Finding a AC leak
Finding a AC leak I just don't get it, I tried and tried. . . . This is on a 07 Ram so not a F-Body, but the same crap really.
The AC leaked out all the refrigerant in a few months. Now I filled it back up and added a can of die and refrigerant(no stop leak garbage).
It's been in for almost a week, now it's low on 134a. I looked and I looked, I see absolutely no leaks anywhere.
WTF?
I also tried my SnapOn sniffer. Same result, absolutely nothing.
I don't get it. . . . . Even if it is the compressor front seal I should see it. . . I would think.
The AC leaked out all the refrigerant in a few months. Now I filled it back up and added a can of die and refrigerant(no stop leak garbage).
It's been in for almost a week, now it's low on 134a. I looked and I looked, I see absolutely no leaks anywhere.
WTF?
I also tried my SnapOn sniffer. Same result, absolutely nothing.
I don't get it. . . . . Even if it is the compressor front seal I should see it. . . I would think.
That is one place I have not looked yet. . . . .
I just didn't even think about it since the truck is so new.
Really, evaporator?
How can it have a leak? Or more like WTF. . . . .
I will check it though. . . .
But, will the compressor always show oil residue or die if it is leaking from the front seal? I can't see under the clutch and pulley.
I was an extended warranty claims adjuster and paid for car repairs for a living all day every day. Dodge and Jeep trucks have common evaporator leak issues. If you don't have any luck finding it before you tear into the dash it is usually worth it to save yourself the stress to pay the Dodge dealer the 75 - 100 bucks they will charge to diagnose it. I am a GM tech at the dealer and if you are unfamiliar with the car and the common problems they have even a trained eye can have a hard time. The guys at the dealer see the same crap every day and usually know what it is before they even pop the hood because the same stuff usually breaks on each type of car.
You also need to know how much of a leak it actually had for the week. When you originally recovered the system before adding any refrigerant how much was in the system? How much did you put back in after you recovered and vacuumed down the system? How much did you recover a week later? If you only leaked out less than a lb. of refrigerant in the week the leak is pretty small and you might not be able to find the leak with the blacklight or the sniffer. Are you using a proper AC machine with real ac gauges or just guessing with autozone crap in a can? To properly do AC work well you need to use the real deal machine on hard problems.
I have no recovery machine. . . . But, I do have the necessary tools: sniffer, quality manifold gauge set and a evacuation pump.
The system takes exactly 2 cans to fill up.
Now I am really leaning towards the evaporator. The owner of the truck said he smells a odd odor from the vents. . . . Hmmm
I am doing this work for him as a favor. The stealership is no place for someone who I know I can help out.
He took the truck in less then a year ago. They did nothing except charge up the system and replace the dryer. They said it's leaking. . . . Ummm, maybe the compressor. . . . Top notch service there.
The system takes exactly 2 cans to fill up.
Now I am really leaning towards the evaporator. The owner of the truck said he smells a odd odor from the vents. . . . Hmmm
I am doing this work for him as a favor. The stealership is no place for someone who I know I can help out.
He took the truck in less then a year ago. They did nothing except charge up the system and replace the dryer. They said it's leaking. . . . Ummm, maybe the compressor. . . . Top notch service there.
Last edited by samson_420; Mar 15, 2011 at 01:18 AM.
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This is such BS. . . . I seen evaporators in 70's cars that are just fine.
And I know it, you have to remove the dash. Doing the compressor is like doing a oil change compared to taking out the damn dash.
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Joined: Oct 2009
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Banned
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 992
Likes: 1
That is one place I have not looked yet. . . . .
I just didn't even think about it since the truck is so new.
Really, evaporator?
How can it have a leak? Or more like WTF. . . . .
I will check it though. . . .
But, will the compressor always show oil residue or die if it is leaking from the front seal? I can't see under the clutch and pulley.
I just didn't even think about it since the truck is so new.
Really, evaporator?
How can it have a leak? Or more like WTF. . . . .
I will check it though. . . .
But, will the compressor always show oil residue or die if it is leaking from the front seal? I can't see under the clutch and pulley.
