A/C Expert help wanted!

Apr 22, 2004 11 Replies
T

I have a leak on an A/C system on a 94 S10 Pickup. They put a die bomb in it and the system leaked down again but I cannot seem to find any signs of the die. Any suggestion on where to look next. Right now I have the engine out of the truck so I have removed the entire A/C system and reassembled it on the floor to keep it dry. I am stumped though. An autoshop down the street said they could tank test the cores up to 140psi. Is that a good idea with A/C parts? The main thing I am trying to avoid is having to remove that evaporator core again after the engine is back in. I'm not sure it is possible with the engine in.



Tim


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T

The evaporator is out. Everything is out of the truck and reassembled on the floor. That is what has me baffled. Is it possible that maybe the leak is hiding behind the compressor pulley or something like that?

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D

The GM R4 compressor cannot keep shaft seals in it -- they leak early and often.

DS

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T

This truck has the V-5 with 4 ears like in this picture

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Do you know if this compressor has the same problems?

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N

Can't find *any* signs of the dye? Not even inside the fittings when you had them apart?

Let me ask a dumb question; are you using the correct black light when looking for dye traces?

Perhaps the dye wasn't properly injected.

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D

I don't know if it does or not.

DS

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T

I can see the green stuff in the fittings when I took them apart. I thought that was the dye so all I have been looking for is green spots everywhere. Maybe I am wrong with that assumption. I have not been using a black light to look for leaks. If I use a black light, what would the leaking area look like. Would it glow, would it have a certain color?

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C

try a black light. it'll glow irridescent green. unfortunately you took the system apart first so now every joint will glow. good luck with backwards diagnosis!! Chip

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N

The whole process depends on using a black light to see the tracer dye. Tracer dyes vary, some fluoresce yellow, some green, some a greenish yellow, some orange.

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K
99% certain to be compressor shaft seal problem. highly unlikley to be evaporator. condenser may be damaged by stones etc. fit new shaft seal to compressor and refit system. pressure test to 150psi using oxygen free nitrogen. if pressure holds for 30 minutes then vacuum system and re-charge ( not forgetting some compressor oil). If pressure does not hold listen for leaks. if leak is small try putting a small amount of refrigerant in the system and re-test with ofn and use an electronic leak detector to locate leak.
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