A/C Leak...please help

[HappyGilmore]

OK so my a/c has been leaking for awhile and i just keep filling it up with recharge cans to keep refrigerant in the system so that it doesnt leak out completly. the can(s) last for about 4 days (after i fill it up completly) and then goes back to blowing room temp/hot air. I got a hold of a sniffer and traced the leak to the place where you fill the refrigerant. i did a search and saw it called a service port valve. so then i screwed the cap on tight until the sniffer picked up no more refrigerant from there. now 2 weeks later the a/c is starting to fail again. has anyone aver replaced the service port valve? is it easy?

also when i searched i saw something about a blend door but couldnt find exactly what it was. please help. thank you.

 

[ve4ron]

You most likely need to change the valve core inside the sevice port .

Here is some more info on a/c.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84675

Good luck

 

[Brock94]

I had exactly the same problem with my A/C last Spring. When I filled it up with refridgerant I noticed a slight bubbling leak inside the fill port. The usual way to repair this would be evacuate the system, then replace the Shraeder valve inside the fill port, then refill the system. The trouble is that my fill port didn't have a Shraeder valve, it has some kind of black rubber ball-valve and I didn't want to risk taking things apart and not having the right replacements, so I got creative.

I put a glob of silicone sealer on a plastic bag (I had some of the copper colored stuff lying around), and let it cure. Using scissors and a razor blade, I then cut the cured silicone into a "plug" small enough to fit in the fill port, but big enough that the cap would compress it slightly.

I put the plug in, tightened the cap and the A/c has held its charge for a year so far.

It's worth a try.

 

[HappyGilmore]

ok ill try replacing my valve core, since thats what i have. now would that silicone trick work for my shraeder valve even though yours was a ball type? if so maybe ill try that first......

thanks for the quick replies.

 

[vstoval]

The fill port is the low pressure port located on the accumulator/filter dryer. This component should be replaced anytime there is an open or exposed system. I has dessicant bags inside that filter moisture and excess liquid refridgerant and oil resides there. If the check ball is leaking its probably a good idea to just replace the accumulator anyway. Also check the high side port on the drivers side near the radiator fill port. If that one is leaking then you will need to replace the manifold hose assy.

 

[Longjohn119]

I work in commercial HVAC, we use a blue silicone to seal caps on leaky Schrader valves and it's basically the same things as Permatex Ultra Blue or Versachem Super Blue II, either of which should be available at any auto parts store

Chances are though that you also have another leak, use a refrigerant with a dye in it, sniffer type leak testers don't work very well in an engine compartment with the motor running (the best way to test for leaks, especially a high side leak) ... the other gentleman is also correct, if you lose all your refrigerant chances are your system is contaminated and you need to change the filter drier/accumulator and pump down the system ... find your leak first though before you waste your cash on the dryer, it could be a bad evap coil or compressor seal