Well, what would you do?

[swathdiver]

While I was in the hospital the refrigerant in the cooling system bled down. Sniffer didn't locate a leak and neither did the dealership. When we pulled the front bumper cover to do other work, we found the leak, it was at the lower connection on the condenser with the line that goes to the accumulator. The system was discharged, the o-ring between them replaced, vacuum pump put and and then re-charged. Well, to make a long story short it's still leaking.

So, my question to y'all is, would you now replace the condenser and line and probably the accumulator or attempt to reseal the two with a new o-ring again? Mind you, the front bumper cover has to come off to do this. I hate shot-gunning parts but have to consider the amount of work involved to get at this.

I know, I know, I've said I'd take it to the dealer but just can't bring myself to let them work on my car!

 

[OR VietVet]

What about adding dye to pinpoint the problem. I have seen people put dye in and not see the leak because the rare part that was leaking was the evaporator.

 

[TollKeeper]

I agree, add a dye charge to it, and find the leak. Shot Gunning parts on a AC system can get expensive quick. Might be the front seal on the AC compressor, Evaporator, accumulator, rear AC components, theres just a lot of could bes..

Could be as cheap as a Schrader valve

 

[Tonyrodz]

What about adding dye to pinpoint the problem. I have seen people put dye in and not see the leak because the rare part that was leaking was the evaporator.

I agree, add a dye charge to it, and find the leak. Shot Gunning parts on a AC system can get expensive quick. Might be the front seal on the AC compressor, Evaporator, accumulator, rear AC components, theres just a lot of could bes..

Could be as cheap as a Schrader valve

Good advice right here. I'd do the same.

 

[OR VietVet]

I forgot to add: If you do add dye and then find and fix leak, flush the system out.

 

[swathdiver]

We did find the leak, don't need the dye. The leak is the same place that I "fixed", at the bottom connector at the condenser with the line that leads to the accumulator.

 

[CaptainAmerica1]

If you’re vacuuming the system down and it’s holding then I would assume you are overcharging the system when you’re adding refrigerant, causing a leak…

 

[Tonyrodz]

We did find the leak, don't need the dye. The leak is the same place that I "fixed", at the bottom connector at the condenser with the line that leads to the accumulator.

Maybe the O ring got pinched causing it to still leak?

 

[OR VietVet]

When you created the vacuum and got to the reading you wanted, how long did you turn off the pump and watch the vacuum needle?

 

[FrankU]

Swath...hope whatever you done in the hospital had a good outcome.