Rear a/c leak

[08navigator]

The site I posted has kits with rubber hose with fittings,also tubing. You should also replace dryer and orifice.If it was me I would start to replace from inside to splice and go forward to a open area along frame rail that is easy to work on.I don't really remember how the connections are inside to get to. the site I sent has a lot of a/c parts and retro kits maybe call or email with you problem.The orifice is easy to change the screen gets plugged. Also make sure you get the correct color !!


Also found this site
Auto Cooling Solutions
Specializing in Rear AC replacement parts Air Conditioning
Automotive • Industrial • Heavy Truck • RV • Marine

This is the company I called. They are making the expedition hose replacement now and plan to have it released "before the hot season" as they put it.

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[08navigator]

The site I sent you has kits with i think are sections of the rubber hose and a assortment of fittings.maybe you could use rubber and go up inside the back panel and start from there.You will also need a new dryer they suck up moisture like crazy. If you do not replace the unit is likely freeze up on you, then defrost and start working again.If it was me I would start in the rear compartment with metal or rubber and go forward to where you could splice in somewhere along frame rail that is easy to work on.That's just me. If you are going to go with the alum I would get a tubing bender. They sell spring ones or you can slide rubber hose over so it doesn't kink while bending.I did a few of under dash units years ago that everything was adapted to the car or truck. Try the site I posted and ask them Questions. Its only a email or phone call. No I do not have anything to do with them.Just trying to help

Do you know where the dryer is located? The only thing I can find is a new tube and this desecant bag which I assume goes in the tube. I'm guessing I don't need a new tube just the desecant bag. Is it something I can get to without pulling the radiator if it indeed is attached to it?

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[08navigator]

I found this. Looks like it's attached to the condenser which is in front of the radiator correct? If that's the case I think I see it on the driver side and I should be able to easily access it from under the car. View attachment 2010-04-11_225553_drier.pdf

Here's the cartridges I found on rockauto

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog...ng,a/c+receiver+drier+desiccant+element,16858

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[08navigator]

I've never drawn a vacuum on any of the a/c systems I've cracked open. Just re-charged. Never had a problem.

The issue with that in my case is that this has been completely de-pressured with a hole in the line near the rear wheel all winter long. I definitely have some water in my system. You may have been ok if you opened and closed it up fast enough.

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[08navigator]

Lot of bad info in this thread, liquid refrigerant and oil will damage skin/eyes. Be safe, wear gloves and goggles. Best way to check for leak after repairs is with nitrogen. If air/moisture is left in a closed refrigeration system it will create acid and damage compressor. Could make repairs and have system charged at shop.

I won't be pressuring the line up with air. I'll be pulling an extended vacuum on the system, seeing if it holds, if so I will Purge the charge line of air then charge the system. If it leaks I will have the vacuum pump and manifold to charge it again when I fix the leak.

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[08navigator]

Vacuum pump won't remove it if you put on line as that's a long way from the ports you are vacuuming from. If you shoot it in with a small pressurized can of pag46 you will do it after the pump down.
You can even do repair, hook pump up to high (small line) side then use charging hose or gauge hose to hook to low side one stick other end into oil. Using red side gauge handle valve to control suction.
Then after oil is in hook hose end to manifold gauge and open red high side valve again full open for 4-5 mins before opening blue low side.
When pumping down always open valves all the way.
I reach down and manually turn comp over by hand 10-15 times to displace any air in the up to six pistons they have.

Do you have a video showing this? My lack of knowledge on this subject is making this procedure slightly hard to understand. Thanks TobyU!

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[Motorcity muscle]

How many people doing this work at home have access to nitrogen or a regulator? Sure, anyone can go buy one but not everyone has the funds to do so.

As for leak testing the best way is actually in a vacuum with a micron gauge. A vacuum decay test would laugh at a pressure test and can be done much faster than a pressure test. A legit pressure test should sit for 24hr while a decay test with a micron gauge takes an hour once its below 500 microns.

