thanks for another great video ! a quick tip for you regarding the bubble test. use commercially available whiteboard cleaner for detection of small leaks in any pressurized system. the cleaner has a very low surface tension and easily bubbles with low-volume leaks when compared to a soap solution
Nice! In here its illegal to recharge AC system if you even think there is a leak at the AC- system. For that you can get 4 years worth of meal in jail. Still AC die is used here too. But for some reason i still get faster results with gaskit that are made for finding AC leaks (mixed, nitrogen). Presure that system with it to 13bar and spray the parts with just water from hose or if you like use soap water (With Key Off, Engine Off!)... you can still use sniffer like snap on, but i have find to meny falls leaks from windsheald washer fluids and engine coolant leaks that i have minimised that use. Anyways nise find! looking foward for the fix :)
I usually reserve the term Rock Star for ScannerDanner as in Automotive Rock Star ! But in this case, that is the real deal ! Having him live right up the street, now that's cool ! Brings back memories ! Good to see ya Matt !
I have had considerable success using an ultrasonic leak detector also. The leak that sold me on the U/S tester was on an older Chevy C-5500 that would not leak in the shop no matter how much pressure I put on it with Ni, I could only duplicate the leak under vacuum and of course none of your methods will work when the leak is only under vacuum. The U/S tester actually found my leak in about 2 minutes, sold me on the spot.
Jeez, I have a 500$ u/s detector and always been disappointed at its performance... Never thought about trying it under vacuum... I'll dust the dign off and give that a try next time around. Thanks for that one me lad. Cheers.
I always feel smarter after watching your videos. I've been checking for uv dye leaks incorrectly. I've used those yellow glasses without dimming or turning off the light.
I'm wondering if using a smoke machine would leave contaminants inside of the A/C system ? I caught an accidental nosefull of smoke vapor while checking for a vacuum leak once and I can tell you that there is definitely some stuff that comes along with the smoke.
You must be kidding comparing a 15-20 year old R12 tester to a fresh dye tester. You have to wait quite a while to see anything with a slow leak when using dye. With my current refrigerant detector, which requires annual changing of the detector tip, picks up the tiniest of leaks instantly. And doesn't put gunky die into the system, which can stop up the low side port. I work on probably 40 or so AC systems a year and there are at least a few bunker up, forcing changing the accumulator, shraeder valves, and maybe orfice. The tester was about $75 on Amazon and came with 6 tips. I do not remember the brand, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were all coming out of the same Chinese factory anyway. All I did was look at the sensitivity range to make sure it had good sensitivity.
@Chris S yes you can use compressed air in fact if you want to check the switches you can put some air in it be looking at the gauges as someone start the engine see if if it would come on and run look at the manifold set low side drops high side goes up turn it off I wouldn't do that for more than 30 seconds
I have used my air compressor hooked up to the charge side with and it works really good for me. Turn the car off and check for the noise of escaping air.
That is only going to work on a really really large leak. Most AC leaks would not possible be detectable this way as the leak takes days and days before normalization to atmosphere.
DE Nichols Some uses of A/C equipment may actually _cause_ leakage of bodily fluids, possibly very large amounts in a widely dispersed pattern. So, yes, this would indeed help you see bodily fluids.
sometimes A/C compressors will leak, and then not leak,. I had a dodge dakota that drove me nuts, it would leak the freon out, I would leak detect it, change o rings, tighten fittings, spray the whole system down with bubbles, no leaks. a week later the freon would be gone. then after recharginging it again one day I pulled into the driveway , turned the truck off, and heard a loud hissing sound. what was happening is if the pulley and shaft stopped at one particular spot, it would leak like crazy.. turn it a hair, and it stopped completely.. ALWAYS suspect the compressor because it is the least reliable sealed system on automotive airconditioning, due to it having a shaft that terminates outside of the housing.
to check a/c like a rock star you supposed to inhale some freon first until you hallucinate flouresent colors. the car then talks to u on how to fix it. for r12 ,get a gask mask for environment sake.
The best method I have found to use when locating leaks is by using some dry nitrogen to pressurize the system. It's cheaper the refrigerant and has been full proof in finding small and large leaks.
Propane and a cigarette lighter works too, if it's a fast leak. But make sure you completely vac down the system first. You don't want to burn refrigerant, that could be hazardous.
In the US and Canada it is illegal by federal and state/province law to sell or dispense Propane (R-290), HC-12a (Isobutene), Butane (R-600) as a refrigerant to the public or to use in any residential or mobile/automotive/consumer application. Do not mix refrigerants, use only the refrigerant specified for the system. Mixing refrigerants in a system is potentially explosive/fire hazard and is prohibited by federal law. Besides being illegal it is also a really dangerous practice.
I don't have a leak, I just have weak cooling. Pressure when car is off is 100psi on hi & low, but running it is 100 hi, 75 low. I'm guessing it's an old compressor and I'm prepared to replace it and the oriface tube. What I need to know is how to determine if there is in fact any other components which need replacing, before I pay to recharge the system.
I'm not mocking you as I am learning from you. So the smoke won't hurt the ac system? I was considering on doing this a couple weeks ago with my smoke machine and I asked a mechanic about the idea and he said "NO" it would contaminate the system and Like ScannerDanner he applied air pressure which I am for as well your just going to suck all this back out with the vacuum pump anyhow. So I'm for using the smoke machine as well. I'm new to all of this, my smoke machine is new and it helped me find my vacuum leak... Thanks for the video
No mocking taken it's a good question. No I am not worried in the slightest about contaminating the system because I am going to purge the system anyway when I replace the leaking component.
You didn't talk about like minivans with 2 systems. I'm guessing the psi is the psi,and as long as rear isn't used the expansion valve and evap is not an issue.
I wonder if the sensitivity of the leak detector goes up when the engine is on because of heat? It'd make sense that whatever chemical reaction the sniffer goes through with refrigerant would work better warmer than colder.
Heat or temperature is not really a factor, neither the gas or the detector are temp sensitive. The same electronic refrigerant detectors are used in sub-zero temps inside walk-in freezers with no problems. It is a halogen detector and most higher end units incorporate a heater in the detector element for proper operation similar to an O2 sensor. The running cooling/condenser fans are a problem because they move and disperse the gas from the leak making detection more difficult.
Did you just say that the gas is not heat sensitive. There goes the whole science of refrigeration out the window. The soap test might have worked better if the condesor fan was disabled. (just a thought)
Tech Tune Automotive Repairs Are you serious? You are completely misconstruing the context of my comment and response to the original comment by +DE “AutoBravado” Nichols. Refrigerants used in mobile (automotive) systems adhere to physics, gas laws and are temperature reactive, a thermostat would be temperature sensitive. The sensitivity of most halogen/refrigerant leak detectors is not affected by ambient temperature.
Tech Tune Automotive Repairs Since you've already been effectively rebuttaled on the other part of your comment, I'll just comment on your other point. If the system was hotter, would it leak more? Sure, but remember, if it doesn't get enough air, it turns off, and then you're not testing the whole system for leaking as well.
I was referring to the fan displacing the soap and water. Remember system pressure was low and harder to detect with the soap and water. I was in no way referring to temperature.
Here's s thought, but have never tried it yet... Unscrew low or high side Schroeder valve, hook the gauge hose to the opposite valve and smoke the thing until smoke poors out the opened side. Screw the valve back in. Now that you know the system is full of smoke, you hook your compressor or nitrogen bottle to the system to push tje to the smoke out with high pressure. Do you think this would work?
