Find a Air Conditioner leak on your Vehicle for almost free!!

Find a Air Conditioner leak on your Vehicle for almost free!!
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[deankay]

The entire system can handle high side pressures at 300 PSI. The 25-30 PSI is low side operating pressures. Shout out to Nathaniel Bolden, its called a condensor bro! Nice catch! There are also pressure switches on lines that have fittings, compressor has over-pressure-relief valves that leak as well. We use nitrogen with a regulator, but most manufactures put leak UV dye in the system before it leaves the factory. Yes, placing the system in a vacuum will cause moisture to boil at room temperature, but if you do this, heat the receiver/dryer (High Side) or accumulator (Low Side) with a hair dryer or heat gun. This raises the temperature to aid in removing moisture, but installing a new one is best practices. UV light in a flash light style are everywhere and work great. This helps find leaks in the middle of the CONDENSOR or look at the water drain, sometimes a hose or slot in the evaporator case (Where condensation drips out of) for VU dye signs as well. This is just a little friendly advise and not putting this method down. Hot is Hot and no one enjoys that. Also, oil has to added back into the system, otherwise you'll damage the compressor. That is 2 oz. for each component replaced other than the compressor. So, if you change the CONDENSOR and the receiver/dryer then add 4 oz. of PAG oil for R134a systems. Ester oils are used in static A/C systems, like your house. This will turn into acid when exposed to moisture the next time a fitting leaks, then you'll have corrosion thru-out the entire system. You did a decent job go helping people with this issue if their A/C quits. But there is a lot of things to learn using best practices. ASE Master Tech since 1978 / Retired.

[oljames]

..Good Deal Nathan!! I like that idea. It makes sense to pressurize the system, after all it is pressurized...!!

[IncreaseThaPeace]

Thank you so much man.I had spent so much money trying to find the leak and it end up being a big hole in the condenser. i rigged the air compressor hose to 134a hoses and it blew that UV dye out that hole. You tha man.

[ronniewetherington]

This video was obviously made before 2020 when the cost of everything is going sky high! You're lucky to find a can of R134A anywhere presently for under $10!

[billdonohue]

My air compressor is set for 125 psi. I hook it straight to the low side, like you did. But easier with more pressure. The system is good for 300 psi, so no problem.

[brianbrazil]

Compressed air works if you have a set of gauges and a vacuum pump to pull it into the negative before recharging the system. Any moisture in the system will contaminate the refrigerant and cause the pressures to go too high which will result in losing refrigerant through the high pressure valve or destroying your compressor. Buy yourself a cheap set of gauges and a vacuum pump if you plan on working on air conditioning systems. They probably cost less than one service to your AC system and you will be able to do it for the rest of your life. Also look up the manufacturer specifications on refrigerant weight that is supposed to be inside your car. Only put in what's needed for best results like my Chevy truck took 1.8 pounds that is less than two small cans. Also avoid the UV s*** that sucks

[Daveunruh]

compressed wet air is great for the receiver/dryer.

[keithnoneya]

Good Job! I do mine the same way. A can of R134A and dye cost about $30.00 bucks so by the time you find it and recharge it that's around $90.00 bucks, ($30.00 Dye Can for troubleshooting + two $30.00 refill cans minimum). So why waste the money, just put compressed air in it for free. Granted there are times on a slow leak where you have to do it the expensive way with dye and you have to let it out into the atmosphere, provided if you don't have a $400-500.00 Evac System and a $100.00 Reclamation Tank. You could take it to an AC tech but that's a lot of money & time to take it to a tech who has that equipment. You can also put about 90lbs in the system and run it for 3 seconds and watch the gauges. If the pressure on the low side drops to around 40psi and the high side goes up to around 180psi you know the wiring, electrical switches and compressor are good. Then all you have to do is find the leak, let the air out, fix the leak, air it up again to check for leaks. If all's good, pull a vacuum and fill it. If you use air for leak testing, you MUST PULL A VACUUM or the water in the air you put in will corrode all the metal components in the system in a few months and start to damage your system. Great video. Thanks for sharing with all of us. Best Wishes & Blessings. Keith Noneya

[conwellboccia]

If you have access to a nitrogen bottle, you can pressurize the system with nitrogen (cheap) without adding moisture. Works with soap bubbles, UV dye & electronic leak detectors. Obviously, you must evacuate the system before recharging.

[rainbowhaus]

Can we know at once that there is a leak/s by just reading the low side gauge?
Thank you.

[CH-pyzv]

You should evacuate your ac system before you fill with Freon to make sure it will hold a vacuum. This will also boil away any moisture in the system for the ac to operate at it's optimum. 😁

[martindecena]

do you put the freon when the car is off?

[RC-Heli]

I have a leak on my Kenworth dump truck that I can not find to save my life.
It started last summer.
Right now it's been sitting with 155 psi Nirogen for 35 minutes and hasnt budged.
If I vacuum it down and charge it it cools very good but only lasts a couple days before I loose enough freon that the air blows warm.
I have soaped every thing over and over x 100, even took the evaporator out and soaped it yesterday .
I'm suspecting the compressor shaft seal.
This systems fan cuts on at 320 psi on the high side and quickly pulls down to 200psi.
Dye did help me to find a leaky schraeder valve but I'm using pag oil for that now. In fact and ac tech said that a good way to keep Schrader valves from drying out and leaking is to put pag on top of them and put the caps on.

[indiajesuslovesyou]

Also I have found that if you take J-B weld when system is not pressurized and put the quick dry stuff around every hose where it enters the metal crimp! let is cure overnight and then pressurize system.

[rubbermallet]

that is a really interesting idea, i've never thaught about it 👌
thanks for sharing 👍

[disabledvet]

Most dollar stores carry r134a now. I found it at dollar general for 6 dollars for a 12 ounce can.

[JoseDiaz-rdfh]

I wonder if you could do the soap water trick with freon. If you top it off with Freon when it starts to leak out it will create bubbles too one would assume

[mohammadrezarasooli]

Hi guys, you should not let to be moisture or oxigen in the AC System, thus after finding leakage or not you must vacuum the AC System with vacuum pomp.

[marxseet]

how about turning on the AC and spray the soap water instead? After all, when it is ON, the compressor will increase the pressure inside.

[tweedybyrd]

Do the car have to be on when checking for a leak?. And how many cans is a 26.5oz if using 12oz 340g