I find more leaks in commercial and industrial equipment with a decay test over a pressure test but again, not equipment the home mechanic owns.

As for acid being formed from air and moisture being left behind. Automotive AC compressors aren't affected by acid like a traditional compressor that runs on AC or DC voltage is. The acid actually breaks down the coating around the motor windings causing a short within the windings. Automotive compressors don't have have windings and the acid doesn't eat steel, brass, copper or aluminum so....

I am in no way saying its ok to purge refrigerant before charging or to skip a vacuum but when the equipment isn't available you do what needs to be done because in an automotive application, it will work!

Always wear PPE! Glasses and gloves are important

My point was be safe, do it once and correctly. Acid is not good in any closed system. Who pissed in your corn flakes.

 

[TobyU]

My point was be safe, do it once and correctly. Acid is not good in any closed system. Who pissed in your corn flakes.

A residential commercial HVAC Tech with more than likely a 608 certification coming in to give comments which are inaccurate or not the standard operating procedure for automotive air condition system which is mostly a 609 certification.
I doubt you would be able to find a shop that even carries nitrogen for AC leak testing. Where as almost every HVAC commercial or residential Tech has it in their van.
It's just not done in the automotive field. Nor is there an issue with acid and compressors.
It's not about doing it right or doing it wrong. The point is using nitrogen and talking about acid in a compressor is not right when you're discussing automotive air conditioning systems.
You also won't find anybody talking about superheat in the automotive AC world. Nor will they discuss temperature drop. The only thing about temp that will ever be discussed and usually only in training or Theory discussions will be ambient temperature and inside center duct temperature with fan on high in recirc position at 1500 RPMs.

 

[TobyU]

Do you have a video showing this? My lack of knowledge on this subject is making this procedure slightly hard to understand. Thanks TobyU!

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Sorry, I don't. I absolutely despise YouTube videos because I just can't scroll through them fast enough to get to the good stuff. People moving their camper around I'm taking forever to actually show you something and often not even actually showing but the time of the video is, just drives me nuts.
If you're referring to sucking in the oil oh, I just mean that once you have the vacuum pump hooked up to your Centre manifold yellow hose port and the red and the blue low and high side lines hooked to the low and high side and the valves open to evacuate the system.
All you have to do is shut off your manifold valves and then unscrew one of them from the manifold. If you unscrew the low side hose from the manifold gauge and is still hooked to the low side port it will start sucking in air.
You can stick this hose-end into your container of oil and then crack open your other side valve and turn on your pump so it will suck in until the proper amount has gone in.
You just want to hook the hose back up to the manifold set but leave the side you put the oil in closed for a few more minutes so it doesn't try to suck any oil back out when you open the valve.

 

[08navigator]

Sorry, I don't. I absolutely despise YouTube videos because I just can't scroll through them fast enough to get to the good stuff. People moving their camper around I'm taking forever to actually show you something and often not even actually showing but the time of the video is, just drives me nuts.
If you're referring to sucking in the oil oh, I just mean that once you have the vacuum pump hooked up to your Centre manifold yellow hose port and the red and the blue low and high side lines hooked to the low and high side and the valves open to evacuate the system.
All you have to do is shut off your manifold valves and then unscrew one of them from the manifold. If you unscrew the low side hose from the manifold gauge and is still hooked to the low side port it will start sucking in air.
You can stick this hose-end into your container of oil and then crack open your other side valve and turn on your pump so it will suck in until the proper amount has gone in.
You just want to hook the hose back up to the manifold set but leave the side you put the oil in closed for a few more minutes so it doesn't try to suck any oil back out when you open the valve.

Ok I understand what you mean. Instead of going that route I found this.
https://m.autozone.com/a-c-charging...-pro-46-pag-oil-charge-with-ice-32/424620_0_0

It's 1oz of pag oil, 1oz of r134a and 1oz of some other ice additive they use. I'll blast this in and then charge the system. Looks like I need 55oz. I bought 5 12oz r134a cans. I'll do my best to only put 6oz of that last can into the system.

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