It might I would just do soap and Bubbles pump the system up to 200 lb nitrogen if you have a compressor seal leaking which most of the time they're slow you're going to have to use a leak detector or die I don't know how you get enough soap wanted to see it the seal is hidden by the compressor clutch pully
J BONE Winner winner chicken dinner!!!! Exactly correct. And that the sound indicator is working and the camera autofocus is stable. Plus "I look away from the mic when I breathe" lol. Its amazing how many people think these videos are about them lol. I am filming by myself- I have things to do.
That's where the electronic detector beats the UV dye. If you put the blower on low speed and use the sniffer at the air vents when first starting the A/C system, you can often find evaporator leaks. You do it when first starting the system so that the leaked refrigerant builds up inside the ductwork and blower housing, so it can be detected when mixed with a larger volume of air from the blower.
The only problem with this is its slow bro. With 250 to 300 psi Nitrogen and soap, I found a compressor discharge hose leaking in 20 minutes. This was a very slow leak that showed up at 265 psi Nitrogen charged. I need a way to isolate the Evaporator from everything else since it cant be seen and simply watch the gauge on it by itself to see if its failing.
Hey Matt, love your videos, love your channel! Nice to see someone tackling/diagnosing car problems from a scientific standpoint. I have a question that doesn't necessarily pertain to this video but I've wondered for awhile. Where do you find these resources you print out for specifications on engine wear and tear and such? Is it one site/service or do you run around the whole net looking for this stuff? Thanks! :P
Hi ya Schro...you have great videos. Can you provide the link to the complete AC repair video you mention on this video ? I may give your pay channel a try. Thanks
I would advise against using the smoke generator. It produces the smoke from a mineral oil fluid and the smoke/vapor contains mineral oil that is not compatible with R-134a refrigerant and PE/PAG oil. After contaminating the system, ideally it would require flushing the system. This is not my opinion, it is from ASHRAE. Also the electronic detector is halogen gas detector and will equally detect any halogen gas, halogen refrigerant or halogenated substance. That Snap-On unit was/is most likely manufactured by TIF/Robinair under a private label contract. Also on smaller leaks for more successful detection with electronic or bubble method, temporarily disable the radiator/cooling/condenser fans as they move and disperse the leaking gas making electronic detection more difficult or bubble formation nearly impossible. The UV dye is by far the easiest, quickest and relatively reliable and is the favorite go to method for many professionals.
Al of that is pure poppycock. a moments thought would clearly indicate there is no issue whatsoever. A typical AC compressor failure is far far far more contaminating than a smoke machine or compressed air source by a billion times!! Shear ridiculousness caused by lack of logical process.
Probably not a big deal, since he's going to have to pull a vacuum later before recharging - that should dry it out. Also, and he said he was replacing the desiccant, since it's open to the atmosphere already.
Its not a big deal in the slightest- in fact it's LESS of a deal. A system at atmospheric equilibration is going to have whatever moisture is present at ambient. A compressor line has dryers in it so actually the smoke is more dry than ambient air. evacuation of system and replacement of dessicant are standard for any atmospheric contamination anyway as I mention in my other video. Understanding the physical chemistry is the important thing.
+Schrodingers Box I think the difference is pumping more air and moisture into the system than if it was just the natural moisture in the ambient air. I don't know also what kind of solution the smoke is but I would think that would also contain contaminates.
just for the interest of all Australia is phasing out 134 from 2018 for R1234yf a synthetic HFO refrigerant co-developed by DuPont and Honeywell as a successor to R134a for automotive air-conditioning applications. what about the U.S.?
Correct- in fact I am pretty sure most home systems and in fact refrigerators/freezers have been using it for at least a year and I understand it will be required by 2020 for all home appliances- I am sure automotive follow suit as well.
What about evaporator leaks? No visual access. I've had success is w/ a sniffer but it was tedious. Some have found dye in the condensate water, but AC has to be working at least some to deliver condensate.
That's actually a great point. I have never seen an evaporator leak but I guess I'd rule it out by process of elimination and then verify by exposing evaporator and looking for the dye or use sniffer. I hope I never see one lol.
I've found evap leaks by a puddle of oil under the truck from the condensation drain. It just happen to be a leak at the very bottom of the evaporator, I don't think the oil from the system would have leaked out otherwise. Started with a sniffer, it was picking up pretty much anywhere under the hood you put it, so got to looking around some more and eventually went to lunch and came back and was a small oil puddle forming under the truck
Hey Matt, quick question. What do you think of hydrocarbon refrigerants like Duracool and Red Tek? As I understand they are much more efficient and less environmentally damaging refrigerants than CFC or HFC refrigerants, and they also run at lower head pressures, which should extend the life of the system. The only problem that I am aware of is that it is flammable, but how much of a problem is that in reality? I wouldn't use it because if something unrelated caused a small fire and melted a line, it could accelerate the fire and catch other things on fire, but on the other hand the tank of gasoline under pressure could too. I would think that a sudden leak in that is large enough to ignite and sustain a flame or explode would be quite unlikely, and it obviously is not going to burn inside the system as there is no oxygen. What is your opinion on that?
I'm not sure about the validity of the bubble test on an A/C system, only because I don't know how R-134a affects the surface tension of the water and soap solution. A small amount of alcohol can render the bubble test invalid, but unless your chemistry experience can definitively describe the effects of refrigerants on the surface tension of soapy water, we have an obligation to disregard that test due to the presence of unknown variables. :] As far as detection methods go, for the DIY guy, dye is probably the way to go. As a tech, I use both dye and a sniffer. Dye isn't always going to catch an evaporator leak, and just because I don't see any dye under the hood, doesn't mean I can definitively call an evaporator core. The sniffer gives me the evidence I need to at least pull the dash for further inspection, or it tells me I need to take a closer look at other components for something I might have missed. All very critical things when working with customers for whom every penny matters. :)
I can definitely say I have found leaks in the past with soap water but the leaks were relatively large. As you know on most small leaks like this one, most people just simply keep refilling their refrigerant rather than fix it properly which I do not condone.
Schrodingers Box It's the small leaks that pose the greatest challenge, and also seem to be the most common! Ones as small as the one you dealt with here sometimes even evade the vacuum test, which makes the dye even more helpful when recharging. :)
You should have checked the entire A/C system. Just because you find a leak doesn't mean it's the only leak. It would be bad for you to drain the A/C system, replace the one component, flush, replace the desiccant bag evacuate and fill the A/C only to find out there are were other leaks and you only repaired the first one you saw.
Remotely possible but possible. A leak can be small enough to where it isn't detected under a 30 minute vacuum but will be noticeable under a longer period. A leak like .5mmHg over an hour may not be noticeable in 1/2 an hour. And most shops leave the gauges connected 15 to 30 minutes after pulling a vacuum And when you work flat rate, time is your enemy So lets go with the first problem you found and ignoring the rest of the system. A condenser can cost $200+ and then you add labor which can be over $500.You call the owner, tell them what you found and will cost $700 to repair. The customer gives you the ok and you then do the repair only to find out the A/C isn't holding a vacuum. You recheck your repair and the entire A/C system to find another leak coming from an other expensive part like the condenser or evaporator. An additional repair that can easily go over $1500 for that second repair, You call the customer again and tell them you found a second leak after replacing the condenser and will cost an additional $1500 to repair. So now that repair is $2200. The customer declines that work and is angry because you failed to give a proper repair estimate and thinks they will have to pay for the condenser. A condenser they would have declined had they known that a second part needed replacing as well as a repair bill of $2200. So now you're stuck, do you charge the customer for what you've already done and they still don't have a running A/C? Absorb the cost of removing the condenser that you just installed? Or absorb the cost of the condenser and let the vehicle go because the customer would not have wanted the repair in the first place due to the cost of the entire repair had you checked the entire system first? A cost you could have easily avoided had you checked the entire A/C system first.