It seriously sounds like you are unfamiliar with AC because any part of the system could be bad going into a problem. Anything that refrigerant is contained in can leak. The system has pressure and things under pressure can leak. The evaporator is constantly going from near freezing temperatures with AC on to pretty high temps without ac on and engine running. Any part on a car can break and an evaporator is not the end of the world. In the labor guide an evaporator pays about 6 hours on that truck. A good mechanic can do any job in half if not three times faster than the published customer pay time. At the dealer techs do there warranty jobs under warranty time which pays about half of customer pay so the evaporator done under warranty would pay a tech likely only 3-4 hours and would likely get done in that amount of time. It sounds like you offered help on more than you are willing to bite off so it is best to leave the job and say sorry I can't figure it out. There is no guarantee that it is the evaporator so what happens if you take it all apart and that's not it then you will be really pissed.
That's y I am trying to make sure I determine which part is actually faulty unlike most shops that will just start changing parts < You know this is a fact.
Tearing out a dash sure does not sound like fun, but it's not the end of the world - But it sho sucks.
As far as how familiar with AC, I would say a 8.5 out of 10. Pin pointing the exact faulty part is a different story.
Tearing out a dash sure does not sound like fun, but it's not the end of the world - But it sho sucks.
As far as how familiar with AC, I would say a 8.5 out of 10. Pin pointing the exact faulty part is a different story.
That's y I am trying to make sure I determine which part is actually faulty unlike most shops that will just start changing parts < You know this is a fact.
Tearing out a dash sure does not sound like fun, but it's not the end of the world - But it sho sucks.
As far as how familiar with AC, I would say a 8.5 out of 10. Pin pointing the exact faulty part is a different story.
Tearing out a dash sure does not sound like fun, but it's not the end of the world - But it sho sucks.
As far as how familiar with AC, I would say a 8.5 out of 10. Pin pointing the exact faulty part is a different story.
That's y I am trying to make sure I determine which part is actually faulty unlike most shops that will just start changing parts < This is not a fact. It only is if you go to Pep Boy like shops that hire wash out technicians at bare minimum wages.
Sure thing. . . . And according to the stealership he would have a new compressor.
Only true experience the tools at the Dodge Stealership have is repetition. They check the same crap I do.
Just because they seen the last 10 what ever go bad, that is what they know. . . < Fact, not an opinion.
Is there quality techs out there? Of course. . . . Is there a lot? . . . . I don't think so.
Back on topic. . . . I know we can bitch back and forth forever, but I would like some help not just crap talking.
I am doing the work, no one else. . . . And I would like the most possible helpful advise. So, far I have seen some which will be helpful. Hopefully it will help me find what I am actually looking for.
Only true experience the tools at the Dodge Stealership have is repetition. They check the same crap I do.
Just because they seen the last 10 what ever go bad, that is what they know. . . < Fact, not an opinion.
Is there quality techs out there? Of course. . . . Is there a lot? . . . . I don't think so.
Back on topic. . . . I know we can bitch back and forth forever, but I would like some help not just crap talking.
I am doing the work, no one else. . . . And I would like the most possible helpful advise. So, far I have seen some which will be helpful. Hopefully it will help me find what I am actually looking for.
If you know it has a leak it must be coming from somewhere. Start at the condenser and move around the system following the lines. Lots of stuff can leak and not have any build up or oil around it especially if it is a small leak and has not been doing it for a while. Refill with refrigerant and test with system running for a couple hours with your sniffer. Do not let the car go and come back. If its leaking the best time to use your sniffer is right after you recharge it and let it run for a bit. Switches can leak, the service ports can leak, compressor, lines, seals to the lines, evaporator, condenser.
After another two hours of eye ******* the AC system it has been confirmed that the damn evaporator is fucked.
I took out the blower motor and a air flow sensor then hit with the UV light. Yup, nice n' green. . . .
The evaporator looks fricking nasty. It does not use a cabin filter and he has big family. The evaporator looks so clogged that you can barely see the fins. It seems that the dust and crap settled on the evaporator kept in moisture and the aluminum started to corrode. . . . . . This is on a 07 with only 60k < What the gay? Oh well, removing the dash should be fun
I took out the blower motor and a air flow sensor then hit with the UV light. Yup, nice n' green. . . .
The evaporator looks fricking nasty. It does not use a cabin filter and he has big family. The evaporator looks so clogged that you can barely see the fins. It seems that the dust and crap settled on the evaporator kept in moisture and the aluminum started to corrode. . . . . . This is on a 07 with only 60k < What the gay? Oh well, removing the dash should be fun
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Yep they corrode and start leaking......i seen it so many times its insane....Chryslers are know for this. The seams leak too, I would test the new one before you put it in AND I wouldn't buy a factory evap, go get a good afermarket.