josh1107

recharged it, stayed cold for a couple of days, get a puff of cold air when i start it, then warm again....help!!!

samson_420

iTrader: (1)

The refrigerant is leaking out. . . . .

Next.

Mr Incredible

I've done some a/c work but it was mostly remove/replace parts. I always went to a competent shop for the evacuate/recharge since I don't have a good vacuum pump.

Try some refrigerant with a tracer in it to find where your leak is. Remove/replace appropriate parts or tighten connections. Recharge.

Or, take it to a shop for all that if you need to.

That's the order I'd take it in. FWIT...

However, on the other hand, I recall that overcharging can cause the orifice tube to freeze up and the system will cease functioning until it defrosts. The cycle repeats. I would say this might be the problem if there is at least some cold for a while.

josh1107

yeah, thats what i figured too. ill take it in.

thanks
josh

samson_420

iTrader: (1)

Get the lube ready. . . . And not for your car.

josh1107

that bad huh!?!

samson_420

iTrader: (1)

Suck it up and repair it yourself. . . It will be worth the time.

josh1107

is there any kind of leak repair refrigerant? i had a power steering leak one time, and put in some power steering stop leak stuff. worked good, anything like that for a/c?

Dewey

iTrader: (1)

when you say you recharged it, did you add a whole can of refrigerant, or just charge until a kit or a gauge said full? If pressure is built up in the system, the kits that you get at autozone (and even the professional ones) will say charged, when in reality the system is empty. I ran into this problem with my truck, and all i had to do was vent the gas out of the system.

josh1107

ill see if the haynes manual says anything about it

josh1107

update: i recharged the a/c with a can that has the uv stuff in it. it took a full can. the a/c ran cold. i couldnt find any traces of the uv, but i did find air(somewhat cold) blowing out. i dont know if this is normal or not, i was hoping someone would check their car for me. i took a pic of the passenger side of the engine where the a/c components are. the part that was leaking looks like the block the hose from where the recharge hookup is with 2 bolts vertically on either side of the hose, almost as you go under the windshield. i dont have a photo resizer, but here is the link...
http://photos.walmart.com/thumbnails...921/t_=6072921
only had the leak when the car was running. this could be normal, but i dont remember it doing that on my 98 camaro.

thanks
josh

Cobra2WS6

iTrader: (22)

I need to charge my system.. WHich side is the low side? By the canister or over by the radiator

dragonrage

Don't mean to offend with a stupid question, but you did look with a black light, I assume?

A couple of side notes:
-Refrigerant doesn't need recharging over time unless there's a leak. Even after 50 years.
-There are R134a replacements that can get much colder. There are butane/propane mixes that work well (and are no more flammable than R134a), and then there's stuff like ES-12a (which is NOT R12). Some of the replacement options are more resistant to leaking due to larger molecules. Of course, the best thing is to fix the leak first and then consider using this stuff after.

josh1107

its by the canister, the hose that comes with the recharge kit will only hook up to one place...
i didnt use a uv light, i was hoping to see it with my bare eyes. i did take it in and they said the compressor and condenser were leaking.
-if i bought the car knowing the ac was broke and they dealer said they fixed it, but really they only charge it and the next day after i took it home it blew hot air, do you think i have any recourse?

jaysan

iTrader: (8)

it might be your compressor , I had the exact same problem

samson_420

iTrader: (1)

Take it back and bitch. . . . Make them fix it. . . .

dragonrage

Did you buy it from them with the promise that they'd fix it, or did you buy it then take it to them? If the latter, what service did you ask for? Did you ask them to fix your AC, or just to recharge it? I assume the former. If so, then your recourse will be to have them really fix it and recharge it, and refund you the original price they charged you, and if you don't give in (but also don't act like a jackass), maybe give you a little extra off for the inconvenience. I doubt they're going to refund you if you don't have them fix it.

If you bought it from them and they claimed they would (and did) fix it, then they are legally responsible to do so, and will probably budge. If not, you have a court case if you have any proof that they said they'd fix it. Small claims will do it.

The Vex

My problem is the same, and my condenser (or was it evaporator?) is bad. you can have the shop use a sniffer to see where the refrigerant is leaking out of, mine was coming straight out of the vents. But I have windows and t-tops, so I rarely use it.

Pharm0r

iTrader: (17)

Whaaaaat?? you have windows!? no way.