StangMuscle

Hello Everyone,

Hoping to get some help with an A/C related problem I've been having for a few years now. I have a black on black, leather interior Stang.. And Its beyond brutal to be in during the New England summer. The A/C leak is very slow, and extremely difficult to pinpoint thus far.

The compressor still engages, but sounds weak and whiney when it runs.. Im thinking either way, its time for it to be replaced, along with the condenser, accumulator, orifice tube?

Im really hoping to get away with not doing the evaporator, and A/C lines. Is there anyone who has needed to replace them/or feel its necessary to? Evaporator is not an easy job, and ac lines are certainly not cheap.. Im really just looking for solid advice/opinions on how to get things working properly again without breaking the bank.

Thanks Everyone

movielover40

Best bet is to find someone who has the gauges and just add the freon. Should last a summer each time you do it.

If you go to a shop their gonna want big bucks. Probably have a small condensor leak somewhere.

Derf00

Noooo, don't just refill and forget for a summer and do it all over again next summer. Freon is really crappy for the environment and to guess it's leak from the condenser? Come on, without looking at the car it's like saying you have a misfire because the cylinder is bad. There's more than spot a leak can originate from just like there's more than one reason a cylinder is misfiring.

Op, I gotta laugh a little when you say it's "Brutal" to be in New England during the summer without A/C. Try AZ ;-)

Anyways, there's a couple ways to find the problem. Given that this has been going on a couple of years now, the leak should have left a trace somewhere. A/C systems have oil in them which tends to leak out wherever a leak occurs. Look for any damp or really muddy looking spots on on your A/C lines and compressor. If you have an evaporator leak, you could smell it in the vents as Freon has a very distinct rubbery smell or chemical smell, unless you're so used to it you can no longer smell it anymore. Have a friend hop in and take a wiff while the A/C is on.

A Condenser leak would show up as a wet spot near the radiator where your condenser is.

If nothing stands out as obvious, then yes, take it to a shop to at least find the leak. Probably cost about $65 to $100. Then do the repairs yourself and just take it back to them to have them check for leaks and recharge your system.

They will charge your an arm-and-a-leg to do the work themselves if you let them charge you for parts and labor for the entire job. The only steps you really need them for though are to evacuate the system (if it's still charged) and recharge the system after they pull vacuum on it to check for leaks after the new install.

StangMuscle

Thanks for the sound advice!

Im definitely done with having mediocre AC in the summer time, it really is brutal :P I was born in TX, where its obviously much hotter... What kills you up here is the damn humidity!! By the time you've finished a beer its coming out your pores! Lol

A leak would have been a lot easier to spot if my T-stat housing didnt blow the other day, compressor and attaching lines are now covered in coolant! I did notice Low and High ports had Freon on them, but I dont know if thats from the last time i charged the system.. (I have AC gauges, and AC vacuum pump of my own)

StangMuscle

I dont see any other obvious leaks anywhere.. But I was thinking about getting an AC kit from rock auto since my compressor sounds like its on the way out, it just sounds weak and tired.. Compressor, orifice tube, accumulator, condensor for right around $200.

All replacement lines are about $250.. Which seems pretty crazy given everything else is cheaper. Would you say the lines wear down and leak within the lines themselves? I could understand o-rings and ports leaking.. But hey I most certainly could be way wrong!