Car Ac Refrigerant Keeps On Leaking After Many Repairs

[dushanf]

Hi everyone,

Hope you all are doing good.

I'm writing this after standing many hours in AC garages during the past year many a time. Almost every 2 - 3 months.

Before that for an year or so I used to keep on adding refrigerant, only twice for the year then. But now the leak has gotten worst.

Last time I repaired it was not more than 1.5 months ago and still the problem is there.

Car AC system leaks refrigerant.

Then I stick to a single place to do every repair but still the leak is there. However they managed to find some tiny leak every time. And last time it was nitrogen pressurized and checked for leaks and it did not expose any leaks to the mechanics.

And I ended up spending a lot for AC repairs thinking it will be fixed but now I'm disappointed.

Its an old car, 1996 Lancer, but this is the only major problem I got. Is there anyplace you know where they will analyze the system with UV ink for checking the leaks? Or do you suspect anything, can it be the compressor?

Please help.

Thanks in advance,

Best Regards,

Dush

[trinity]

  On 1/21/2016 at 10:48 AM, dushanf said:

Hi everyone,

Hope you all are doing good.

I'm writing this after standing many hours in AC garages during the past year many a time. Almost every 2 - 3 months.

Before that for an year or so I used to keep on adding refrigerant, only twice for the year then. But now the leak has gotten worst.

Last time I repaired it was not more than 1.5 months ago and still the problem is there.

Car AC system leaks refrigerant.

Then I stick to a single place to do every repair but still the leak is there. However they managed to find some tiny leak every time. And last time it was nitrogen pressurized and checked for leaks and it did not expose any leaks to the mechanics.

And I ended up spending a lot for AC repairs thinking it will be fixed but now I'm disappointed.

Its an old car, 1996 Lancer, but this is the only major problem I got. Is there anyplace you know where they will analyze the system with UV ink for checking the leaks? Or do you suspect anything, can it be the compressor?

Please help.

Thanks in advance,

Best Regards,

Dush

Where did they find the leak in the first place and what did they do to stop it.

Not an expert but i think you are better off with replacing the entire part rather than doing temporary fixes. I had my A/C cooler leaking when i checked the car for not cooling properly and replaced the cooler with a recon one. No issue since then.

If Panadura is near for you, there's a really good place i can recommend.

[dushanf]

  On 1/21/2016 at 11:47 AM, trinity said:

Where did they find the leak in the first place and what did they do to stop it.

Not an expert but i think you are better off with replacing the entire part rather than doing temporary fixes. I had my A/C cooler leaking when i checked the car for not cooling properly and replaced the cooler with a recon one. No issue since then.

If Panadura is near for you, there's a really good place i can recommend.

Thank you very much for the quick reply. In the first attempt it was one of the hoses (think the high pressure one which is on top near radiator). But that time they checked the evaporator as well but found no leaks. Second time they found a tiny one in the evaporator. Since it was my 3rd visit to the guarage they made sure everything is fine, did a full clean up, oiled and after testes the system with nitrogen. I was there almost entire day. And it didnt show any leaks. But here I'm again after 1.5 months and I only used the car 5 or 6 days now its not cooling. Blowing hot air.

Thank you, Panadura is not near to me but I would rather go anywhere just to fix it permanently. Where about?

[aamarakoon]

Since you had a leak in the evaporator once, it means that it's life time has ended. Replace the evaporator or you'll end up spending lot of money and time.

[trinity]

  On 1/21/2016 at 2:23 PM, dushanf said:

Thank you very much for the quick reply. In the first attempt it was one of the hoses (think the high pressure one which is on top near radiator). But that time they checked the evaporator as well but found no leaks. Second time they found a tiny one in the evaporator. Since it was my 3rd visit to the guarage they made sure everything is fine, did a full clean up, oiled and after testes the system with nitrogen. I was there almost entire day. And it didnt show any leaks. But here I'm again after 1.5 months and I only used the car 5 or 6 days now its not cooling. Blowing hot air.

Thank you, Panadura is not near to me but I would rather go anywhere just to fix it permanently. Where about?

There could be better places near to you as well. Just do a search in the forum.

Himara Engineering

No 418, Galle Road, Nalluruwa,Panadura.

0777 537409 (Palitha - Owner)

038 2230856 038 4921581

Edited January 22, 2016 by trinity

[tiv]

  On 1/21/2016 at 2:23 PM, dushanf said:

Thank you very much for the quick reply. In the first attempt it was one of the hoses (think the high pressure one which is on top near radiator). But that time they checked the evaporator as well but found no leaks. Second time they found a tiny one in the evaporator. Since it was my 3rd visit to the guarage they made sure everything is fine, did a full clean up, oiled and after testes the system with nitrogen. I was there almost entire day. And it didnt show any leaks. But here I'm again after 1.5 months and I only used the car 5 or 6 days now its not cooling. Blowing hot air.

