Will dealership charge for second evac & recharge of AC?

[Rickter Spatz]

This has been covered I believe but including a couple pics

1998 Explorer. Refrigerant has begun to need recharging –recharge lasted couple years, then one year, and most recently a couple weeks. Dealership did the evacuation and recharge, added dye and couldn’t find the leak. After one 200 mile drive and a week or so AC not blowing cold (didn’t think the AC blew especially cold immediately after the recent recharge).

Looked over the compressor, AC lines, & condenser. Got to the accumulator and it does show some oily residue and def green under the valve cap. Not sure if the valve is leaking or green is from adding the dye there. Peel back the insulation a bit and yes the can is def rusty.

QUESTION: should I ask the dealership to replace the accumulator, o-rings, orifice, etc. and comp me the cost of the most recent evacuation & recharge (since they didn’t find leak) and will they go for it? Dealership has been pretty good about a couple small things in the past not charging for an electrical short I couldn’t find and looking over alignment after I replaced some stuff.

AC one area I’ve read up on but not jumping into the tools/equipment just yet. My town too small for shops specializing in AC but def other places besides dealership.

Thanks!

 

[fastpakr]

Kind of mind blowing that it leaked enough charge for a noticeable decrease in cooling within a week but they couldn't find it with dye.

 

[Pete Deering]

This has been covered I believe but including a couple pics

1998 Explorer. Refrigerant has begun to need recharging –recharge lasted couple years, then one year, and most recently a couple weeks. Dealership did the evacuation and recharge, added dye and couldn’t find the leak. After one 200 mile drive and a week or so AC not blowing cold (didn’t think the AC blew especially cold immediately after the recent recharge).

Looked over the compressor, AC lines, & condenser. Got to the accumulator and it does show some oily residue and def green under the valve cap. Not sure if the valve is leaking or green is from adding the dye there. Peel back the insulation a bit and yes the can is def rusty.

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View attachment 340301

QUESTION: should I ask the dealership to replace the accumulator, o-rings, orifice, etc. and comp me the cost of the most recent evacuation & recharge (since they didn’t find leak) and will they go for it? Dealership has been pretty good about a couple small things in the past not charging for an electrical short I couldn’t find and looking over alignment after I replaced some stuff.

AC one area I’ve read up on but not jumping into the tools/equipment just yet. My town too small for shops specializing in AC but def other places besides dealership.

Thanks!

I dont know how you get the dealership too work on your car for free.. I would not ask the dealership to replace the accumulator, o-rings, orifice, etc. They should be able too find the leak. They added dye, they should have a Freon detector, soap and water, leak detector solution. I used those methods too check for leaks. One of the common leaks are the valve ports. If the system is empty, you can replace the valves yourself. My explorer had a leak in the lower connection on the evaporator. I replace the evaporator and the high pressure liquid line and orifice. All was well them. Just a note. For years I used add a can of Freon. As you loss freon , you also loss oil. My compressor finally failed. The compressor bearing went bad and the compressor fail due to low oil. They say the accumulator rust out due too the insulation around it.

 

[Pete Deering]

I dont know how you get the dealership too work on your car for free.. I would not ask the dealership to replace the accumulator, o-rings, orifice, etc. They should be able too find the leak. They added dye, they should have a Freon detector, soap and water, leak detector solution. I used those methods too check for leaks. One of the common leaks are the valve ports. If the system is empty, you can replace the valves yourself. My explorer had a leak in the lower connection on the evaporator. I replace the evaporator and the high pressure liquid line and orifice. All was well them. Just a note. For years I used add a can of Freon. As you loss freon , you also loss oil. My compressor finally failed. The compressor bearing went bad and the compressor fail due to low oil. They say the accumulator rust out due too the insulation around it.

How many miles do you have on your explorer?

 

[Rickter Spatz]

Kind of mind blowing that it leaked enough charge for a noticeable decrease in cooling within a week but they couldn't find it with dye.

Exactly - I mean that's why I'm posting I think. I read that can rusts out behind the (discontinued) insulation. It's fine on the bottom but behind the insulation rust and there looks to be a seam there around the top of the can. No oily residue on any other lines/connections/compressor.

 

[Rickter Spatz]

How many miles do you have on your explorer?

Thanks for the response Pete - 140K miles. It is snow/salt area but always garaged. I could be misunderstanding but I'm thinking ask them to try the repair again but not charge me again for evac & recharge done a month ago when we missed the leak ($186 with tax). Willing to pay for new accum can and do the regular replacing of rings, schrader valves, orifice, etc. whatever makes sense to replace. Bad habit of throwing parts at stuff myself.

Just started it and on max AC compressor kicks on and then off in about 5 second increments and that may have increased a bit as it warmed up but not more than 10 seconds. No cold air. No cold accum can or tubes. Couldn't get any obvious bubbles from the rusty can or valve there with soapy while compressor running. The seam on the blower/evaporator box bubbles but that must be from the blower fan moving air and not necessarily evaporator as it bubbles with heat/vent fan maxed (no compressor) and stops bubbling with fan off.

 

[Pete Deering]

Thanks for the response Pete - 140K miles. It is snow/salt area but always garaged. I could be misunderstanding but I'm thinking ask them to try the repair again but not charge me again for evac & recharge done a month ago when we missed the leak ($186 with tax). Willing to pay for new accum can and do the regular replacing of rings, schrader valves, orifice, etc. whatever makes sense to replace. Bad habit of throwing parts at stuff myself.

Just started it and on max AC compressor kicks on and then off in about 5 second increments and that may have increased a bit as it warmed up but not more than 10 seconds. No cold air. No cold accum can or tubes. Couldn't get any obvious bubbles from the rusty can or valve there with soapy while compressor running. The seam on the blower/evaporator box bubbles but that must be from the blower fan moving air and not necessarily evaporator as it bubbles with heat/vent fan maxed (no compressor) and stops bubbling with fan off.

Why I ask about the mileage is I just a element with a 216,000 mile and the condenser fins where half gone. I look at a Chevy lump years ago trying to find a leak and the leak was at the low bottom left corner of the condenser. Hard too find, it held a vacuum but leak when fill. You could bring it back to the dealer and ask them to have a more experience tech to repair it. I agree with you, about paying for non fix item. I don't have Alot experience with dealer repair. I feel they should know more them me, but they don't. The description you describe is telling you, you have a very low charge. the evaporator is in a enclosure, you could have a leak in there. You need a leak detector. Harbor freight sell one for $75.00. I just replaced my whole system for $260. The element was $260. These are parts only. The tech did not have Alot experienced. Just ask too fix the leak, which they didn't do. They might cover the redo.