Frank Gonzalez Thats a long way to go when it was already confirmed there are no other leaks. NO LEAK can possibly take longer than 30 minutes without even a 1HgMM drop of vacuum. NONE. It is simply against the laws of Physics. Even if there were, the density of the refrigerant itself would not pass through such an insignificant leak. Physics my friend. Its what I do.
Tell that to the customer that I had to call because such a repair happened to me when I was a service advisor in which a tech repaired the first leak he saw without looking at the entire system.
Frank Gonzalez I won't have to, because unlike your tech, I allowed 30 minutes to go by and verified there was not even a 1mm of Hg drop in vacuum after system was closed for 30 minutes. I guarantee your guy did not do that. It is impossible on this planet given STP even at the highest altitude to support life for the system I repaired to have a leak.
I love ur vids i seen all of ur how to remove a motor vids i got a 1988 mustang 5.0 stick im gonna re gasket it all freeze plugs main seal do my clutch and what ever else i can im un sure of all my torque settings how would I find out
hello on one of your videos you talk about low oil pressure and my question is.i have a 1997 dodge ram 1500 with the 318.and 116.000 miles and from day one of new with 6 miles to today she has never had more than 25 pounds of oil pressure at most under hard exceleration and does not show any at idol but never no problems full compresson on every cylinder and no oil leaks and its been checked back at the dealer 6 times over the years and nothing can be found wrong with the engine.i guess some just run low oil pressure
What data do you have? What was the oil pressure when measured with an external gauge? what was the voltage drop on the circuit? what is the bearing clearance?
+Schrodingers Box the oil pressure on an external gauge is the same 20 to 25 pounds at 5000 rpms and around 10.and thats from 6 miles till now at 116.000
+Schrodingers Box dumb ass the engine has never been apart or out of the truck since new in 1997 and its run hard when i feel like it so there is nothing wrong with it they have checked everything and find no problem what so ever .
Wow so many opinions and debates going on lol. About the pressure test. I pressure test with nitrogen Before recharging. I know most people won't have this available. But nitrogen because it does not contain moisture like your air compressor. You do not want any moisture or contamination from shop air in the system. It is also an inert gas. As a professional I find many leaks this way but dye is the best for small leaks. I believe if you try a smoker it needs to be approved for Ac systems as an evap smoker will put residue in the system and technical could cause a problem..... eventually.
hey Matt. when I repaired my AC, I added PAG oil with UV dye in it rather than refrigerant with UV dye. the oil is so brightly fluorescent with that yellow green color, that it seems to me you'd be able to see it with the naked eye if it were leaking out of the AC system. You wouldn't need to turn the lights off, use a special light, or buy those special UV glasses. am I correct in this, or does the oil dye change in some way that it's no longer fluorescent yellow to the naked eye after it leaks out of the system?
Usually AC leaks are so small you won't see visible dye traces. You really need the UV light for most leaks. If you have such an incredibly large leak you can see the dye spray pattern without UV- well you'd probably be able to find it when you try evacuating the system in the first place.
Did you know propane is used in many new vehicles now, it is very dangerous if not handled correctly. Systems do explode if sparks from many sources like solenoid, loose wiring, radiant heat or flame are present and also hard to detect as to what you are dealing with by observing your Pressure/ temperatures gauges. Be real careful that some idiot has not installed this gas without informing you via the A/C id card, its a whole new ball game now. Also when using an evacuating unit if it is not compliant with this substance it will cause a deadly reaction !
Sir, I have 2000 infiniti I30. AC is fully charged. .relay has been checked. When I jump the relay prongs manually, cluch gets engaged. .still it doesn't blow cold air. If I don't manually engage the cluch, it doesn't engage with AC button on. Please advise
Sharp intake of breath through my teeth lol... In Uk as a certified ac handler it's frowned upon just keep putting refrigerant into a known leaking system! I actually pressurise the system with Oxygen free Nitrogen (OFN) to about 10 bar (140.ish PSI) I then smother everything ac related in a very heavily soapy water solution with a pump garden sprayer. After a short while even the very smallest leak will create a whipped cream bubbly mound that can be seen. I suspect your soap test didn't work to well was because of the running ac fans pulling the solution through the condenser away from the damaged area.
Well you can replace that intake through your teeth with a sigh of relief because with just some basic common sense you would understand there is no additional contamination of the atmosphere since the system was still live-leaking anyway. Considering the leak took well over a month to exhibit symptoms and the system low pressure threshold is 25PSI which only was reached after over a month of daily driving with full A/C, the amount of A/C loss is not even 1/2 lb which would have leaked out of the system anyway. Considering that the ozone decomposition rate of R134a is 200 times lower than that of R12 and takes 20 times longer to react, the actual delta of atomospheric in recharging this particular system with the particular existing remaining volume of refrigerant is not even calculatable. THINK BIG folks, THINK ACCURATE AND BIG. You will breathe easier.
As well they should be- most people do not repair their systems, they just perpetually refill ad naseum. In this application, based on my calculations, if the OP has ever in his life used more than 1/8 of a can of hairspray, he has done more damage to the atmosphere by 2 times than my temporary refilling of the system prior to a repair PLUS in conjunction with ensuring proper repair prior to a recharge. I have always been one for logic and deduction to trump ridiculous ubiquitous laws based on the general population's ignorance of proper scientific approach. Outlaw canned hairspray if you want to make a real difference folks.
Hey Matt, Thanks for this vid. It really helped me find my leak. I saw your Firebird clock on the wall. What kind do you have or had in the past? Thanks again!
Sir Schrodingers Box do i have a chance to watch your video on Automotive Air Conditioning Diagnostics. im currently here in United Arab Emirates..trying to signup but no chance here...there's any other way to watch it!! its a big help for me.....
Interesting.. so you put refrigerant in to a system you know has a leak ? that would be illegal here in the UK...the correct way would be to pressurise the system with nitrogen we are certificated here before we are allowed to work on A/C. it was the same when i worked in Australia and might be a idea to run through the safety issue of working with refrigerant before a 98%er freezes his or her fingers But like always good video Thanks Regards John
As mentioned in a separate comment, this is matter of calculation not of irresponsibility. Considering there is still a live leak, the delta of additional refrigerant added vs what would have leaked anyway from the system if left alone was calculated and the difference was negligible. Again people just "talking" but not thinking. Pretty easy to say "don't add refrigerant to a leaking system". Had this system been equilibrated with atmosphere after say only a week I would not have added more. Think independently people, and act according to logic and deduction, not anecdote.
m ph you have to be EPA 609 certified to service motor vehicle A/C systems. that didn't apply to owners of a vehicle but if you are reviving anything in return for your services you must had a 609 card.
Thanks Mat, no offence really. It's been a long time and I really like your videos. I am an English teacher and I knew nothing about cars and their mechanical problems. I am trying to learn everything I could from your fuel trims, voltage drop videos, which I think are/were the best, apart from others. Great work really. No one can possibly (methodically) not only teach people about what you have to say in your videos but also entertain us the way you do. Million thumbs up, really. Best...
