A/C Leak Testing and Repair Videos

On the YouTube channel there were two videos about fixing a refrigerant leak and charging the system on a 95 Jeep. I'm sure they are here on this site, but I can't find them via search. I searched for "Jeep", "A/C", "Leak", "95 Jeep" and they are not listed. I looked under the HVAC area and they are not there. Any suggestions? ->

Found them - still on YouTube

Wow, just wow. I never imagined myself coming up to speed on this stuff. My guy, who is great at his main work, fell down on diagnosing my son's A/C when it held pressure, the compressor ran, and no cold air came out. Maybe I can figure this one out on my own.

Now I just need to get a set of gauges past the tool hostile Family Finance Committee.

One thing to keep in mind is the heater flaps control te mixing of hot and cold air so a lack of cold air may not be an AC fault but a heater If the system is losing gas it is worth doing a soap bubble test on the Schradder valves.

Is that what we would have called a 'blend door' back in the day? On a hot day with the cabin control on cold you pretty much get air at the same temp. as the surrounding air. Move it to hot and it comes out hot. Still, I will try to have a look at it in action. Thanks.

Back when we were young the heat was controlled by a water valve these days the heater is continuously hot and the air temperature is controlled by blending hot and cold air. What I normally do when first check an AC system is feel the temperature of the HP and LP pipes first with the engine off then engine on and full AC on.

Well, it never got that far. I tried it today and the compressor didn't turn. So I put my brand new set of gauges on it and found that it lost all the coolant over the winter. So these videos are going to help me. I will start by looking for the leak.

I have had very poor luck with the A/C on these old bugeye Subarus. I used to just take my 02 (we still have it) to the dealer and it never cost less than a grand. I may fail at this but I'm not handing over another blank check without taking a run at it myself.

4/14/2019 update. I was an idiot. You can barely see the belt that drives the A/C compressor since it's behind the serpentine belt. It felt good and it looked good. Someone talked me into changing it and the old one was a bit glazed down in the grooves. With a new belt the compressor is compressing rather than appearing to seize. I just may get this working. I also may sell my tools and take up knitting. That was humbling.

I watched the videos and learned a lot.

2003 Subaru WRX - I pressurized with air and found 2 leaks, both o-rings that I replaced. But I taunted the automotive demons by saying, "Just maybe I can do this." When I tried the test of the compressor with 110 psi of air (5 seconds), it turned a little, then it froze and the belt (properly tensioned and new) started slipping. Once I release the pressure the compressor turns by hand.

At this point I can reasonably assume that I need a compressor, right? Maybe a little car like this needs way less pressure for the test?

You don't need to put a massive pressure into the system to find leaks, the last system I tested I used a 12v tyre inflator it took the AC system up to 50 psi in a few seconds. Even with compressed air in the system a refrigerant sniffer tool should be able to detect a leak. Also don't forget major suspects in pressure loss are the Shchrader valves

Roger that. I may be done leak testing. After the 2nd o-ring was replaced it seemed to hold. I'm testing it/boiling off the water with vacuum right now.

In Paul's video he put air in the system and ran the compressor for 5 seconds. This is where my test circled the bowl. The clutch engaged, the compressor made a few rounds, and then it stopped and started slipping the belt. I released the pressure and the compressor can now be turned by hand. Since it didn't work the way it did in the video I'm wondering if I have my answer - suck it up and buy a compressor.

I learn by breaking things and asking a lot of questions. This isn't looking like it will be any kind of exception to that rule. But I love solving problems.

I just wanted to follow up on this, especially since it has a happy ending.

Those videos were exactly what I needed. I never even thought about doing an A/C repair before. I replaced 2 leaking o-rings and a leaking Schrader valve, the drier, and the expansion valve. There was no refrigerant in the system so I was able to work without an evacuation. I bought a $75 set of gauges and used a borrowed vacuum pump. (O'Reily has a loaner here.)

I had a bad belt (hard to see on this car) that had me thinking that the compressor was locking up. It was not. Then I bought an 18 oz. can of refrigerant, which was a mistake. I have serious doubts that it actually contained 18 oz. I ended up taking the car to a friendly shop where they evacuated all of 12 oz. of refrigerant out and put 17 oz. back in. Yesterday it was hot and for the first time ever the project car has A/C.

I do believe I have proven that it doesn't always take a genius with a shop full of tools to get the A/C working. Will it last? Time will tell.