A/C Refrigerant Discharge Line leaking green - 2014 PIU

[libertystreet637]

Pretty straightforward, there is clearly a leak on what I have determined is the ac discharge line. (I’ll include relevant photos, in case I’m clearly missing something obvious.)

Point aside, I do appliance repair and have my EPA Section 608 certification, so this seems like an accomplishable feat, there are just a few things I’m lost on.

I’ve got the workshop manual, but do not see quantities:
• Motorcraft® PAG Refrigerant Compressor Oil YN-12-D
• Motorcraft R-134a Refrigerant YN-19 (US).

I am still parsing through the manual for specifics, but as to the refrigerant, is the YN-19 the same as is the 12 oz cans? (I don’t necessarily think I’ll need 30 lbs of it …)
Basically when I drive the car around, I can smell what smells like burning rubber almost, no warning lights, no overt warning signs (other than the smell). The radiator hose was collapsed, but returned to normal size, and I haven’t inspected it enough, but it seems like the coolant bay rises when the car is on, so I’m not sure if there is also a blockage, but after some driving, the engine didn’t overheat or anything.

These issues cropped up after placing my car on a trailer on the back of a 26’ Penske, and driving from Texas to NJ. Pulled it off the trailer, and noticed the burning rubber smell as the car sat turned on while I used a 12v tire pump to check all 4 tires. Drove it maybe 15 miles, still smelled funky, then inspected and found the leaks you see in the photo.

 

[ProjectSHO89]

Have a 609 but no 608. Wouldn't you know it, now my home's AC compressor needs replacing... Danged thing is real noisy for a minute or two on startup.

If you're just replacing a line that has leaked a bit, a 2 oz can of PAG oil is sufficient to replace what was presumed lost to leakage. The only way you'd be able to accurately fill oil is by evacuating, flushing, dumping the compressor and starting from scratch. The amount of the oil in the system isn't that critical most of the time. YN-19-D is Ford's part number for the PAG oil. YN-12 is the Ford part number designation for R134a.

According to the WSM, the PIU with the 3.5 GTDI engine takes 7.3 oz of oil and 47 oz of refrigerant, both assuming a completely dry and empty system.

I had to do an emergency AC repair on my '15 last winter in Florida after the serpentine belt shredded a refrigerant hose on Christmas morning outside Hamilton Alabama. Got the belt replaced the next morning and got to Florida that afternoon but the wife complained the humidity was too uncomfortable so I had to fix it in a shopping center parking lot. I was able to buy the hose at AutoZone and everything else I picked up at the local Walmart. Worked well enough that I didn't even get around to properly evacuating it, putting it under vacuum, and accurately charging it until early last month.

So, for you, get the replacement line/hose, a small bottle of ISO 46 PAG oil (use it to lubricate your o-rings, then inject some into the service ports if you have an injector), and 4-12 oz cans of R134a. Everything is pretty much going to be the same as working on a stationary system. Recover the refrigerant, replace the line, vacuum it down, verify leak free, and recharge as accurately as you can with the cans. If you have a scale, it helps. You'll probably use almost all four cans. Be aware that the cans currently sold are "self-sealing" so you may need the correct adapter for them.

For the upper radiator hose, replace the cap on the coolant tank, it's not venting properly. Just replaced mine last week for the same reason.

 

[libertystreet637]

Have a 609 but no 608. Wouldn't you know it, now my home's AC compressor needs replacing... Danged thing is real noisy for a minute or two on startup.

If you're just replacing a line that has leaked a bit, a 2 oz can of PAG oil is sufficient to replace what was presumed lost to leakage. The only way you'd be able to accurately fill oil is by evacuating, flushing, dumping the compressor and starting from scratch. The amount of the oil in the system isn't that critical most of the time. YN-19-D is Ford's part number for the PAG oil. YN-12 is the Ford part number designation for R134a.

According to the WSM, the PIU with the 3.5 GTDI engine takes 7.3 oz of oil and 47 oz of refrigerant, both assuming a completely dry and empty system.

