Need help with A/C gaskets / o-rings

[eljay]

I am replacing several A/C components on my 2005 A4 1.8T and replacing gaskets as I go.

I bought a Santech MT2622 kit, which is supppsed to be for our cars and have every possible gasket needed.
However, the gaskets included are too thin compared to the original ones I've removed from the car.

I just soent 2 hours and visited 5 shops without luck trying to match up the Audi o-rings.

Are those Santech kit o-rings OK tobuse despite being thinner?
I'm down to the gaskets on the dryer and the passenger side condenser.

FYI, the original gaskets look good after 12 years and 174k miles and when I had the system evacuated, the mechanic said that it has still correct high pressure, so everything was sealed well. But I don't think I should be reusing the original o-rings, right?

[eljay]

Anyone with experience with these?
Here's what the difference with the original being the thicker one:


These go to the dryer lines.

[19jdog]

I replaced my a/c condenser and like yours my o rings were thinner than the oem. I installed anyway and filled up with R134. So far so good, its been a week!

[eljay]

I replaced my a/c condenser and like yours my o rings were thinner than the oem. I installed anyway and filled up with R134. So far so good, its been a week!

Thank you! That gives me some hope. I'll give them a try. The shop will apply vacuum before refill, so they should be able to catch an obvious leak before filling. I just don't want to take things apart again to change an o-ring.

[Spike00513]

ELSAwin probably says to install new O-rings, and lube them with PAG oil.

I wonder if your refrigerant will have a UV dye in it, so that you can spot it with yellow UV glasses if it ever leaks in the future.
But hopefully it won't leak.

I wonder how much more expensive OEM PN O-rings are. Wasn't sure if they were yellow or purple. I guess the latter.

[tHatOne guY]

you'd be right.. they are purple. and they are a bit pricey as I spent about 5$ ea for the 3 O-rings just for the condenser from my dealer.

A Santech a/c o-ring kit (100 piece kit) goes for about 30$

[5ktq]

Maybe the old o-rings are swollen. I think I noticed something similar replacing the seals on my mkiv. Or maybe the kit I had was shit.

[tHatOne guY]

The oem o -rings are pretty thick. At first I used the santech kit and unfortunately a few months after that a leak at the condenser developed.. the only place I used aftermarket o- rings, which were in deed a good bit thinner ..

[eljay]

I hope that won't be my experience. The system got a refill today and held vacuum fine and is now blowing ice cold. So, let's hope it holds long-term and hopefully, I can catch any leak in time before any issues develop.

[eljay]

FYI, I measured them and those Santech o-rings are 1.7mm thick and old OEM ones are 2.2mm.
The ETKA spec is 2.5mm thick for 2005 MY. :(

[leftovers]

I just replaced my compressor the other day and I noticed the same thing in the o-ring kit. It came with ~50 o-rings and not one of them matched the OEM one I needed. Fortunately, the OEM one looked to be in good shape. I figured I would just reuse it. It has to be better than using one of the thin ones, right?

[evilhomer]

ECS has every single O ring for a reasonable price, problem is they don't tell you which ones go where. So I ended up with the santech kit on a car that I replaced the low side hose, dryer and condenser. I noticed right away that they were all thinner than OEM and assumed they would all leak but so far no leaks from any of those spots.

[19jdog]

I hope that won't be my experience. The system got a refill today and held vacuum fine and is not blowing ice cold. So, let's hope it holds long-term and hopefully, I can catch any leak in time before any issues develop.

So, is everything all good?

[eljay]

So, is everything all good?

Yes, so far, so good.

[BARRY]

for AC lines i ALWAYS ALWAYS for all cars go with OEM. aftermarket almost always never fits or eventually leaks.