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[Techno]

Hi all my A/C is really p8*ing me off   I've had it checked/tested twice now over the last 2yrs at £60 a time and still it's emptying!  The guy flushes the system, pressurises it for 30mins with no pressure loss re-gases everything is fine for a few months then it stops working, I check the low pressure side of the system and sure enough it's all but gone.  I've thoroughly checked the whole system including from underneath I cant find any trace of the leak dye anywhere.

I really don’t want to go down the route of changing everything in order wasting £100's surely there must be someone out there who can test the system properly and find the leak?

[Lazydocker]

Well that means that the leak is hidden... Possibly the condenser :-/ :-/ :-?

[feeutfo]

when testing my old cdx, and knowing the mech fairly well i borrowed the uv(or whatever they are) glasses and looked myself while he was on the phone, looked for 30mins with the car in the air and couldnt find it.

He found it within 2mins, tiny 10p size dot of luminous yellow only visible by looking up from underneith between radiator and the condenser, a tiny gap filled with leaves fag buts and general road crap. There is a guide in replacement of condenser, suggest a quick look
to get your barings if you havent already.
hth

[Techno]

He found it within 2mins, tiny 10p size dot of luminous yellow only visible by looking up from underneith between radiator and the condenser, a tiny gap filled with leaves fag buts and general road crap. There is a guide in replacement of condenser, suggest a quick look
to get your barings if you havent already.
hth

I have looked but could see anything  Which is the condenser front or back of the two?  Is there anything on the site about changing one?

[Boatboy]

The condenser is the forward one of the two.

Following your thread with interest as I have had the same problem.

I dont know how valid this is as a test, but I recently removed the condenser, made a makeshift water bath out of an old tarpaulin and some fence posts, laid the condenser in the water and pressured it with a foot pump up to about 2 bar. Just an idea for you.

Steve

[Techno]

The condenser is the forward one of the two.

Following your thread with interest as I have had the same problem.

I dont know how valid this is as a test, but I recently removed the condenser, made a makeshift water bath out of an old tarpaulin and some fence posts, laid the condenser in the water and pressured it with a foot pump up to about 2 bar. Just an idea for you.

Steve

Hello Steve yes thats an idea I haven't taken it off yet whatwith all the weather of late I was just thinkind ahead as I dont want to go through another summer without the A/C.  How easy was it to get off?   

[Boatboy]

Mine was easy as I already had the inlet ducting and rad out for another reason, but I guess that would be the only way.

Steve

[GaryBC]

The condenser is the forward one of the two.

Following your thread with interest as I have had the same problem.

I dont know how valid this is as a test, but I recently removed the condenser, made a makeshift water bath out of an old tarpaulin and some fence posts, laid the condenser in the water and pressured it with a foot pump up to about 2 bar. Just an idea for you.

Steve

A few years (well, quite a few years ago!) ago I had a/c probs on my Senator and, after contacting the Vx tech guys, established that the a/c can run at up to 20 bar (yes, twenty!) on a hot day!

[Matchless]

For a leak that small you will be very lucky to find it with dye. Find an A/C place that has an electronic leak detector (sniffer) these are much more sensitive but need a bit of skill as airflow from the fans etc dilutes the leaking refrigerant.

And yes... the high side does work at up to 20 bar (300psi), that includes the condenser, filter etc.

[Techno]

For a leak that small you will be very lucky to find it with dye. Find an A/C place that has an electronic leak detector (sniffer) these are much more sensitive but need a bit of skill as airflow from the fans etc dilutes the leaking refrigerant.

Does anyone know of such a place/person in the Luton area that can do this?

[Andy B]

There was a tiny leak on one of the pressure switches right at the front .... maybe worth another look there.  :-/  :-/