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Double End-Capped PAG 46 Posted by Bill B [Email] (#1884) [Profile/Gallery] (more from Bill B) on Thu, 3 Aug 2017 20:21:53 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
It started with a reluctance to use PAG 46 as an o-ring lube because of its hygroscopic nature which might encourage corrosion of any steel pipe or part in contact with the oil. In my research, I learned that the local Cadillac - Buick - GMC, and formerly Saab dealer uses PAG oil on ac o-rings, corroborating saabsince93b's assertion.
Then I learned that PAG 46 is also chemically active and is involved in the creation of acids in conjunction with the water absorbed which then attacks metal parts, such as the evaporator. From what I have read, Saabs (and many other cars) are constructed by dangling a heater core and an ac evaporator from strings and then building the car around them.
Why would anyone want to put that stuff into their ac system? Fortunately, I am not the first to ask that question. Chemists have developed double end-capped (DEC) PAG oils that are hygroscopic but not chemically active. Apparently Ford and Mercedes specify DEC PAGs.
Shopping for DEC PAG 46 is another issue. Autozone, O'Reilly's, NAPA, and Advance Auto, our local stores, do not carry it. Online there are a few merchants, ACKits and Amazon are two. So it will arrive on Monday.
It is a 2001 base 2.3t with 162K getting a new compressor, expansion valve and receiver, and I do not want to open it up again for at least 100K.
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