A/C diagnosis/repair.
#1
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Im going to attempt to fix my air conditioner myself. Need yalls help.
Im assuming its leaking. The compressor works(last time I tried), but was blowing hot air. Had it recharged, blew cold air for a week, but gradually went back to blowing hot air.
So how do I find out where its leaking from? And when I find the leak, how do I fix it?
I dont want to take it to a shop, because it would probably be expensive, and I dont trust anyone to work on my car.
Any help would be appreciated.
Im assuming its leaking. The compressor works(last time I tried), but was blowing hot air. Had it recharged, blew cold air for a week, but gradually went back to blowing hot air.
So how do I find out where its leaking from? And when I find the leak, how do I fix it?
I dont want to take it to a shop, because it would probably be expensive, and I dont trust anyone to work on my car.
Any help would be appreciated.
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Get refrigerant with dye in it, and recharge the system. Where you see the dye coming out is where the leak(s) are. There's a good chance that the leak will be from the crankshaft seal on the compressor, so it may get expensive no matter what. You can't replace that seal by itself, so you'll have to get a compressor if that's the case.
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Put the dye in, find the leak (likely the compressor IMO) and change just that part out. Then recharge it with auto store freon. This will work fine. Dont listen to the guys that are OCD about everything
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And 99.9% of the time, that "Pro" is gonna put dye in it, won't have an electronic leak detector, and won't have a gauge capable of measuring in microns. In fact, the only time I've ever seen one of those in nearly 40 years of doing this is in a test lab.
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Don't listen to the guys who give proper advice.
If you slap it together and it doesn't work still, don't look at me. Don't blame me for telling you how to waste your hard earned money.
What I suggested means have a pro fix it. It doesn't mean it'll cost $1000, it means the person working on it has proper tools.
When you disconnect a hose from your a/c system you expose it to outdoor air.
Humid air mixed with refrigeration oil creates a sludge that coats the inside of every surface. This coating makes heat transfer less efficient. Yep, bubba's right, it'll "work" depending on whether you want 48 degree cold air or 68 degree cold air.
Hell a working a/c system is one that blows colder air than whats outside right.
If you slap it together and it doesn't work still, don't look at me. Don't blame me for telling you how to waste your hard earned money.
What I suggested means have a pro fix it. It doesn't mean it'll cost $1000, it means the person working on it has proper tools.
When you disconnect a hose from your a/c system you expose it to outdoor air.
Humid air mixed with refrigeration oil creates a sludge that coats the inside of every surface. This coating makes heat transfer less efficient. Yep, bubba's right, it'll "work" depending on whether you want 48 degree cold air or 68 degree cold air.
Hell a working a/c system is one that blows colder air than whats outside right.
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I was at a seminar one time where they had two vials sealed together with a tube. One vial of water, one with polyolester oil. It takes (IIRC) less than 8 hours for 8 ounces of water to migrate into the oil.
Basically the oil sucks water and moisture into it.
I'm sure you've heard claims that the new 134a doesn't cool as well as the old r12 refrigerant did.
Old habits (such as not using a vacuum pump, etc) didn't have as much of an effect on mineral oil used with r12.
Basically the oil sucks water and moisture into it.
I'm sure you've heard claims that the new 134a doesn't cool as well as the old r12 refrigerant did.
Old habits (such as not using a vacuum pump, etc) didn't have as much of an effect on mineral oil used with r12.
Sure, get them at Harbor Freight all day for about $250. Compare that with a can of R134a containing dye that you can charge the customer for. Most shops don't have them. Not saying that they aren't right or useful.
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I don't know why this is a yearly pissing match each year on this board. I skipped out last year.
I have the tools to do mine so I really don't need to worry, care or argue about how anyone else does theirs or their customers or fleets.
When someone asks I'm not telling them how to do it partially right.
I'll explain how it should be done, whether or not the OP agrees, or anyone else, or you and whoever does it another way I don't care.
I have the tools to do mine so I really don't need to worry, care or argue about how anyone else does theirs or their customers or fleets.
When someone asks I'm not telling them how to do it partially right.
I'll explain how it should be done, whether or not the OP agrees, or anyone else, or you and whoever does it another way I don't care.
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thats about all you will probly need + r134a oh and if you wanna do a really good job cleaning out the system before charge use nitrogen.
You have more refrigeration tools than me btw and I manage to keep up my ac so you should be good. Just changed the compressor in my civic last week.
You have more refrigeration tools than me btw and I manage to keep up my ac so you should be good. Just changed the compressor in my civic last week.
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I use a sniffer too. . . But, you can not say it is a 100%
The dye method is also tried and true. Nothing wrong with it at all.
Find the leak, repair it along with supporting parts.
Vacuum the **** out of the system.
Then refill. . . . . . Yes you can do it a few different ways and not just one of them is the 100% right one.
The dye method is also tried and true. Nothing wrong with it at all.
Find the leak, repair it along with supporting parts.
Vacuum the **** out of the system.
Then refill. . . . . . Yes you can do it a few different ways and not just one of them is the 100% right one.
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I'm not the OP BTW.
My hoses are 1/4" and I started with those because I've done a lot of custom r12 to 134 change-overs. I'd use my gauges and put the 134 adapters on after I was done. Or on my stuff I don't use adapters.
And in doing it this way I had to come up with a solution to adapt the small cans to 1/4" hose, I already had a hose crimping die, sleeves and couplers. So I cut the ends off a few cheap hose sets and crimped them onto a decent manifold set, since I have a lot of spares.
The hose itself made for several types of refrigerant.
I don't do automotive often enough to buy (or steal from where I work) a big can of 134a. I use the small cans.
FWIW to those who have refrigerant scales and use small cans, weigh the cans before and after, I've found several cans short of the 12 ounces thats supposed to be in them. Cans of pure refrigerant, not ones with dye or leak stop.
My hoses are 1/4" and I started with those because I've done a lot of custom r12 to 134 change-overs. I'd use my gauges and put the 134 adapters on after I was done. Or on my stuff I don't use adapters.
And in doing it this way I had to come up with a solution to adapt the small cans to 1/4" hose, I already had a hose crimping die, sleeves and couplers. So I cut the ends off a few cheap hose sets and crimped them onto a decent manifold set, since I have a lot of spares.
The hose itself made for several types of refrigerant.
I don't do automotive often enough to buy (or steal from where I work) a big can of 134a. I use the small cans.
FWIW to those who have refrigerant scales and use small cans, weigh the cans before and after, I've found several cans short of the 12 ounces thats supposed to be in them. Cans of pure refrigerant, not ones with dye or leak stop.
Oh I didnt catch that before lol. OPPS!
I bought my manifold 8 years ago for comercial and residential hvac. Non auto. I didnt wanna cut any hoses so I got some really nice adapters. They were kinda hard to find btw. These are my adapters that hook up to my 1/4 hoses.
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Bro Inc not to sidetrack the OP...but I would give my left nut to find someone in my neck of the woods who cared as much as you do about car a/c work, where do you live? Ijust did a 600 mile trip in the blistering heat, my a/c works but does have a leak...any interest? PM to discuss...
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