all of you that have had your a/c repaired: what component leaked? i'm trying to determine the most common weak point in the camaro a/c...with fox mustangs it seems the evaporator and o rings leak. it could be a design flaw in the mustang's housing that causes the evaporator core to leak.....do you think it's the same with our camaros? need your inputs! thanks

 

no....fords are notorious for their evaporator leaks. 90% of the time it is our service fittings (shrader valves).

 

The ceramic seal on the compressor. A slow leak is built in, to lube the thing, but most seem to leak just too fast, especially with R-134A.

Seth

 

when i tried to recharge my system, the pressure built up nicely, the compresser switched on and then after a few minutes the pressure just went away! perhaps it is the compresser that's leaking.......

 

Dear Fellow New Yorker,

Did the new freon leak out?
I have seen the filter screens clog, which can drop the low-side to zero. The filter screen is on the orifice assembly.

Back to the original leak notion- I must add that the rubber hose assembly dries out and leaks at its fittings.

Seth

 

thanks...i guess i need to take it to a specialist....know any good, honest a/c guys in the nyc area?

 

I did the work myself, as I trust very few other humans.

No, I am not volunteering, as I have no access to a vacuum pump, until next spring.

Seth

 

how did you test for leaks?

 

Normally, one has to charge and then use a halon leak detector.
Sometimes a leak is very obvious.
Other times, you need to do some detective work. When freon leaks out, it usually pulls oil with it. The oil attracts dirt. Look for this type of residue.
If the filter screen is clogged, it has to be accessed.
Then the source of the dirt must be found and dealt with.

Seth

 

thanks, seth of brooklyn!

 

halon leak detection can be very dangerous, especially with r-12 systems like ours. in case you didn't know, a flame (halon torch) to r-12 creates mustard gas. the best leak detection is flourecant die with a black light.

 

If I recall properly:

Flame + R-12 = phosphogene gas. Not mustard gas.

Mustard gas dates back to W.W.I
Phosphogene gas was not used until W.W. II

Leave it to the *****.

Both were used in the most horrible of circumstances; with the most horrible results.

For an A.C. service tech to poison himself by using an open-flame-type halon leak detector, to find a leak, the leak needs to be pretty f**king obvious, to begin with.
There are electronic detectors, that do not use flame.

Seth

 

Ive had the oportunity to use 2 different electronic leak testers and neither was able to pick up leaks that were clearly visible with the blacklight method (Use a good blacklight and you wont even have to block out the white light). I dont remember their names and I'm not condeming all elctronic testers, thats just my experiance with them.

 

yah, flourescant detection is by far the best detection. ive used electronic detection as well, they work good as long as there is absolutly no wind, and with the engine off. and yes halide torch detection can create a "type" of mustard gas, many technicians have been poisoned, you can look into if you don't believe me. the only reason its not considered dangerous by EPA standards is because the quantities produced by SMALL leaks is not harmful in a well ventilated area, which most A/C shops are well ventilated. if you had a gaping leak, there mostly likely not be enough refrigerant in the system to utilize a halide torch.