Had my a/c checked out because it had a leak. Was told the back of the compressor is leaking, apparently there are seals for the pulley wheels in adition to o-rings. Is this a DYI job or am I better off replacing the compressor?

check the amperage draw on the compressor before getting it resealed. could be so tired that a new 1 is a better idea. good luck, chuck.

Hi Andy, I don't know what they mean exactly by the 'back' of the compressor but the compressor has 2 large case seals , 1 at the rear where the rear part containing the valves mates to the main body which contains the swash plate and the pistons, one at the front where the nose piece mates to the main body. There is also a shaft seal, this seals the turning shaft against the nose piece. Then you have the o-rings which seal the hoses to the rear valve body. So anyone of those seals can leak. As to the question of do-it -yourself it can be done if you have a comprehensive set of mechanics tools and skills, and possibly access to some specialized compressor tools, but you still need to find someone with a refrigeration service machine to evacuate and recharge the system after the leak repair has been done. A good competent air conditioning service shop can repair the leaking seals for probably $200-300, then another $150 to recharge the system. Buying a new compressor will certainly set you back more than $300, you might find a rebuild for that.