Trying to find a slow AC leak. I put a 13.oz can and it will only last a week. I tryed the soap/water around the hose but nothing and any fitting i could find. Is there any other way in finding this leak? A shop wants to charge me 150 to 200 just to find the leak.

Thanks

 

The reason the shop wants to charge that much is because they are just going to recharge your system and add a dye. That is the going rate for a recharge. Prob. a good idea now just to buy a new compressor, O-ring kit, and orifice tube and put it in yourself. Then just bring it to the shop for the purge/re-charge. Still looking at 5-600 bucks!! Sucks I know!!

 

Some shops use a proab that picks up the fumes. But my guess is it's going to be the compressor. Witch the manufacturer of the new compressor your going to buy wont honor the warrenty unless the orifice tube and dryer are replaced at the same time. Man it's getting hotter!

 

I have plenty of 134 at work and am able to recharge it any time i just want to find where its leaking so i could replace what ever is needed.

 

as I said, the shop would not only charge your system but inject a dye also. Depending on how small the leak is, your cans of 134 wont find it. You could find another shop that uses the proab that detects a leak by the air around the AC parts. Just be ready for a new compressor. No matter what they find, it wont be cheap. If you decide to try and just fix where you think it's leaking you'll still have to have the shop charge the system. If you don't have the equipment to purge your system after you repair anything, the repair wont last long. All air and water must be sucked out of the system before charging. If you take anything off your not only going to loose the 134 but air and water will get in. I'm sorry, but when it comes to AC systems, the DIY approach is not the best way to go. Again, you could replace the compressor, dryer andorifice and then go to the shop if you wanted. But finding a small leak at repairingit yourself is not as easy as it seems.

 

check the schrader valves on the low and high side with soapy water with the caps off.

 

If its leaking out that much within a week, Id hardly classify that as a slow leak With that much leaking, you should almost be able to hear it. The problem is that its likely leaking on the high pressure side and only when its running (and under high pressure). I would go ahead and dump another can in it to build up the pressure which will make it easier to find. If you cant find it around the ports like groundhogman said, try checking the high pressure fittings with the compressor running.

 

I will give that a try, also will a reg. black light high light the dye .