Slow Air Con Leak
Discussion
The AC lasts about a month and I've asked the garage to take a look. They've tried the UV test that the recharge machine puts in and also spraying everything with leak detector and looking for the bubbles but nothing. I think they said the only bit they couldn't easily get to was the evaporator but it is unlikely to be that. Any suggestions of where to go from there?
My Saab had a similar problem. AC lasted about three weeks between fills.
The "nothing thickers" had first go. 3 attempts, no joy, but they did put dye in the third time.
Then I found myself a local mobile AC expert. He turned up in his van with his old, battered equipment and 30 years experience.
Got the compressor, his scales and a gas bottle out and set about it. Checked what was left in the system, extracted it, filled the system with nitrogen (safe pressurising) looked all around with a torch but not a UV light, said "aha", and showed me where a lagged pipe close to the exhaust manifold was leaking. It was actually the rubber hose under the lagging that was leaking, which was why the thicker fitters couldn't see it.
So my suggestion to you is that if it takes 4 weeks to leak out you too have a slow puncture, and it may be a weeping pipe, but the key is to get an AC expert in. Mine charged me £30 for that job, and £50 for recharging the system on my wife's car.
My TVR expert changed the pipe for me and had the system regassed , as the pipe had to be ordered and he had the car in for service anyway.
You need the AC expert to diagnose, but your TVR expert can do the spannering as the parts will need to be ordered.
The "nothing thickers" had first go. 3 attempts, no joy, but they did put dye in the third time.
Then I found myself a local mobile AC expert. He turned up in his van with his old, battered equipment and 30 years experience.
Got the compressor, his scales and a gas bottle out and set about it. Checked what was left in the system, extracted it, filled the system with nitrogen (safe pressurising) looked all around with a torch but not a UV light, said "aha", and showed me where a lagged pipe close to the exhaust manifold was leaking. It was actually the rubber hose under the lagging that was leaking, which was why the thicker fitters couldn't see it.
So my suggestion to you is that if it takes 4 weeks to leak out you too have a slow puncture, and it may be a weeping pipe, but the key is to get an AC expert in. Mine charged me £30 for that job, and £50 for recharging the system on my wife's car.
My TVR expert changed the pipe for me and had the system regassed , as the pipe had to be ordered and he had the car in for service anyway.
You need the AC expert to diagnose, but your TVR expert can do the spannering as the parts will need to be ordered.
I see you are in Surrey, I can recommend this bloke: http://www.ifieldairconditioning.co.uk/
He sorted the AC on my Cerb twice due to cracked pipes at the compressor.
He sorted the AC on my Cerb twice due to cracked pipes at the compressor.
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