Arguably, every car air conditioning unit has oil and refrigerant in it.
These two are essential for proper functioning of the air conditioner.
Therefore, it is prudent for you to check the oil and refrigerant levels from time to time to ensure they meet the level recommended by the manufacturer. The AC refrigerant forms a crucial component of the air conditioning unit. Its pressure varies from one AC component to another to create the desired cooling effect. The oil, on the other hand, lubricates all the moving parts in your AC to ensure your unit runs well. It also protects your air conditioner from unnecessary wear and tear. The oil also cools down the AC as the refrigerant passes from high pressure to low pressure AC components. Essentially, both the oil and AC refrigerant circulates in a closed loop as the compressor operates. With time, these fluids get contaminated with rust, dust, moisture and other materials from a faulty compressor. These contaminants will be displaced all over your AC unit and settle in different parts of the AC. This is what is referred to as AC contamination. Replacing your air conditioner’s compressor when the air conditioner is contaminated will cause the compressor to suck all the contaminants leading to premature failure of your new compressor. Fortunately, you can fix this problem and restore your car AC to its optimum performance by flushing. However, when flushing your car’s AC you shouldn’t flush its expansion valves, compressors, receiver driers and orifice tubes. It is also prudent to consult a qualified car HVAC technician to fix your contaminated AC.