I had to do an emergency AC repair on my '15 last winter in Florida after the serpentine belt shredded a refrigerant hose on Christmas morning outside Hamilton Alabama. Got the belt replaced the next morning and got to Florida that afternoon but the wife complained the humidity was too uncomfortable so I had to fix it in a shopping center parking lot. I was able to buy the hose at AutoZone and everything else I picked up at the local Walmart. Worked well enough that I didn't even get around to properly evacuating it, putting it under vacuum, and accurately charging it until early last month.

So, for you, get the replacement line/hose, a small bottle of ISO 46 PAG oil (use it to lubricate your o-rings, then inject some into the service ports if you have an injector), and 4-12 oz cans of R134a. Everything is pretty much going to be the same as working on a stationary system. Recover the refrigerant, replace the line, vacuum it down, verify leak free, and recharge as accurately as you can with the cans. If you have a scale, it helps. You'll probably use almost all four cans. Be aware that the cans currently sold are "self-sealing" so you may need the correct adapter for them.

For the upper radiator hose, replace the cap on the coolant tank, it's not venting properly. Just replaced mine last week for the same reason.

I tell you what, having one certification or the other compels learning when you consider the price tag were, say, the Ford dealership to do what comes off as a simple repair. I’ve managed to access the workshop manual and find endless delight with the wiring diagrams and service manual. (I get overly enthusiastic at points given the PIU aspect and want to find all the unique features to tinker with.) I

Anyway, given that the power steering turned out to be electronic and what one repair shop noted as something only Ford could fix, the $2,700 repair bill I incurred with that repair certainly makes the workshop manual a much more interesting piece of literature.

I had considered the radiator cap as a likely culprit to that one issue, and I thank you for providing that needed bit of confidence to give that a go. Fingers crossed.

And as to the main issue at hand, I have obtained the replacement part (DB5Z19972E), have on hand a vacuum pump and manifold set, just wasn’t sure on the PAG to R134a mixture. In my mind’s eye, I evacuate the system, replace the part, suction down to verify no leaks, then pump in R134a until the gauges read what they should (which is what I had been looking for - also setting aside, for the sake of simplicity, the hi-low side injection process). I don’t know if I can add a picture here, but in the specifications section, it details the types of PAG and R134a, but didn’t specify quantity or gauge readings. I believe there is a placard under the hood with the details, but NJ weather deprived me of the opportunity to work outside today.

Last thing I want to do is damage my engine by improperly doing this, but a close contender for for first place is prompted by the memory of a doable $1,200 initial estimate from Ford (up from the $750 estimate from private mechanic) ending with them getting huffy-puffy when the total repair bill comes out to $2,700 and lo-and-behold, I don’t have that much on hand. The feeling of indigence was pushed aside by disgust when they acted like they’d be doing me a big favor by giving me an extra two days to come up with the other $1,500 I hadn’t anticipated. I believe I received four or five calls from them in the course of those two days, one of which coming from their finance department suggesting the possibility of doing a trade-in and getting a new car.

So, while I love my PIU, I don’t love having the manufacturers fix anything if I can do it myself. (And the YouTube videos don’t seem to encompass any of the important data - such as quantities. Plenty of “use a nine millimeter socket and you might have to angle your arm to get in there … then you pull it out … then you put the new one back in and that’s how you replace it!” Okay … uhhh, thanks for the 23 minute video?)

 

[libertystreet637]

Pretty straightforward, there is clearly a leak on what I have determined is the ac discharge line. (I’ll include relevant photos, in case I’m clearly missing something obvious.)

Point aside, I do appliance repair and have my EPA Section 608 certification, so this seems like an accomplishable feat, there are just a few things I’m lost on.

I’ve got the workshop manual, but do not see quantities:
• Motorcraft® PAG Refrigerant Compressor Oil YN-12-D
• Motorcraft R-134a Refrigerant YN-19 (US).

I am still parsing through the manual for specifics, but as to the refrigerant, is the YN-19 the same as is the 12 oz cans? (I don’t necessarily think I’ll need 30 lbs of it …)
Basically when I drive the car around, I can smell what smells like burning rubber almost, no warning lights, no overt warning signs (other than the smell). The radiator hose was collapsed, but returned to normal size, and I haven’t inspected it enough, but it seems like the coolant bay rises when the car is on, so I’m not sure if there is also a blockage, but after some driving, the engine didn’t overheat or anything.