Why would I introduce compressed air WHEN THERE IS REFRIGERANT IN HE SYSTEM?? There is no need to pressurize the system silly. Besides its a myth anyway. Why can't people think before they do things?
+Schrodingers Box in your video you mentioned using compressed air to find the leak. I've read the warning in manufacture documentation, so I'll just stick with what they have said.
Seems a little sketchie to charge an ac system knowing it is all going to leak out, given environmental concerns. Wouldnt it have been more responsible just to let a local mechanic repair if you didnt have the time?
Sketchy is refilling a system you know has a leak to get by for the summer. DIAGNOSTICS is filling one with dye to determine the repair needed. There's a critcal difference.
Wasn't this system just filled to "get by / leak out" until it could be gotten to later? I'm not knocking the diagnostic aspect. www.epa.govt.nz/Publications/Releasingrefrigerantsisillegal.pdf
I am your big Fans from Denmark. How do i access your paid channel? I have a question. i am just a DIY guy like you. My air con works perfect until i took it to the garage for refiill. I recently took my car for aircon refill, But when i got my car, i got a bad alternator and the aircon does not blow cold air. Everything thing seems to work fine., I changed the alternator but my aircon does not blow so much cold air. it appears to me that there is some kind of leak and i dont wanna take the car to the garage so they dont make more damage. My Car is a Renault Laguna II 1.6 16v 2001. Thanks In advance.
Hahaha I didn't even notice. I don't have time to celebrate is the problem!! All I do is travel around my region now- 70% of the time. Hope all is well my friend.
i got to say something here you should never ever ,ever put compressed air in to a refrigeration system, the oil dont mixes with air and when it does you have fire and explosion. This is from what i have learned from what i regard as the Best AC youtube tutorial from argo-contractor, You need a 300$ flashlight to look around quote from mr alan olivas aka argo contractor. So how to pressurise a AC system only one legal and save way with nitrogen. i think the bullseye leake detector can sniff nitrogen would be interesting to see if that snapon tool sniffs nitrogen probably not its why 20% refrigerant is allowed to be added with nitrogen for leak detection.
ok i have no proof but i sure as hell wont be going to find out if it is a myth i know that everything alan olivas said was plausible , would be good to have some form of proof how and why this is a myth. i think mr olivas talked about emense fines in the usa if you refill a used refrigeration container as somone used it to fill air in the tank for there bike tyres.
How do I know it's a myth? because I looked at the chemical composition and also for "laymen" you can use an MSDS. www.meicorporation.com/pdf/8209msds.pdf Welcome the the world of fact and evidence based foundation!!!!
ok but that wont explain how this supposed myth came to be, i know the battery on concreet floor myth was because battery once where made from wood and porouse material, thats how that originally had some true components. i want to know now for sure. one good reason you wont put air in there is moisture , i was also thinking what chemicals is the smoke made from and some manufacturer ban the use of die for warranty claims.
Schrodingers Box Lucky it's not clogged. That comment is in the right spirit! Lol Can't wait until the paid channel video. It's great to see you ol' friend.
Pretty good observation. I actually just got back from a week in Phoenix earlier that morning and I've been at 80 hour workweeks the last couple of months. Lots of stress going on and I am sure it shows.
Hahaha- Myron never got involved in that stuff. Can't say the same for a couple of the other band members though. But still, the guy has some stories!!
Okay dum dum you sprayed soap water on the condenser the fans pulling the air through the condenser how do you expect to make bubbles turn the engine off you still get a hundred pounds
Why do you talk much and work less ? You are easy to be overtaken by others lesser than you are !!! Just why is this self waste why ?? I am new here but have seen others from highly decent beginners to downwards propagandists . Please just don't decline that way !
Fool. The talking IS the work. Work is proper diagnosis. ANY IDIOT CAN SPIN A WRENCH. It is knowing what to change that is the challenge people like you fail at. Look at all the comments below yours. Now look at yours. Feel like You're an idiot that walked into an advanced math class?
Schrodingers Box LOL....I like you man. I just wished for no disappointments like with the others. You are just nice and not worthy of turning into a propagandist monster. Please stay pure. Only the innocent claim they are scientists when they are mere mechanics / mechatronics. I am watching you. I will sense when you start loosing the essence of your good work for something bad !
This is the second video of yours I’ve watched just came across your channel today you have the potential to become so much better at diagnosing air-conditioning leaks and other things you just need a little bit more information to guide you on the way so you don’t have to spend another decade or two trying to figure out and learn the hard way. Tell one of the absolute UV light leak detectors is by tracer line Opti promax be careful because there’s three levels of this light you only want to get the one that says Opti pro max. For that good snap on corona discharge refrigerant leak detector put it back up for sale on the garage sale unfortunately that’s one of the worst leak detectors on the market using the corona discharge method. Few decades of research the Baccarac H - 10 with the heated diode leak detector with a refrigerant calibration leak detector to calibrate and test your leak detector included in the box is the best you could get and will find those hard small leaks that you normally cannot find. For high-pressure leak detection without using refrigerant or if you have a nearly empty system that only has like 25 psi of refrigerant and you wanna pressurize it to 150 or 200 psi use dry nitrogen or argon gas because it’s dry and it’s in Ert and you can pressurize it at high-pressure you cannot do that with just pumping in refrigerant and you don’t waste no materials and everybody who does welding usually has argon or nitrogen in their shop . UA-cam videos I don’t have time for that it’s pick up the camera and shoot and go off to the next job I think you would enjoy watching some of my videos on air-conditioning only and you can apply those methods to your diagnosis to shorten your diagnosis times and do a better job for your customers.
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thanks for another great video ! a quick tip for you regarding the bubble test. use commercially available whiteboard cleaner for detection of small leaks in any pressurized system. the cleaner has a very low surface tension and easily bubbles with low-volume leaks when compared to a soap solution
What we used to use is those kids bubble blowing things with the ring attached to the lid
Hi
I got interested, recently, in car troubleshooting and i found this channel. It is really amazing and You are very good teacher.Thanks a lot!
Glad to see you again Matt, the issue of A / C is very interesting.
As always keep sending a big hello from Spain =)
Nice! In here its illegal to recharge AC system if you even think there is a leak at the AC- system. For that you can get 4 years worth of meal in jail.
Still AC die is used here too. But for some reason i still get faster results with gaskit that are made for finding AC leaks (mixed, nitrogen).
Presure that system with it to 13bar and spray the parts with just water from hose or if you like use soap water (With Key Off, Engine Off!)...
you can still use sniffer like snap on, but i have find to meny falls leaks from windsheald washer fluids and engine coolant leaks that i have minimised that use.
Anyways nise find! looking foward for the fix :)
I usually reserve the term Rock Star for ScannerDanner as in Automotive Rock Star ! But in this case, that is the real deal ! Having him live right up the street, now that's cool ! Brings back memories ! Good to see ya Matt !
I have had considerable success using an ultrasonic leak detector also. The leak that sold me on the U/S tester was on an older Chevy C-5500 that would not leak in the shop no matter how much pressure I put on it with Ni, I could only duplicate the leak under vacuum and of course none of your methods will work when the leak is only under vacuum. The U/S tester actually found my leak in about 2 minutes, sold me on the spot.