Thank you, Panadura is not near to me but I would rather go anywhere just to fix it permanently. Where about?

  On 1/21/2016 at 3:33 PM, aamarakoon said:

Since you had a leak in the evaporator once, it means that it's life time has ended. Replace the evaporator or you'll end up spending lot of money and time.

Back in the day I had a similar issue in a Land Rover, somehow it just sheds the refrigerant within a few thousand miles, ultimately ended up replacing every AC component en bulk, starting with the condenser, evaporator, all lines, mounts, the dehumidifier, and painfully the compressor.The bill was 97000 at the time, but it worked absolutely hassle free till the date I sold it (5years+)

I could recommend the place as I have done another semi major ac repair there and their work is extremely good but on the expensive side. Also they recommend to replace any troublesome bit then and there.

The place is in negombo, let me know if its of convenient distance to you

[nano31]

Just check around the compressor and see if there is any oil leaks (AC gas is mixed with oil and oil leak indicate a gas leak) around the compressor. Is it gradual slow leak or sudden leak?

[dushanf]

Thank you all for the responses. I appreciate it a lot.

@ Mechanophiliac, thank you, could you please let me know their address and contacts?

@ Member, thank you, well it happens within an hour or so, while driving you can feel you are loosing the cool and then its just like AC off.

[nsiva]

Hi dushan,

You has two leaks earlier. But are u sure this time also is it a leak?

Did they measure the refrigerant pressure this time too?

In my 2000 cuvic too i had an AC issue.

Can u verify this time whether when u press the AC engage switch, u can feel compressor engaging?

Because there was a AC hi/lo pressure switch in the AC filter in my car. But i thought my compressor or pressure switch gone.

But finally there was a loose connection in that pressure switch which will cut the power supply to the comprssor clutch relay coil.

In this case too- you will get dry air blown only.

Just one possibility.

If this is not, then a failure is happening when the system gets hot -> means clearance in metal pipes will occur. Check whether r they using o-rings wherever essential in such as conpressor connections.

[Davy]

You should probably try a different AC workshop because it looks like your current place is applying patches as an when new leaks show up.

When addressing a recurring leak like this, the right thing to do is replace the evaporator like others have already said. Further, if one joint starts leaking, it would be good if all joints are repaired with new o-rings.

One of my previous cars had a recurring leak on the same place and it would just keep leaking despite repairing it and even changing the aluminium tube. I later discovered that the reason for the leak is a bad engine mount that causes the tube to be shaken rapidly at times, causing the joint to give way. Replaced the mount and no more leaks after that.

[dushanf]

  On 1/24/2016 at 5:12 AM, nsiva said:

Hi dushan,

You has two leaks earlier. But are u sure this time also is it a leak?

Did they measure the refrigerant pressure this time too?

In my 2000 cuvic too i had an AC issue.

Can u verify this time whether when u press the AC engage switch, u can feel compressor engaging?

Because there was a AC hi/lo pressure switch in the AC filter in my car. But i thought my compressor or pressure switch gone.

But finally there was a loose connection in that pressure switch which will cut the power supply to the comprssor clutch relay coil.

In this case too- you will get dry air blown only.

Just one possibility.

If this is not, then a failure is happening when the system gets hot -> means clearance in metal pipes will occur. Check whether r they using o-rings wherever essential in such as conpressor connections.

Hi nsiva,

Thank you so much for your response.

I could hear the compressor kicking in. I still didn't go to the garage but I suspect it could be the refrigerant leak as when ever they checked previously it had no gas.

It kind a happens when the engine is hot and once it has happens then it wont cool even in the morning with a cold engine.

Thanks a lot for your inputs. Appreciate it.

Best Regards,

Dush

[dushanf]

  On 1/24/2016 at 7:37 AM, Davy said:

You should probably try a different AC workshop because it looks like your current place is applying patches as an when new leaks show up.

When addressing a recurring leak like this, the right thing to do is replace the evaporator like others have already said. Further, if one joint starts leaking, it would be good if all joints are repaired with new o-rings.

One of my previous cars had a recurring leak on the same place and it would just keep leaking despite repairing it and even changing the aluminium tube. I later discovered that the reason for the leak is a bad engine mount that causes the tube to be shaken rapidly at times, causing the joint to give way. Replaced the mount and no more leaks after that.

Hi Davy,

Thank you so much for your response. Yes I agree and I will try a different place now and replace the evaporator first and check on the joints.

And what a valuable insight you have shared with me and the rest of the world. No one would imagine that an engine mount can cause these problems.

Thanks a lot Davy. Appreciate it.

Best Regards,

Dush