Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting A/C question

My air quit blowing hot air so I figured the it was out of R134. I bought a kit and recharged it which was no sweat. Car blows icey cold now. I was discussing A/C w/ a friend and he said the R134 recycles and I most likely have a leak. My car is over 6 years old BTW. So do I have a leak to look into or am I fine?

The refrigerant R-134 does recycle through the system and and in the process is compressed, expanded, and changes from liquid to gas and back again. It's a thermodynamic process that uses many components in the A/C system. The refrigerant will leak if one of the seals is bad. Some leaks are gross, some real small. Your system has a leak. Refilling could be fine for a while, depending on the size of the leak. The A/C shops will inject a dye into the system. The dye is detected with a UV light. If the leak is small, it may take a few weeks, then they check for leaks. Once the source of the leak is found, it could be repaired. Keep in mind that the A/C shops have equipment to do the job right. This includes evacuation equip and lubricants that go into the system. They use a gage device to properly charge the system. They also "charge" the customer!I have never found a bargain shop for A/C. But when fixed right, it won't leak. Many cars go a long time without losing refrigerant.

Let's see..

First it worked, then it didn't. You added more and now it works (for now).

You have a leak.

Thanks guys. The kit I bought comes with a guage so you know how much is in the system. The kit comes w/ 3 cans and 1 can of lubricant. IT's about 35.00 at your local parts store. If it lasts 2 years I'll be happy. Still cheaper then taking it to a shop.

Sounds like an Interdynamics "Death Kit".

Might as well pick up a can of leak detector dye and some Stop Leak. The Stop Leak will cause the existing seals to expand somewhat and hopefully seal your leak. The tracer dye will help pinpoint the location of any leaks that may persist.

That didn't sound good. I think that's the kit.

I had to replace my "Condensor bottle"(I think that's what it's called). The problem was that it has a metal band around the outside to hold it in place. The combination of the 2 rusted and erroded. The small bottle unit is located at the front of the engine compartment on the drivers side. You might want to take a look at the condition of that unit. Sorry I can't edumacate ya better on the proper name. Good luck though A/C can be pricey.
Rob