R134A with Leak Sealer

You might take some wrenchs to all of the connections that you can access and make sure that they are snug. The problems with some leaks is that it is cheaper to add a can or two a year than to fix them especailly if it is a bad evaporator or condensor or compressor seal. Not the best environmental solution but it is a better pocket book one.

----------------- TheSnoMan.com

I'm hung up on the claim that an '05 has needed to be serviced as much as the OP's. I have a '93 Madza MPV that has never needed service, a '94 BMW that I've not serviced in the two years I've owned it, and a '95 Bronco that I recently added a can of R134a. I assume -- but have no actual basis -- that the Bronco simply needed a can of juice after all of these years. Making the same assumption, I'll be needing to look at the Mazda soon.

These systems are very stable, and it seems to me that the life of an automotive AC technician should be a lonely one. I'm inclined to go along with you and the notion that it's cheaper to add a can every so often, but having to add a can to an '05 -- repeatedly add cans, no less -- sends the red flag up the perverbial pole.

Dave, Buy the can that has the guage included. The directions for use are printed on the can, and it's really very simple to add. If you work at it, you can screw something up royally, but if you read the directions and follow them, you'll be okay. Also, get yoiurself one of those thermometers that has a probe for testing food temps -- mine is about 6 inches long and the dial is about 3/4" across -- and place it into one of the vents on the dashboard. I leave mine there all of the time, and it tells me the temp of the air coming out of the life support system.

If you buy the right can, it'll have a chart that tells you what the Low Side Pressure should be at any given ambient (outside) air temperature.

You didn''t say what your Main Squeeze drives, and I inferred in another post that it was your '05 Tundra that was giving you fits.

They make R134 that has some glow-in-the-dark die in it that you can see using a black light. If you used this stuff, your handy black light will make it glow. You will be able to spot the leak, if there is one. You'll probably need to put the car in the shade -- garage with the door up should work okay. I've not used this stuff, but I can't think of a reason why it wouldn't work. (If the problem really gets to you, you could always lower the garage door and keep working ...)

I'm always skeptical about "leak sealers" no matter what the application. In this case if you later have to tear down the cooling system they may add considerable difficulty to the project. But I'd be willing to give it a try on a 5+ year old car that goes through a can a year.

Thanks for the advice everyone.

BTW her car is a 2000 Saturn LS2 (L200).

I ended up trying the leak sealer and it seems to have worked so far, time will tell.

I like the black light die idea, I'm going to have to find some of that stuff.

Thanks again, Dave

I agree that you should not have to on a 05 but if it is out of warranty you have few cheap options. I would check ever fitting for snugness. My wifes 2000 Cherokee A/C did not work when it was new after sitting on lot for 10 month before we bought it (it was a stripped 4cyl model that no one else wanted but actually what we wanted) They replaced the evaporator and it helped for a few years but now it takes about one can a year now which I add in late May or early June and it cools well in summer. I have no plans to tear into it further. I have a R12 system in a car that has not been recharged for about 14 years and it cools really good still.

----------------- TheSnoMan.com

It's too late now. You have to wait until the next time it needs a can of juice.

The only thing I would try a can of Refrigerant with leak sealer in is something that I know is on its last legs and will be taken to the junk yard within 2 years. (IOW if you want to risk never having a working a/c system again, have at it.) I dread working on cars with that sh** in it. I don't like hooking my service equipment up to even when I have special filters attached that strip it out. In my strong opinion all that crap does is gum things up and run the cost of real service and repair up.

A must read!

If I were you Dave I would find a good used leak detector and double check any shops work. Btw are the High side and Low side caps installed tightly on your system? Losing those or leaving them loose is a sure way for a car to need serviced in the future.