A/C loses its charge, can’t find the leak

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bobthetj03 said:
Right on time. 3 weeks in, blowing warm air. Taking it back to the AC shop next week.
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I’d remove the condenser and pressure test it. I bet that’s where the pin hole is based on the two jeeps I’ve had this issue with.
 
1945GPW said:
I’d remove the condenser and pressure test it. I bet that’s where the pin hole is based on the two jeeps I’ve had this issue with.
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That's my next venture, after the AC shop says they can't find it, which they won't.
 
Ugh, what a nightmare. Hope you can figure it out and chime back. Always good to have the data on record.

If I can’t get mine resolved w my mechanic, I met a Jeeper today who knows a place that specializes in auto HVAC. Says they fixed both his Jeep and pickup. Hopeful, at least.

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Update on my A/C. We went away for three weeks. Now that we are back, sure enough, it was acting up again. I took it back this morning. He removed the cap from the low pressure line. Even I heard the light pop. There was pressure behind it, indicating a leaking schrader valve. He replaced it and recharged the system again. I’m hopeful. This is the third time he has worked on and recharged the system. When I asked what I owed him. He said $7 for the part. I gave him 20, 7 for the part and the rest for lunch. They are good people. Hopefully the people on this board that said the valve was the issue are right and this is behind me.


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TJScott said:
Update on my A/C. We went away for three weeks. Now that we are back, sure enough, it was acting up again. I took it back this morning. He removed the cap from the low pressure line. Even I heard the light pop. There was pressure behind it, indicating a leaking schrader valve. He replaced it and recharged the system again. I’m hopeful. This is the third time he has worked on and recharged the system. When I asked what I owed him. He said $7 for the part. I gave him 20, 7 for the part and the rest for lunch. They are good people. Hopefully the people on this board that said the valve was the issue are right and this is behind me.


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You found a great mechanic w integrity! I had mine charged w added dye. Found multiple small leaks in my system, including oil leaking from my compressor. So I’ll be replacing half of my system: compressor, drier accumulator and o-rings. And this guy is charging me AGAIN to charge the system after all is said and done. A total cost of $800. Needless to say, I’m not happy w this guy. Out of principle, I refuse to have him do the work. Found a reputable mechanic to do it all for apprx $700. Got 5 estimates and the highest I received was $1,414.67 ~ not cheap any way you cut it.
 
If anyone here needs an evaporator I’ve got a new mopar that I didn’t end up needing. Asking $280
 
I’m back again for another update. It appears the little cheap valve wasn’t the fix. Part of the problem here is I drive without top and doors a lot. So, I don’t notice the a/c not working. I tried it one day out of curiosity and sure enough it was out again. Took it back again, he filled it again. Sigh With dye of course. I drove it for the weekend and brought it back Monday. He looked high and low and found at the front upper passenger side corner of the condenser the tiniest of leaks. It’s just barely bubbling out. But you could clearly see it once you knew where it was. So, he’s going to replace that for me for just under 500, mostly part. I’m going to have him do the leaky rear main seal too since he will have it. Hoping again that this will resolve the leak permanently.
 
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Suck that the Schrader replacements didnt do the truck. But now you know where the leaks are. Make sure you chime back with an update, after your repair @TJScott

I’ll be driving mine TJ tomorrow (Tue) with my top up. I drove it around this weekend w the doors off (first time this year) and all the windows out. Weather will be nice enough tomorrow to utilize the AC for some part of the day. That will be the 3rd time since my repair. So I’ll chime back too w an update.
 
Hopefully this will bring this thread back TTT. Did a vacuum test today and it held tight for 30 min so I assume the schrader valves are fine as well as the condenser. Ran dye through it 4x and cannot find a dang leak anywhere... changed the evaporator because that is what it must have been, NOPE. It will blow cold for about 2 days before turning warm. Should I just replace the compressor?
 