Jeez, I have a 500$ u/s detector and always been disappointed at its performance... Never thought about trying it under vacuum... I'll dust the dign off and give that a try next time around. Thanks for that one me lad. Cheers.
I always feel smarter after watching your videos.
I've been checking for uv dye leaks incorrectly. I've used those yellow glasses without dimming or turning off the light.
The electronic detectors are good for inserting in vents to check for evaporator leaks
I'm wondering if using a smoke machine would leave contaminants inside of the A/C system ?
I caught an accidental nosefull of smoke vapor while checking for a vacuum leak once and I can tell you that there is definitely some stuff that comes along with the smoke.
There's nothing like logging in and finding a fresh upload only 10 minutes old.
Lol yes this one is still in the glass case at the meat counter lol.
😂😂
You must be kidding comparing a 15-20 year old R12 tester to a fresh dye tester. You have to wait quite a while to see anything with a slow leak when using dye. With my current refrigerant detector, which requires annual changing of the detector tip, picks up the tiniest of leaks instantly. And doesn't put gunky die into the system, which can stop up the low side port. I work on probably 40 or so AC systems a year and there are at least a few bunker up, forcing changing the accumulator, shraeder valves, and maybe orfice.
The tester was about $75 on Amazon and came with 6 tips. I do not remember the brand, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were all coming out of the same Chinese factory anyway. All I did was look at the sensitivity range to make sure it had good sensitivity.
I am not kidding at all. As was irrefutably demonstrated the dye is far superior.
@Chris S yes you can use compressed air in fact if you want to check the switches you can put some air in it be looking at the gauges as someone start the engine see if if it would come on and run look at the manifold set low side drops high side goes up turn it off I wouldn't do that for more than 30 seconds
I have used my air compressor hooked up to the charge side with and it works really good for me. Turn the car off and check for the noise of escaping air.
That is only going to work on a really really large leak. Most AC leaks would not possible be detectable this way as the leak takes days and days before normalization to atmosphere.
Small world right. The title make sense now. I didn't know you had another channel.
Oh yeah, he's alive!! Thanks Matt!
Most really cool mild mannered old guys did a little acid back in the day😁 thanks for another great video
The UV method is also very helpful when tracking down leaks of bodily fluids.
Wow. You're hillarious. Would my A/C equipment help me see bodily fluids? Ouch. I just went from funny to yuck.
DE Nichols Some uses of A/C equipment may actually _cause_ leakage of bodily fluids, possibly very large amounts in a widely dispersed pattern.
So, yes, this would indeed help you see bodily fluids.
Customer has an AC leak in the back seat🤔
sometimes A/C compressors will leak, and then not leak,. I had a dodge dakota that drove me nuts, it would leak the freon out, I would leak detect it, change o rings, tighten fittings, spray the whole system down with bubbles, no leaks. a week later the freon would be gone. then after recharginging it again one day I pulled into the driveway , turned the truck off, and heard a loud hissing sound. what was happening is if the pulley and shaft stopped at one particular spot, it would leak like crazy.. turn it a hair, and it stopped completely.. ALWAYS suspect the compressor because it is the least reliable sealed system on automotive airconditioning, due to it having a shaft that terminates outside of the housing.
to check a/c like a rock star you supposed to inhale some freon first until you hallucinate flouresent colors. the car then talks to u on how to fix it. for r12 ,get a gask mask for environment sake.
Pretty sure this is how Scotty also preps for his videos.
"keep on truck'n"... that is so 1970's. I thought it was so cool when a friend had that painted on the side of his van back in the day
I was born in 1970 so I didn't really get to experience the best parts of the decade but looking back I'd say I missed a good time lol
R134a refrigerant $4 a can on Ebay and Amazon. Beats $13 a can at the parts store. Dye charge lower cost there too.
Yeah I recently saw $4 a can at Wal Mart too. I saw same exact generic brand for $17 at auto parts store. Definitely shop around!!
The best method I have found to use when locating leaks is by using some dry nitrogen to pressurize the system. It's cheaper the refrigerant and has been full proof in finding small and large leaks.
Propane and a cigarette lighter works too, if it's a fast leak.
But make sure you completely vac down the system first. You don't want to burn refrigerant, that could be hazardous.
Godfrey. I have to know. Is that a serious comment or are you trying to blow something up. lol
DE Nichols It can be done, yes, but I wouldn't actually recommend it. Your employer (if applicable) may express a disliking.
In the US and Canada it is illegal by federal and state/province law to sell or dispense Propane (R-290), HC-12a (Isobutene), Butane (R-600) as a refrigerant to the public or to use in any residential or mobile/automotive/consumer application.
Do not mix refrigerants, use only the refrigerant specified for the system. Mixing refrigerants in a system is potentially explosive/fire hazard and is prohibited by federal law.
Besides being illegal it is also a really dangerous practice.
+patw52pb1 its legal in new york ,they sell the kits at all the parts store's
Nice one Matt, yes I remember the band, not quite Metallica , I'd say a pebble band. LOL. Nice to see ya buddy....
I don't have a leak, I just have weak cooling.
Pressure when car is off is 100psi on hi & low, but running it is 100 hi, 75 low.
I'm guessing it's an old compressor and I'm prepared to replace it and the oriface tube.
What I need to know is how to determine if there is in fact any other components which need replacing, before I pay to recharge the system.
I'm not mocking you as I am learning from you. So the smoke won't hurt the ac system? I was considering on doing this a couple weeks ago with my smoke machine and I asked a mechanic about the idea and he said "NO" it would contaminate the system and Like ScannerDanner he applied air pressure which I am for as well your just going to suck all this back out with the vacuum pump anyhow. So I'm for using the smoke machine as well. I'm new to all of this, my smoke machine is new and it helped me find my vacuum leak... Thanks for the video
No mocking taken it's a good question. No I am not worried in the slightest about contaminating the system because I am going to purge the system anyway when I replace the leaking component.
You didn't talk about like minivans with 2 systems. I'm guessing the psi is the psi,and as long as rear isn't used the expansion valve and evap is not an issue.
I wonder if the sensitivity of the leak detector goes up when the engine is on because of heat? It'd make sense that whatever chemical reaction the sniffer goes through with refrigerant would work better warmer than colder.
Heat or temperature is not really a factor, neither the gas or the detector are temp sensitive. The same electronic refrigerant detectors are used in sub-zero temps inside walk-in freezers with no problems.
It is a halogen detector and most higher end units incorporate a heater in the detector element for proper operation similar to an O2 sensor.
The running cooling/condenser fans are a problem because they move and disperse the gas from the leak making detection more difficult.
Did you just say that the gas is not heat sensitive.
There goes the whole science of refrigeration out the window.
The soap test might have worked better if the condesor fan was disabled. (just a thought)
Tech Tune Automotive Repairs
Are you serious?
You are completely misconstruing the context of my comment and response to the original comment by +DE “AutoBravado” Nichols.
Refrigerants used in mobile (automotive) systems adhere to physics, gas laws and are temperature reactive, a thermostat would be temperature sensitive.
The sensitivity of most halogen/refrigerant leak detectors is not affected by ambient temperature.
Tech Tune Automotive Repairs
Since you've already been effectively rebuttaled on the other part of your comment, I'll just comment on your other point.
If the system was hotter, would it leak more? Sure, but remember, if it doesn't get enough air, it turns off, and then you're not testing the whole system for leaking as well.
