New a/c problem? i need help.

B

banditt

Registered Member
Joined
29 April 2007
Messages
57
This weekend i went to see Larry B. and we learned that i didnt have any freon in my car! Crazy part is just about a week before i had another place check it and there was freon in it and we all know the tooth stops hurting once you get to the dentist. Larry informed me that i should call bridgewater acura and set up a appointment because their tecs are pretty good and also stop at firestone (hold the flames) and ask them can they do anything for me because i shouldnt be leaking freon. what happend was this...

i had their guy (same guy from last year) check it for leaks and he even plugged a vacum to the system and there was no dye (they put in last year) under the car or on the compressor or anywhere. the guy then tells me its my evaporator and the labor will be 675.00. I called the doctor "Larry B" and larry gave him instructions on how to pull the blower out to see if there were any leaks behind it. The tec pulled the blower and no dye was there (i wish larry did this stuff). So my question is ...Is there anywhere else i can check for leaks before i spend this $$ for the evaporator because i dont want to start spending $$ on stuff that "THEY THINK" MAY BE IT! ooh and guys im trying to trac down the problem because im still waiting for bridgewater acura to call me for my appointment (they probably busy im patient) but until then im like this:confused:
 
Hi Mike,

I never mentioned it this morning, but did they check the front condensors on BOTH sides? Remember I showed you then on the car I had on the lift.

Let's hope it is not the evaporator and the dash has to come out.

Regards,
LarryB

banditt said:
This weekend i went to see Larry B. and we learned that i didnt have any freon in my car! Crazy part is just about a week before i had another place check it and there was freon in it and we all know the tooth stops hurting once you get to the dentist. Larry informed me that i should call bridgewater acura and set up a appointment because their tecs are pretty good and also stop at firestone (hold the flames) and ask them can they do anything for me because i shouldnt be leaking freon. what happend was this...

i had their guy (same guy from last year) check it for leaks and he even plugged a vacum to the system and there was no dye (they put in last year) under the car or on the compressor or anywhere. the guy then tells me its my evaporator and the labor will be 675.00. I called the doctor "Larry B" and larry gave him instructions on how to pull the blower out to see if there were any leaks behind it. The tec pulled the blower and no dye was there (i wish larry did this stuff). So my question is ...Is there anywhere else i can check for leaks before i spend this $$ for the evaporator because i dont want to start spending $$ on stuff that "THEY THINK" MAY BE IT! ooh and guys im trying to trac down the problem because im still waiting for bridgewater acura to call me for my appointment (they probably busy im patient) but until then im like this:confused:
Click to expand...
 
THANKS guys. larry yes he checked the condensors and as far as the footwell??? i never knew about that one but is it hard to get to because i will check that if possible (instructions please:confused:) I just hope if i have to go inside the dash (which they reccomend) i wanna that to be the problem so until then i am willing to take any nessesary measures to save a few $$$ because i truly believe i still have to install the climate control.
 
The hose runs from the enclosure that houses the Evap to the underside of the car. When I had a leak in my Evap I had no visual indication with the blower box removed (even with die present) , however when I crawled under the passenger side of the car I could see oil and dye weeping out of the drain hose.

Any unusual oil spots on you driveway?
 
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passenger side..:redface: i will pull the carpets up first thing in the morning and post what i find. as for oil spots i will start to look as well.
 
:frown:as far as hoses underneath the car there is no dye there also. he lifted the car up and took about 8 screws off and dropped a rubber mat and there were 2 lines that was a/c lines he said and no dye visable. so far the lines underneath the car, condensors,he took the blower off from under the hood,compressor,and under the hood no visable dye. is there anything else before i agree to take this dash apart?
 
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the guy put more freon as well as dy in it and as far as the light he brought me in and we looked under the car under the hood and by the compressor for dye. nothing came up:redface:
 
I had some AC mystery my self and added whole can of dy and could not find the leak, then one day decided to remove the whole system/pipes etc.. as the car was on the lift and removed the protective plastic in the tunnel, then notice the AC lines/pipes have rubber on them, as I peeled off the rubber there was small pin hole under the rubber on the AC pipe. I had no idea how that happen... Replace the longest AC pipe I ever seen on any car and now I can keep penguins in my car it is so cold... (I think when I had the audio installed one of the screws from the inside might hit the line through the floor but could not find any..) my 2c.
 
hey dave:biggrin:! nice to hear from you. are u referring to the 2 lines underneath the car u see when u take that rubber mat thingy off? he checked that but honestly we didnt peel the rubber back. so can u jack the car up and peel it back my self to see or must i use a lift?:confused:
 
Hey !! :) long time no see :)

I'm not sure what can it be but the dy has to come out some ware if there is leak. For me it was the pipe under the car in the middle tunnel under the shifter. Here is a pic of the pipe I'm talking about. There is plastic cover under the car, and then there is some rubber that the pipes are covered with.

