What could cause a compressor to overheat?

Insufficient refrigerant is a primary cause of compressor overheating in an air conditioning system. When there is not enough refrigerant circulating, the compressor has to work harder to achieve the desired cooling effect, leading to increased pressure and temperature within the system. This lack of refrigerant means that the compressor is unable to effectively remove the heat from the refrigerant, causing it to overheat.

In contrast, excessive lubrication can lead to other issues, but it typically does not directly result in overheating a compressor. High ambient temperature can contribute to higher operational temperatures but is not the sole cause. Similarly, a faulty thermostat may lead to system inefficiencies or improper cycling, but again, it does not directly correlate with compressor overheating without the context of other system failures. Thus, insufficient refrigerant is the most significant factor leading to compressor overheating, resulting in potential compressor damage or failure if not resolved.