I was referring to the fan displacing the soap and water. Remember system pressure was low and harder to detect with the soap and water. I was in no way referring to temperature.
thanks for another wonderful video your insight is good as gold
Wow, what a well spoken educational vid.... You da boss.... Loved it...😁
I seen it bubble!
Glad to see you back.
master troubleshooter. he absolutely will not spend a penny until the problem has been isolated, triple tested, and nuked to smitherines!
Here's s thought, but have never tried it yet... Unscrew low or high side Schroeder valve, hook the gauge hose to the opposite valve and smoke the thing until smoke poors out the opened side. Screw the valve back in. Now that you know the system is full of smoke, you hook your compressor or nitrogen bottle to the system to push tje to the smoke out with high pressure.
Do you think this would work?
It might I would just do soap and Bubbles pump the system up to 200 lb nitrogen if you have a compressor seal leaking which most of the time they're slow you're going to have to use a leak detector or die I don't know how you get enough soap wanted to see it the seal is hidden by the compressor clutch pully
Kind of off subject, but, how come you never look directly into the camera lens? What exactly are you looking at off to your left? lol
I'm not trying to have a relationship with you, I'm trying to make a video.
I'm so disillusioned. I always thought you were talking to me and me alone!
I assume he looking at them down screen to make sure everything is in the shot. It's common for people to do this
+J BONE at lcd screen. Auto correct sux for me
J BONE Winner winner chicken dinner!!!! Exactly correct. And that the sound indicator is working and the camera autofocus is stable.
Plus "I look away from the mic when I breathe" lol.
Its amazing how many people think these videos are about them lol. I am filming by myself- I have things to do.
Well done keep up the good videos !!
Great video...How do you do when you have to check the evaporator and you cannot see it???
That's where the electronic detector beats the UV dye. If you put the blower on low speed and use the sniffer at the air vents when first starting the A/C system, you can often find evaporator leaks. You do it when first starting the system so that the leaked refrigerant builds up inside the ductwork and blower housing, so it can be detected when mixed with a larger volume of air from the blower.
The only problem with this is its slow bro.
With 250 to 300 psi Nitrogen and soap, I found a compressor discharge hose leaking in 20 minutes. This was a very slow leak that showed up at 265 psi Nitrogen charged. I need a way to isolate the Evaporator from everything else since it cant be seen and simply watch the gauge on it by itself to see if its failing.
Hey Matt, love your videos, love your channel! Nice to see someone tackling/diagnosing car problems from a scientific standpoint. I have a question that doesn't necessarily pertain to this video but I've wondered for awhile. Where do you find these resources you print out for specifications on engine wear and tear and such? Is it one site/service or do you run around the whole net looking for this stuff? Thanks! :P
I usually just google it but when working on a car where I need specifics that are reliable I use ALLDATA DIY.
Thanks a million, man!
Hi ya Schro...you have great videos. Can you provide the link to the complete AC repair video you mention on this video ? I may give your pay channel a try. Thanks
I would advise against using the smoke generator.
It produces the smoke from a mineral oil fluid and the smoke/vapor contains mineral oil that is not compatible with R-134a refrigerant and PE/PAG oil. After contaminating the system, ideally it would require flushing the system. This is not my opinion, it is from ASHRAE.
Also the electronic detector is halogen gas detector and will equally detect any halogen gas, halogen refrigerant or halogenated substance. That Snap-On unit was/is most likely manufactured by TIF/Robinair under a private label contract.
Also on smaller leaks for more successful detection with electronic or bubble method, temporarily disable the radiator/cooling/condenser fans as they move and disperse the leaking gas making electronic detection more difficult or bubble formation nearly impossible.
The UV dye is by far the easiest, quickest and relatively reliable and is the favorite go to method for many professionals.
Al of that is pure poppycock. a moments thought would clearly indicate there is no issue whatsoever. A typical AC compressor failure is far far far more contaminating than a smoke machine or compressed air source by a billion times!!
Shear ridiculousness caused by lack of logical process.
Schrodingers Box
That is your opinion and your choice to do as you see fit, however that does not automatically make you correct.
That be true however 7 years of field tested application does that for me. There is no debate- it's just logic and practical application.
Why not pump some air from your compressor after adding smoke? That would add some pressure to force the smoke out.
There really isn’t need to. The smoke machine has 1PSI output. This is more than sufficient for this application.
the great think abt nitrogen is you can pressure up the system to a thousand pounds id you want, and tiny leaks will show
Are you out of your mind a thousand pounds your hose will blow up about the 400 200 lb of nitrogen or air if you have a real tiny leak will show up
As a licensed HVAC contractor and a fan I wouldn't recommend using the smoke to detect a leak. Probably very moisture laden air
Probably not a big deal, since he's going to have to pull a vacuum later before recharging - that should dry it out. Also, and he said he was replacing the desiccant, since it's open to the atmosphere already.
+aussiebloke609 it's a big deal to us in the refrigeration field. We use dry nitrogen only and we change driers too
Its not a big deal in the slightest- in fact it's LESS of a deal. A system at atmospheric equilibration is going to have whatever moisture is present at ambient. A compressor line has dryers in it so actually the smoke is more dry than ambient air.
evacuation of system and replacement of dessicant are standard for any atmospheric contamination anyway as I mention in my other video.
Understanding the physical chemistry is the important thing.
+Schrodingers Box I think the difference is pumping more air and moisture into the system than if it was just the natural moisture in the ambient air. I don't know also what kind of solution the smoke is but I would think that would also contain contaminates.
Joe Shearer I still dont get your point- HOW is this possibly going to cause issues? Are you sure of what you are saying here??
just for the interest of all Australia is phasing out 134 from 2018 for R1234yf a synthetic HFO refrigerant co-developed by DuPont and Honeywell as a successor to R134a for automotive air-conditioning applications. what about the U.S.?
Same here in the u.s.
Correct- in fact I am pretty sure most home systems and in fact refrigerators/freezers have been using it for at least a year and I understand it will be required by 2020 for all home appliances- I am sure automotive follow suit as well.
What about evaporator leaks? No visual access. I've had success is w/ a sniffer but it was tedious. Some have found dye in the condensate water, but AC has to be working at least some to deliver condensate.
That's actually a great point. I have never seen an evaporator leak but I guess I'd rule it out by process of elimination and then verify by exposing evaporator and looking for the dye or use sniffer.
I hope I never see one lol.
I've found evap leaks by a puddle of oil under the truck from the condensation drain. It just happen to be a leak at the very bottom of the evaporator, I don't think the oil from the system would have leaked out otherwise. Started with a sniffer, it was picking up pretty much anywhere under the hood you put it, so got to looking around some more and eventually went to lunch and came back and was a small oil puddle forming under the truck
Hey Matt, quick question. What do you think of hydrocarbon refrigerants like Duracool and Red Tek? As I understand they are much more efficient and less environmentally damaging refrigerants than CFC or HFC refrigerants, and they also run at lower head pressures, which should extend the life of the system. The only problem that I am aware of is that it is flammable, but how much of a problem is that in reality? I wouldn't use it because if something unrelated caused a small fire and melted a line, it could accelerate the fire and catch other things on fire, but on the other hand the tank of gasoline under pressure could too. I would think that a sudden leak in that is large enough to ignite and sustain a flame or explode would be quite unlikely, and it obviously is not going to burn inside the system as there is no oxygen. What is your opinion on that?
Never heard of that!! I need to look into it- thanks!!!
