A/C Compressor

While I had the van apart I took the opportunity to disassemble the a/c compressor to see how they are made. It was interesting to say the least.

The heart of the system is the eccentric plate
that drives the pistons instead of the typical
crankshaft.

The double ended piston. The depression that
can be seen is duplicated on the upper portion
of the piston and bearings that are rounded on
one side and flat on the other are seated here.

A very blurry picture of the bearings. But you
can see the rounded and flat sides of the bearing.
The rounded sides ride in the depression and the
flat side rides on the plate for smooth operation
of the pistons.

A view of the upper cylinder housing. The shaft
seal that can barely seen in this photo is far
different than that of seals in the past which
were made of a carbon ring which was the
rotating element placed on the shaft and a steel
stationary seat that was mounted on the front plate.

A front view of the valve plate.

A side view of the same plate. Just to the right
you can see the roller bearing and one of the
spacers that the bearing rode on. The bearing
is mounted on the shaft and sit against the piston
housing.

The upper valve plate mounted on the upper
piston hosing.

Two of the pistons in the cylinders.

Close up of the pistons and drive shaft assembly.

Upper and lower cylinder sections assembled.