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Old 07-09-2007, 04:55 PM   #1
Superorb
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Member#: 135252
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Coral Springs, FL
Vehicle:
2002 WRX Wagon

Default A/C Leak maybe?

I'll make this quick. A/C doesn't blow cold or cool. Recharged system, blew cold that night. Next day, blew warm again. I'm guessing it's got a leak. How do I track down a leak? Is it a DIY job or do I have to shell out at a shop?
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Old 07-09-2007, 08:05 PM   #2
my4isflat
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Chapter/Region: RMIC
Location: Colorado
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2000 2.5 RS, '95
Legacy w/325k mi (RIP)

Default

You can do it yourself, but you'll have to invest in some A/C tools, but after its all said and done by the time you're finished investing in tools you will have spent enough to have paid a shop to do it for you. If your not expericenced w/ A/C work its best to have a qualified shop do it for you.
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Old 07-09-2007, 08:20 PM   #3
Superorb
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Quote:
Originally Posted by my4isflat View Post
You can do it yourself, but you'll have to invest in some A/C tools, but after its all said and done by the time you're finished investing in tools you will have spent enough to have paid a shop to do it for you. If your not experienced w/ A/C work its best to have a qualified shop do it for you.
Key word is qualified shop. I don't trust anyone here in town. I've had service managers tell me to go elsewhere at a couple of shops b/c their guys aren't any good at diagnosing problems. I know my dad's got the thing with two gauges, some torch, and some gasses(sp?). Too bad he's 7 hours away

If it makes a difference, I found my A/C fan connector disconnected. It must have happened while on the gravel road. Plugging it in didn't fix anything, though. When I push the AC button, it makes that slight whistling noise but stays on instead of on and off cycles like it used to do. Like sucking through a straw in an empty cup.

Last edited by Superorb; 07-09-2007 at 08:29 PM.
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Old 07-11-2007, 02:59 PM   #4
Superorb
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2002 WRX Wagon

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Superorb View Post
If it makes a difference, I found my A/C fan connector disconnected. It must have happened while on the gravel road. Plugging it in didn't fix anything, though. When I push the AC button, it makes that slight whistling noise but stays on instead of on and off cycles like it used to do. Like sucking through a straw in an empty cup type of idea.
Does this change anything?
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Old 07-11-2007, 09:35 PM   #5
my4isflat
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2000 2.5 RS, '95
Legacy w/325k mi (RIP)

Default

No, not really. The only job of the fan is to pull air through the condensor so your a/c will still work when the car is not moving. If your a/c was working after it was charged and quit blowing cold the next day its a damn good assumpsion that you have a leak somewhere in your system. The next thing your going to have to do is find the leak. This can be done two ways. Recharge the system and use some UV dye, and track the leak down with a UV light. Second would be, recharge the system, use a sniffer to find the leak. After the leak is found you need to vaccum out the system to remove all the freon. Replace the damaged parts as quickly as possible, do not let the a/c system sit open to the atmosphere any longer than you have to. It will let moisture into the system and it will settle in the dryer/reciever, you can't get it out and it will compromise the effecency of the system. You will then have to replace the dryer/reciever too. After you replace the bad parts, you need to apply and hold vaccum to the system to make sure there are no leaks, it will also remove some of the water vapor that may have got into the lines while you were making repairs. After you know there are no leaks in your repair it is time to recharge the system. R134a systems should always be filled according to weight, NOT PRESSURE. In a R134a system pressure is only used to diag. and inspect the system, not fill it. There is a sticker under the hood that will tell you how much freon you need to add to the system. Also, depending on what part you have to replace to fix the a/c system you will need to add a little oil too. Now if all this was done correctly, you a/c should be removing the moisture and blowing good and cold. Now let me ask you, do you still want to do the repairs yourself? If you do I say more power to you, but like I said you're going to need to invest in a lot of tools.
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Old 07-11-2007, 11:17 PM   #6
Superorb
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That's the problem. I don't plan to buy the equipment. My dad's got the equipment but he's 7 hours away.

Any estimate on labor to find the leak, or to fix a leak after I find the problem?
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Old 07-12-2007, 06:37 AM   #7
my4isflat
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Join Date: Jul 2006
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Location: Colorado
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2000 2.5 RS, '95
Legacy w/325k mi (RIP)

Default

Plan on a hour to diag it, and depending on whats leaking another hour or two to repair it, and then another two hours to recharge the system, plus parts. I going off labor rates my dealership would typically charge for a job like this.
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