Well someone must sell a block off kit because my ‘09 has one; that is how it was when I bought it a year ago. I’m considering searching down the culprit and putting it back into service. I have done this before with an ‘08 Suburban.
Above the right rear wheel along the frame rail, you can see the refrigerant tubes. The leak in the Suburban was caused by stones being caught between the tubes and it cutting into them. Yup, if GM would have wrapped them with tape or sleeved them for a few dollars more, it would have lasted so much longer.
Buy a UV light and some UV dye injection to find the leak. If you start searching and it’s a hot mess with UV dye everywhere then take several cans of brake cleaner and clean the area so you can pinpoint the leak.
You can actually buy a tube patch kit. It’s a Michigan company that makes them specifically to repair holes in A/C tubes. You cut out a section and install the all-inclusive kit. That or cut, install nuts, flare, and tighten.
If you look at the second photo, you can actually see where the tube degraded. IIRC, I tried welding it too with that aluminum brazing crap but that didn’t bond well. There are solutions out there after you locate the leak.
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