Dave


banditt said:
hey dave:biggrin:! nice to hear from you. are u referring to the 2 lines underneath the car u see when u take that rubber mat thingy off? he checked that but honestly we didnt peel the rubber back. so can u jack the car up and peel it back my self to see or must i use a lift?:confused:
Click to expand...
 

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ok. So far i took a 2nd look and took about 7 screws loose and went under the rubber matt and as shown above (in winreboot post) i took a little razor and gently gently gently spliced the covering of the 2 a/c lines from back to front but not the whole cushion. took about 30 minutes and i replaed everything neatly again and no dye visable everything underneath looks new!

so tec checked under the car ( same as i did i just went and tried a 2nd time) then checked the compressor then checked under the hood,and all around the engine bay and the condensors no dye:frown:. so does this leave only the evaporator?
 
we called larry B. 2 days ago and he guy was acting as if it would take and hour to do. I called larry and larry gave him 10 minute instructions which costed me 90.00 and no dye visable. he charged the system and included more dye and the tech is saying its in the evap. under the dash:frown: is there anywhere else a leak can be before i go ad get this service done?
 
My two cents, or maybe only one cent...I read somewhere that if the evaporator has a small hole in it that is accessible, that it can be repaired. So that way you wouldn't have to buy a new evaporator if yours can be repaired. I don't have any personal experience with this (and hope to not get any) but it might save you the cost of a new evaporator if it just has a small hole that can be repaired. Just something to consider...
 
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I GOT QUOTED 330 FOR A NEW ONE(EVAPORATOR) SHIPPING INCLUDED SO I M GONNA GIVE 1 MORE DAY TO SEE IF ANYONE COMES UP WITH ANOTHER POSSIBLE AREA THAT MAY BE LEAKINGAND THEN I WILL PROCEDE. ACURA ISNT GONNA CALL ME BACK SO IM GOING TO AHEAD AND GET THIS DONE. I APPRECIATE EVERYONE FOR THEIR HELP AND IM SORRY ABOUT THE CAPS I DIDNT REALIZE IT UNTIL NOW AND YES IM NO GOOD WITH TYPING I TYPE WITH MY HEAD LOOKING AT KEYBOARD. THANKS LARRY B, BRIANK ZENNSX, WINREBOOT, JETT .:smile:
 
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Banditt,

Good luck with the repair and let us know what you find. I found out my A/C is dead when I moved down to TX from the Seattle area. I pulled a vacuum and the system goes from 20" of vacuum to 0" in about 20 seconds, so my leak is pretty significant. I've been living w/out it for a month and now we are in the dog days of summer I'm ready to start working on it. I will fill with sacrificial 134 and use a halogen sniffer to find the leak. I'm hoping the leak is a blown seal somewhere or a bad compressor. My fear is the evaporator, and if so I will look to repair the evap rather than replace it. I share your frustration and worry the conclusion to replace the most complex item.

I would hope the shop has checked the accumulator fittings as well. It is a process of elimination, compressor, lines, accumulator, condensers, and then evaporator. I'd think even a leaking evap would result in traces of dye visible somewhere, either from the blower access or the drain line. Its got to be going somewhere.

Miner
 
banditt said:
I GOT QUOTED 330 FOR A NEW ONE(EVAPORATOR) SHIPPING INCLUDED SO I M GONNA GIVE 1 MORE DAY TO SEE IF ANYONE COMES UP WITH ANOTHER POSSIBLE AREA THAT MAY BE LEAKINGAND THEN I WILL PROCEDE. ACURA ISNT GONNA CALL ME BACK SO IM GOING TO AHEAD AND GET THIS DONE. I APPRECIATE EVERYONE FOR THEIR HELP AND IM SORRY ABOUT THE CAPS I DIDNT REALIZE IT UNTIL NOW AND YES IM NO GOOD WITH TYPING I TYPE WITH MY HEAD LOOKING AT KEYBOARD. THANKS LARRY B, BRIANK ZENNSX, WINREBOOT, JETT .:smile:
Click to expand...

Is the evap a new Acura part or a new aftermarket part? If you are replacing that item and considering how big of a job that is, I certainly wouldn't cheap out on the part itself. Look at how long the original part lasted....
Good luck,
 
My A/C is also dead. I think someone here mentioned that the OEM evap is prone to leaking due to a bad design. They suggested trying a more robust aftermarket unit fabbed by a reputable A/C shop as a better repair than the OEM replacement, which may just start leaking again. Can't remember the thread at the moment, sorry. I haven't even done the diagnostics yet, but if it is an evap for me, I may talk to my local A/C shop to see if it's possible/economical.
 
the a/c part will be new. called the acura place in new york and they are possibly the cheapest place for acura parts. As far as repairing it?????? anyone else had this done? Iiis it still holding up?
 

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