These issues cropped up after placing my car on a trailer on the back of a 26’ Penske, and driving from Texas to NJ. Pulled it off the trailer, and noticed the burning rubber smell as the car sat turned on while I used a 12v tire pump to check all 4 tires. Drove it maybe 15 miles, still smelled funky, then inspected and found the leaks you see in the photo.

View attachment 433527 View attachment 433528 View attachment 433529 View attachment 433530

I tell you what, having one certification or the other compels learning when you consider the price tag were, say, the Ford dealership to do what comes off as a simple repair. I’ve managed to access the workshop manual and find endless delight with the wiring diagrams and service manual. (I get overly enthusiastic at points given the PIU aspect and want to find all the unique features to tinker with.) I

Anyway, given that the power steering turned out to be electronic and what one repair shop noted as something only Ford could fix, the $2,700 repair bill I incurred with that repair certainly makes the workshop manual a much more interesting piece of literature.

I had considered the radiator cap as a likely culprit to that one issue, and I thank you for providing that needed bit of confidence to give that a go. Fingers crossed.

And as to the main issue at hand, I have obtained the replacement part (DB5Z19972E), have on hand a vacuum pump and manifold set, just wasn’t sure on the PAG to R134a mixture. In my mind’s eye, I evacuate the system, replace the part, suction down to verify no leaks, then pump in R134a until the gauges read what they should (which is what I had been looking for - also setting aside, for the sake of simplicity, the hi-low side injection process). I don’t know if I can add a picture here, but in the specifications section, it details the types of PAG and R134a, but didn’t specify quantity or gauge readings. I believe there is a placard under the hood with the details, but NJ weather deprived me of the opportunity to work outside today.

Last thing I want to do is damage my engine by improperly doing this, but a close contender for for first place is prompted by the memory of a doable $1,200 initial estimate from Ford (up from the $750 estimate from private mechanic) ending with them getting huffy-puffy when the total repair bill comes out to $2,700 and lo-and-behold, I don’t have that much on hand. The feeling of indigence was pushed aside by disgust when they acted like they’d be doing me a big favor by giving me an extra two days to come up with the other $1,500 I hadn’t anticipated. I believe I received four or five calls from them in the course of those two days, one of which coming from their finance department suggesting the possibility of doing a trade-in and getting a new car.

So, while I love my PIU, I don’t love having the manufacturers fix anything if I can do it myself. (And the YouTube videos don’t seem to encompass any of the important data - such as quantities. Plenty of “use a nine millimeter socket and you might have to angle your arm to get in there … then you pull it out … then you put the new one back in and that’s how you replace it!” Okay … uhhh, thanks for the 23 minute video?)

Oh, and I believe I’ve got the V6 3.7L 2014 Ford Police Interceptor Utility.

 

[libertystreet637]

Oh, and I believe I’ve got the V6 3.7L 2014 Ford Police Interceptor Utility.

This is what the workshop manual has, but I haven’t looked under the hood quite yet for the placard. (Photo also of the part in question.)

 

[ProjectSHO89]

Ok, several details need to be clarified to be sure you get the correct numbers.

1. Any under-hood label regarding refrigerant charge supersedes what's in the manual.
2. Engine. The different engines have different charge amounts.
3. Front only or front/rear system. Again, different charge and oil amounts.
4. Manual vs automatic control system. Helps to use the most focused information for the installed system.

Use the WSM section 412-00A or 412-00B for system capacity tables. They're not listed in section 412-00C for the auxiliary system.

The WSM doesn't support charging by pressure readings, only by weight. You can used the temperature/pressure charts in "General Procedures: Refrigerant System Tests" to verify operation is within expected parameters.

 

[peterk9]

Oh, and I believe I’ve got the V6 3.7L 2014 Ford Police Interceptor Utility.

Welcome to the Forum.
Good luck with the repair. I believe it is the first leak I've seen reported in that area.

Peter