I have a few questions about my motor's air conditioning compressor. Well for starters let me fill you guys in on what I'm looking to accomplish here. I run a 95 Caprice LT1 in my 89 Jeep Wrangler and I left the Air compressor on the motor. I know that there is no way that I can run the air conditioning with it and honestly I don't really want to. But what I do want is to know what type of compressor it is. Is it the type that the refridgerant lubricates the compressor, or does it require a seperate oiler. I am trying to use it to fill up an air tank under my Jeep, say to fill up tires after a trail ride, or to run air tools if I need to on the trail. If anyone has any info, then please post away.
Thanks

 

All air conditioning compressors use oil carried in the refrigerant for lubrication.

And...no you can't make an air compressor out of it.

 

About the only compressor that has been successfully used for compressing air has been the York.

Moisture in the air will likely cause this type of compressor to eventiually sieze. You could try it, but I'm not sure how long it will last. If you use a large inlet filter & occasionally spray some WD-40 (or better yet some refrigerant oil) into the inlet, it may be ok since you will not be using it for extended time periods.

Only one way to find out..... let us know how it holds up.

 

agreed

 

I have an s-10 blazer made into a rock crawler and I use the stock AC compressor as an air compressor for off road stuff. It wouldn't work for an air ride application because you would have to oil it too much. I have some air compressor oil I got from Harbor Freight and I put a few drops in every once and a while. It works great. But you also will have to keep track of it and make sure it isn't getting too hot. But I can fill all 4 of my 35" MT/Rs from 8psi to 30psi no problem and quicker then the air compressor at the gas station where we wheel. Now every one is going to tell you you can't do it. That is because there are a bunch of sites that say you can't do it but they are also talking about for air ride application. I also only run a 3 gallon tank to keep less load on the compressor but 3 gallons is plenty. Also I do deal with this stuff all day at the hot rod shop I work at where we install york compressors in all our air ride applications and before getting this job I worked exclusivly on mini truck air ride setups. Like I said if you watch it and use it just for filling tires and air tools for trail repair I think you should be fine. Just add an oilier on the intake or just put a few drops in the intake every once and a while.

 

I hadn't thought about a York compressor. Guess I had forgotten about them since I haven't seen one since I sold my 77 T Bird a couple of decades ago.