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Where did my 134a escape from?

YY1

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Last year before it got cold, I was talking with a neighbor while my 73 idled in their driveway with the AC on.

My neighbor pointed to the car, and there was a puff of gas coming from the passenger's side of the grill.

Turns out the AC lost it's charge.

Fast forward to yesterday >>>>

I now have a gauge set and some cans of 134, plus I bought a new dryer, thinking that's what gave out.

So I get my hand held blacklight and another party type light and close the shop door.

Huh, can't hardly see nuthin.

There are some fine splatter droplets of dye on the top of the core support and on the front of the condenser, but I don't see any on the dryer, the lines, the fittings, or anything.

There's no big spot on the condenser either, like I'd suspect if that sprang a leak.

It's been about 30 years since I've done any AC work other than adding refrigerant.

Is there a common area of failure that might point me in the right direction?
 
"Fast Forward To Yesterday"

That's a great name for an album.
 
Condenser #1 on Chrysler. Partially refill it and see if you can find leak. 134a is cheap.
 
Is there a common area of failure that might point me in the right direction?

I usually look to anything that is a joint first, whether screwed or bolted together. All blends and replacement refrigerants seep thru rubber seals and hoses much easier than r12 did. If you think the condenser, then look for any possible crack at mounting too. We use a horse trough type tub to check evaps and condensers in conventional ac... just have to rig a way to pressure them up.
Was the system dyed before the leak???
 
Buy a can of UV dye and one of these.. Works great and when you find the leak it will stick out like a sore pecker in a whore house.
9220007_atc_ac992uva1cs_pri_larg.jpg
 
got to use the uv dye to find it. Thats how I would do it.
 
If the leak is big enough that you saw a cloud just inject compressed air & follow the air blowing out of the system back to it's source.... If you have trouble pin pointing the leak use soapy water..
 
If you had no charge all winter you have major problem as the oil absorbs moisture
if you still have pressure evac the rest then pressure with nitrogen to 5 or 600 lb
as that is the pressure you could get with poor air flow at idle and blow out a fitting
 
Thanks everyone.

I looked at all the fittings in that area.

The only other place I saw any dye was at the high side fitting on the comp.

I think that was an old leak.

Is it safe to put compressed air into it?

I thought about that but was concerned about contamination.

How do you seal and test just the condenser?

I think I may just put another can of 134 in and maybe spray soapy water in that area.

This system has been working since 2012.

I put one small can in about 4-5 years ago, and another last summer.
 
If you are adding freon every season, its time to replace the O rings throughout the system, then pull a vacuum and see if it holds. If it doesn't hold a vacuum, add a shot of dye and maybe a can of freon and search for the leak. From your initial post, I would be looking closely at the O ring at the condenser or even the condenser. When these old systems are converted to 134 refrigerant the O rings are supposed to be changed from the black ones to the green ones. If they were not changed when converted to 134 they will fail.
 
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I added twice in 9 years.

...in Florida.

It was professionally converted by the previous owner and had a conversion sticker, however I can't speak to the O ring style.

Wish I'd have bought that $5 halogen leak detector at that estate sale 10 years ago.

I did check all the places where there are connections.

What I can't figure out is why I'm not seeing any obvious dye other than 1/32" splatter dots.

If it lost a whole can worth or more, you'd think there would be a big spot somewhere.
 
Is it safe to put compressed air into it?

I thought about that but was concerned about contamination.

The concern is moisture in the air, hence bm02tj's suggestion to use nitrogen.... But I checked my pockets & I'm out.... Compressed air works & since you should be pulling a vacuum on the system after repair it won't hurt a thing...
 
That IS funny as hell, but that's my problem.

It isn't.
 
I would not put compressed air in any refrigeration system or pull a vacuum until I was sure it had no leaks. Otherwise your just pulling in more air through the leaks. The dye just mixes with the oil so the oil becomes more visible. If you pressurize with nitrogen and leave it sit that will just tell you that you have a leak. Soap bubbles can be very small and hard to see on a small leak, impossible to see if it’s in the coil. Taking things apart just to test or replace seals you don’t know are leaking is just asking for more leaks. The best way to test is with a refrigerant leak detector. Once you get close you can pinpoint with soap.
If you saw a big leak all at once perhaps the pressure relief valve opened?
 
perhaps the pressure relief valve opened?

The what?? Never knew there was something like this on a vehicle.... It would explain some things tho, if he threw two cans in over the years without knowing there was ever a leak.
 
The what?? Never knew there was something like this on a vehicle.... It would explain some things tho, if he threw two cans in over the years without knowing there was ever a leak.
Nothing older had a relief valve, probably mid-80's would be the first...
 
Places you can't see. The evaporator, the shaft seal, etc.
 
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