AC problems

[john99gtp]

Well shit

 

 

Looks like I have no AC (actually, havent HAD AC since IDD)

 

I have 0psi right now, even though I filled it up to 75LBs on wednesday (engine off).

 

Even with the refridgerant (however you spell that word) in, it was still blowing somewhat warm air. Then yesterday i checked, and sure enough, its back to 0psi.

 

 

My question is, is there a way I can find the leak myself? I really dont want to take this into a shop, I really dont have the money to do that right now. Id rather try and find the leak, then duct tape it closed I believe when we swapped the engine, we musta busted a line, cause since my wonderful ohio trip, it hasnt been working.

 

Any ideas?

[Crazy K]

well you could use a leakfinder either a red die or a UV type.

 

do you have any clue as to the leak location? sometimes you see residue or bubbling.

 

You vented the system? did the compressor get changed with the engine or just removed???? see if one tof the seals got missed on reassembly!

 

 

[99RegalGS]

Look for oil and dirt on the a/c lines!!!

[john99gtp]

Look for oil and dirt on the a/c lines!!!

 

 

i will, eventually. But theres so much dirt anyways.

 

 

You vented the system? did the compressor get changed with the engine or just removed???? see if one tof the seals got missed on reassembly!

 

 

No, we didnt remove the compressor or anything, just disconnected it from the block and left it in the bay.

[Turbo231]

Hello John,

 

As with what was said, in order to do it at home, you need a leak detector, i.e. some black light dye or the sort. You'd put in the dye, fill the system, run it, let it leak down, then hit the engine bay with a black light...bulbs are cheap at most novelty stores, and your leak will jump out at you. If you don't see a leak in the engine compartment, check the evaporator which is probably under your dash for a leak there.

 

Lets pretend you find the leak, say a seal somewhere, and you fix it. Great. In order to properly fill the system, you'll need to pull a vacuum on it. For that, you'll need a vacuum pump, the cheapest is a compressed air venturi pump, Harbor Freight for under $20. Then, presuming you didn't lose a lot of oil, you'll need to add R-134A in the amount to get your low end pressure up to snuff. At that point, you should have Cold Air with they system set to MAX and Cold. If not, then there is another problem somewhere in the system, but we'll hit that in the next edition of this thread.

 

FYI, you can purchase a complete gauge set from Harbor Freight for about 50 bucks. This reads both the high side and low side of the compressor, and has a fitting that allows you to connect vacuum, oil, or R-134A with a sight glass to see what is happening. Very handy if you plan to service your fleet of cars. Note that R-12 and R-134A fittings are different.

[TheEddie]

What he said^

 

Also, if you have any friends at shops ask if you can borrow a sniffer, I just did my A/C (compressor. o'rings, vac, charge) and we used a sniffer to check for leaks before and after, worked pretty well. Same idea as the dye really but faster!

 

Ohh, how I love the cold air...

[GnatGoSplat]

O'Reillys had a leak detector kit, I think it was around $15?

Came with a can of pressurized UV dye that you inject into the system, yellow safety glasses, and a UV LED pen light.

It works fairly well.

 

On cars with GM V5 compressors (W-bodies, J-bodies, etc) they tend to leak at the compressor shaft seal.