Ok, be sure to let me know as soon as you come to a conclusion! Thanks!
welcome back :)
thanks bud! just what i needed
I'm not sure about the validity of the bubble test on an A/C system, only because I don't know how R-134a affects the surface tension of the water and soap solution. A small amount of alcohol can render the bubble test invalid, but unless your chemistry experience can definitively describe the effects of refrigerants on the surface tension of soapy water, we have an obligation to disregard that test due to the presence of unknown variables. :]
As far as detection methods go, for the DIY guy, dye is probably the way to go. As a tech, I use both dye and a sniffer. Dye isn't always going to catch an evaporator leak, and just because I don't see any dye under the hood, doesn't mean I can definitively call an evaporator core. The sniffer gives me the evidence I need to at least pull the dash for further inspection, or it tells me I need to take a closer look at other components for something I might have missed. All very critical things when working with customers for whom every penny matters. :)
I can definitely say I have found leaks in the past with soap water but the leaks were relatively large. As you know on most small leaks like this one, most people just simply keep refilling their refrigerant rather than fix it properly which I do not condone.
Schrodingers Box
It's the small leaks that pose the greatest challenge, and also seem to be the most common! Ones as small as the one you dealt with here sometimes even evade the vacuum test, which makes the dye even more helpful when recharging. :)
rhkips Absolutely true dat. There's no way in hell I would have found that leak without dye or detector.
You should have checked the entire A/C system. Just because you find a leak doesn't mean it's the only leak. It would be bad for you to drain the A/C system, replace the one component, flush, replace the desiccant bag evacuate and fill the A/C only to find out there are were other leaks and you only repaired the first one you saw.
It was tested. How is it remotely possible for there be be a leak while maintaining 20mmHg of vacuum in a closed system?
Remotely possible but possible. A leak can be small enough to where it isn't detected under a 30 minute vacuum but will be noticeable under a longer period. A leak like .5mmHg over an hour may not be noticeable in 1/2 an hour. And most shops leave the gauges connected 15 to 30 minutes after pulling a vacuum And when you work flat rate, time is your enemy
So lets go with the first problem you found and ignoring the rest of the system. A condenser can cost $200+ and then you add labor which can be over $500.You call the owner, tell them what you found and will cost $700 to repair. The customer gives you the ok and you then do the repair only to find out the A/C isn't holding a vacuum. You recheck your repair and the entire A/C system to find another leak coming from an other expensive part like the condenser or evaporator. An additional repair that can easily go over $1500 for that second repair, You call the customer again and tell them you found a second leak after replacing the condenser and will cost an additional $1500 to repair. So now that repair is $2200. The customer declines that work and is angry because you failed to give a proper repair estimate and thinks they will have to pay for the condenser. A condenser they would have declined had they known that a second part needed replacing as well as a repair bill of $2200. So now you're stuck, do you charge the customer for what you've already done and they still don't have a running A/C? Absorb the cost of removing the condenser that you just installed? Or absorb the cost of the condenser and let the vehicle go because the customer would not have wanted the repair in the first place due to the cost of the entire repair had you checked the entire system first? A cost you could have easily avoided had you checked the entire A/C system first.
Frank Gonzalez Thats a long way to go when it was already confirmed there are no other leaks. NO LEAK can possibly take longer than 30 minutes without even a 1HgMM drop of vacuum. NONE. It is simply against the laws of Physics. Even if there were, the density of the refrigerant itself would not pass through such an insignificant leak.
Physics my friend. Its what I do.
Tell that to the customer that I had to call because such a repair happened to me when I was a service advisor in which a tech repaired the first leak he saw without looking at the entire system.
Frank Gonzalez I won't have to, because unlike your tech, I allowed 30 minutes to go by and verified there was not even a 1mm of Hg drop in vacuum after system was closed for 30 minutes.
I guarantee your guy did not do that. It is impossible on this planet given STP even at the highest altitude to support life for the system I repaired to have a leak.
I love ur vids i seen all of ur how to remove a motor vids i got a 1988 mustang 5.0 stick im gonna re gasket it all freeze plugs main seal do my clutch and what ever else i can im un sure of all my torque settings how would I find out
Hip, hip, hooray !!!!!!!! For he's a jolly good fellow!! When's the pay channel video coming?
It should be up Friday- got caught up in more travel for work and its killing me!!
Thank you again 👀🌿 video I’m not surprise
hello on one of your videos you talk about low oil pressure and my question is.i have a 1997 dodge ram 1500 with the 318.and 116.000 miles and from day one of new with 6 miles to today she has never had more than 25 pounds of oil pressure at most under hard exceleration and does not show any at idol but never no problems full compresson on every cylinder and no oil leaks and its been checked back at the dealer 6 times over the years and nothing can be found wrong with the engine.i guess some just run low oil pressure
What data do you have? What was the oil pressure when measured with an external gauge? what was the voltage drop on the circuit? what is the bearing clearance?
+Schrodingers Box the oil pressure on an external gauge is the same 20 to 25 pounds at 5000 rpms and around 10.and thats from 6 miles till now at 116.000
You need to measure bearing clearance then
+Schrodingers Box dumb ass the engine has never been apart or out of the truck since new in 1997 and its run hard when i feel like it so there is nothing wrong with it they have checked everything and find no problem what so ever .
Wow so many opinions and debates going on lol.
About the pressure test. I pressure test with nitrogen
Before recharging. I know most people won't have this available. But nitrogen because it does not contain moisture like your air compressor. You do not want any moisture or contamination from shop air in the system. It is also an inert gas. As a professional I find many leaks this way but dye is the best for small leaks. I believe if you try a smoker it needs to be approved for Ac systems as an evap smoker will put residue in the system and technical could cause a problem..... eventually.
hey Matt. when I repaired my AC, I added PAG oil with UV dye in it rather than refrigerant with UV dye. the oil is so brightly fluorescent with that yellow green color, that it seems to me you'd be able to see it with the naked eye if it were leaking out of the AC system. You wouldn't need to turn the lights off, use a special light, or buy those special UV glasses. am I correct in this, or does the oil dye change in some way that it's no longer fluorescent yellow to the naked eye after it leaks out of the system?
Usually AC leaks are so small you won't see visible dye traces. You really need the UV light for most leaks.
If you have such an incredibly large leak you can see the dye spray pattern without UV- well you'd probably be able to find it when you try evacuating the system in the first place.
Did you know propane is used in many new vehicles now, it is very dangerous if not handled correctly. Systems do explode if sparks from many sources like solenoid, loose wiring, radiant heat or flame are present and also hard to detect as to what you are dealing with by observing your Pressure/ temperatures gauges. Be real careful that some idiot has not installed this gas without informing you via the A/C id card, its a whole new ball game now.
Also when using an evacuating unit if it is not compliant with this substance it will cause a deadly reaction !
did you remove the radiator to detect the leak because in the video i did not see it.
and when you turn the car on did over heat?
Sir, I have 2000 infiniti I30. AC is fully charged. .relay has been checked. When I jump the relay prongs manually, cluch gets engaged. .still it doesn't blow cold air. If I don't manually engage the cluch, it doesn't engage with AC button on. Please advise
What are your high and low side reading both static and loaded?
nice video!
Sharp intake of breath through my teeth lol... In Uk as a certified ac handler it's frowned upon just keep putting refrigerant into a known leaking system! I actually pressurise the system with Oxygen free Nitrogen (OFN) to about 10 bar (140.ish PSI) I then smother everything ac related in a very heavily soapy water solution with a pump garden sprayer. After a short while even the very smallest leak will create a whipped cream bubbly mound that can be seen. I suspect your soap test didn't work to well was because of the running ac fans pulling the solution through the condenser away from the damaged area.