If your mechanic doesn’t know to spray a little soapy water into the valves to see if they’re leaking then he shouldn’t be working on an A/C system. Only mentioning this because it takes a minute or less to see if you’re leaking and one of the posts mentioned it wasn’t found until the cap was removed.
 
My CJ and Her TJ said:
Hopefully this will bring this thread back TTT. Did a vacuum test today and it held tight for 30 min so I assume the schrader valves are fine as well as the condenser. Ran dye through it 4x and cannot find a dang leak anywhere... changed the evaporator because that is what it must have been, NOPE. It will blow cold for about 2 days before turning warm. Should I just replace the compressor?
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Are you losing refrigerant? If so, no don’t replace the compressor unless it is the cause of the leak.
 
I have read thru all the posts and while several people have mentioned pulling the system into a vacuum only one person mentioned microns, but there was no mention of how many microns. The vacuum held for 30 mins; what are you basing your vacuum readings on ?
IF you are looking at an analog gauge; this isn't really very accurate unless you have an micrometer eye. You need to use a digital micron gauge, draw the system into a vacuum of 500 microns; preferably 250 microns for an hour. This the only way you truly know the system is holding a vacuum.
 
CharlesHS said:
I have read thru all the posts and while several people have mentioned pulling the system into a vacuum only one person mentioned microns, but there was no mention of how many microns. The vacuum held for 30 mins; what are you basing your vacuum readings on ?
IF you are looking at an analog gauge; this isn't really very accurate unless you have an micrometer eye. You need to use a digital micron gauge, draw the system into a vacuum of 500 microns; preferably 250 microns for an hour. This the only way you truly know the system is holding a vacuum.
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Agreed.

But vacuum doesn’t matter if the valves leak as they are open when the gauges are connected.
 
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Rubicon John said:
Agreed.

But vacuum doesn’t matter if the valves leak as they are open when the gauges are connected.
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I definitely agree...
When I would work on equipment and prior to connecting gauges I would test the schraeders with bubbles to see if they were one of the sources of the leak. I found numerous leaks that way while working on industrial and commercial equipment.
 
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CharlesHS said:
I have read thru all the posts and while several people have mentioned pulling the system into a vacuum only one person mentioned microns, but there was no mention of how many microns. The vacuum held for 30 mins; what are you basing your vacuum readings on ?
IF you are looking at an analog gauge; this isn't really very accurate unless you have an micrometer eye. You need to use a digital micron gauge, draw the system into a vacuum of 500 microns; preferably 250 microns for an hour. This the only way you truly know the system is holding a vacuum.
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I have taken it to 3 different mechanics and had dye put in it 4 times...it dumps all the refrigerant in 2 to 3 days and the dye doesn't show up anywhere. I figured the next step was to just change the compressor and cross my fingers
 
Before spending the money on the compressor; there is a good chance that the compressor is not the problem.
I would test the condenser for leaks with a soapie bubble mixture since the dye would certainly show up if the leak were in a hose, one of the many system O rings or the compressor seal.
IF the evaporator coil has a leak; you need to test with an electronic sniffer and test the air coming out the vents when the system has refrigerant in it. Turn fan on low for a few seconds and then turn the fan off. This is the easiest way to test for the leak since the evaporator coil is not easily accessible.
 
CharlesHS said:
Before spending the money on the compressor; there is a good chance that the compressor is not the problem.
I would test the condenser for leaks with a soapie bubble mixture since the dye would certainly show up if the leak were in a hose, one of the many system O rings or the compressor seal.
IF the evaporator coil has a leak; you need to test with an electronic sniffer and test the air coming out the vents when the system has refrigerant in it. Turn fan on low for a few seconds and then turn the fan off. This is the easiest way to test for the leak since the evaporator coil is not easily accessible.
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Will do..since we could never find a leak, I figured it was in the dash so we already changed the coil. Would super prefer to not have to take the dash off again!!!!
 
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