slammed em1

ok so a while ago i replaced my compressor (replaced o rings also) and it was running fine for a while. now for about the past 2 weeks or so i had to refill my ac like once a week and now i filled it up yesterday and i went in my car today and it already needs to be refilled. i dont see any holes or pinches in the line anywhere. where could the leak be coming from?

i also want to meantion that since the wiring is messed up due to the old owner (still sorting this out) i have the compressor on all the time. (constant power once i turn the car on) could this also be the problem? i know the compressor is good because if i fill it up the ac blows too damn cold lol. please help im dying lol

P_Adams

Take a flashlamp and inspect what a/c components you can see and look for any dampness which would indicate refrigerant oil leakage. I'd pay particular attention to the condensor, but I'd also look over any/all flexible hoses.
If nothing immediately jumps out at you, you may have to find someone with a refrigerant leak detector.

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slammed em1

also i need a new head gasket...you think this might have anything to do with the problem?

spongecop

the low pressure or discharge hose is prone to leak becoause of the severe bend it has (depending on year model). I replaced both flex hoses and o-rings at the compressor on my 95 and it worked like a champ. Like others said...looks for wetness on the lines etc and you will find your leak.

P_Adams

No. The A/c system is a totally independent system which does nothing else than siphon off some power from the engine thru the compressor's drive belt.

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deserthonda

put some dye and only about 8-10 oz freon freon in the a/c system,use a black lite to locate the leak or have a shop chk for leaks before you start replacing parts

Kuladog

Would a leaking front seal on the compressor definitively show up with a U/V dye test?

Kuladog

Depends on what you mean by "running all the time". Does your compressor and radiator fans cycle on and off once the A/C gets cold enough? If it doesn't, and runs all the time, you've got a big problem. The way it's supposed to work, there's a thermostat switch in the evaporator core that shuts off the compressor when the evaporator gets below a certain temperature to keep the expansion valve from freezing up. If it freezes, then your head pressure shoots up because the refrigerant has nowhere to go, it's blocked at the expansion valve. If THAT happens, then your high pressure cutoff switch should also shut down the compressor. If the high-pressure switch doesn't work, your head pressure will go through the roof and at the least, blow out an o-ring, and possibly rupture a hose or one of your other components.

So first you need to get that wiring problem straightened out, even if it does cycle when the A/C is cold enough. There are several other reasons why it's not good for your compressor to be running as soon as the engine starts.

And please don't put any more refrigerant in your system until you get the leaks taken care of. In addition to wasting your money, you're contributing to global warming because R-134 is a greenhouse gas. If your car is older than 1994 and takes R-12 (freon) instead, I don't even want to talk to you if that's what you've been doing. That's just totally irresponsible, in addition to being illegal.

Good luck!

P_Adams

Most definitely.

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