how did you determine the exact leak area...soap bubbles,leak detector,dye ???

leaking in this area is not common...usually the shaft seal,,,or the use of old mounting gaskets to the piping..

did you use pag 150...oil ?


I would charge up the a/c and look for soap bubbles at this seal....and the other compressor leak areas...

I used leak detector and UV light. I guess it is possible that the seals were bad and was blowing back into the area I was seeing the dye at, there was so much dye you could see it with the naked eye. I ordered a compressor and installed it and recharged the system and has been good so far. I'll post results after if has been on a few weeks.