Thank God someone said it. jeez
In the US charging a system with a known leak is also prohibited by law.
Well stated.
Well you can replace that intake through your teeth with a sigh of relief because with just some basic common sense you would understand there is no additional contamination of the atmosphere since the system was still live-leaking anyway. Considering the leak took well over a month to exhibit symptoms and the system low pressure threshold is 25PSI which only was reached after over a month of daily driving with full A/C, the amount of A/C loss is not even 1/2 lb which would have leaked out of the system anyway. Considering that the ozone decomposition rate of R134a is 200 times lower than that of R12 and takes 20 times longer to react, the actual delta of atomospheric in recharging this particular system with the particular existing remaining volume of refrigerant is not even calculatable.
THINK BIG folks, THINK ACCURATE AND BIG. You will breathe easier.
As well they should be- most people do not repair their systems, they just perpetually refill ad naseum.
In this application, based on my calculations, if the OP has ever in his life used more than 1/8 of a can of hairspray, he has done more damage to the atmosphere by 2 times than my temporary refilling of the system prior to a repair PLUS in conjunction with ensuring proper repair prior to a recharge.
I have always been one for logic and deduction to trump ridiculous ubiquitous laws based on the general population's ignorance of proper scientific approach.
Outlaw canned hairspray if you want to make a real difference folks.
Hey Matt,
Thanks for this vid. It really helped me find my leak. I saw your Firebird clock on the wall. What kind do you have or had in the past?
Thanks again!
I Just watched the head gasket test video that had your Trans Am in it. That is a beautiful car!
Lol, I was waiting until you discovered the answer to your own question hahaha. yeah it's a beaut!!
What kind of oil is in your smoke machine?
Regular baby oil.
Sir Schrodingers Box do i have a chance to watch your video on Automotive Air Conditioning Diagnostics. im currently here in United Arab Emirates..trying to signup but no chance here...there's any other way to watch it!! its a big help for me.....
send me a PM with your email address
PM sent sir
On a larger leak would it still not activate the compressor if so? Thanks.
If the leak is large enough that static pressure falls below 25PSI, the compressor will never start.
Schrodingers Box Thanks will check with some dye. Appreciate it.
Interesting.. so you put refrigerant in to a system you know has a leak ? that would be illegal here in the UK...the correct way would be to pressurise the system with nitrogen
we are certificated here before we are allowed to work on A/C. it was the same when i worked in Australia
and might be a idea to run through the safety issue of working with refrigerant before a 98%er freezes his or her fingers
But like always good video
Thanks Regards John
Not in the US (yet). You can go to practically any store and purchase cans of R134A off the shelf.
LOL you can buy air horns off the shelf that are charged with 134a.
As mentioned in a separate comment, this is matter of calculation not of irresponsibility. Considering there is still a live leak, the delta of additional refrigerant added vs what would have leaked anyway from the system if left alone was calculated and the difference was negligible. Again people just "talking" but not thinking. Pretty easy to say "don't add refrigerant to a leaking system". Had this system been equilibrated with atmosphere after say only a week I would not have added more.
Think independently people, and act according to logic and deduction, not anecdote.
Schrodingers Box don't they also take away the right to protect yourself in named countries?
m ph you have to be EPA 609 certified to service motor vehicle A/C systems. that didn't apply to owners of a vehicle but if you are reviving anything in return for your services you must had a 609 card.
Does ANY UV flash light will work?? or it has to be specific to AC systems?? would the Ebay flashlight 395Nm wave legnth would work? please help :)
yes the dye excites at around 400nm so really anything in Uv range will fluoresce it.
@@SchrodingersBox awesome i found a cheap version in Harbor Freight for 8 dlls Thanks
hahaha that exactly what I have used for years lol.
Excellent
We want more videos please. Thanks.
Well why didn't you say so? I'll upload a new one now!!
Thanks Mat, no offence really. It's been a long time and I really like your videos. I am an English teacher and I knew nothing about cars and their mechanical problems. I am trying to learn everything I could from your fuel trims, voltage drop videos, which I think are/were the best, apart from others. Great work really. No one can possibly (methodically) not only teach people about what you have to say in your videos but also entertain us the way you do. Million thumbs up, really. Best...
compressed air should not be used in an ac system. The resulting mixture of refrigerant and air can be explosive.
Why would I introduce compressed air WHEN THERE IS REFRIGERANT IN HE SYSTEM?? There is no need to pressurize the system silly. Besides its a myth anyway.
Why can't people think before they do things?
+Schrodingers Box in your video you mentioned using compressed air to find the leak. I've read the warning in manufacture documentation, so I'll just stick with what they have said.
suit yourself. But I'd rather follow logic and reason rather than anecdote.
great job
Seems a little sketchie to charge an ac system knowing it is all going to leak out, given environmental concerns. Wouldnt it have been more responsible just to let a local mechanic repair if you didnt have the time?
Sketchy is refilling a system you know has a leak to get by for the summer. DIAGNOSTICS is filling one with dye to determine the repair needed.
There's a critcal difference.
Wasn't this system just filled to "get by / leak out" until it could be gotten to later? I'm not knocking the diagnostic aspect. www.epa.govt.nz/Publications/Releasingrefrigerantsisillegal.pdf
Saturday Projects Nope, not at all. You can kill two birds with one stone like I did.
I am your big Fans from Denmark. How do i access your paid channel?
I have a question. i am just a DIY guy like you. My air con works perfect until i took it to the garage for refiill.
I recently took my car for aircon refill, But when i got my car, i got a bad alternator and the aircon does not blow cold air.
Everything thing seems to work fine., I changed the alternator but my aircon does not blow so much cold air.
it appears to me that there is some kind of leak and i dont wanna take the car to the garage so they dont make more damage.
My Car is a Renault Laguna II 1.6 16v 2001.
Thanks In advance.
What data do you have?
I have not taken a live data output yet.. i just ran a scan which came up with scan code error DTC DF106..
NO error relating the Aircon System..
Let me know when you get some pressure data and only then can I help.
Thanks for the quick response. If i may ask. can a normal scan get the pressure data or i need a special type of tools.
Thanks In Advance..
I need high and low side pressure data under static, load, equilibration and induced variables
come over to me and scotty kilmers acid dungeon some time and we can smoke a bowl of shoelaces, drink a hundred beers and relax like cats
Hello. where could I find a link to your other paid channel
What's your other channel called?
Ooooos I forgot to include the link didn't I. it's called schrodingers box quantum Mekanix.
60000 subscribers and you don't care! I remember when you celebrated 20k...
Hahaha I didn't even notice. I don't have time to celebrate is the problem!! All I do is travel around my region now- 70% of the time.
Hope all is well my friend.
Schrodingers Box
Fuck the real life and go back on youtube;)
Gregory May I wish I could but real life pays much more lol.
i got to say something here you should never ever ,ever put compressed air in to a refrigeration system, the oil dont mixes with air and when it does you have fire and explosion. This is from what i have learned from what i regard as the Best AC youtube tutorial from argo-contractor, You need a 300$ flashlight to look around quote from mr alan olivas aka argo contractor.
So how to pressurise a AC system only one legal and save way with nitrogen.
i think the bullseye leake detector can sniff nitrogen would be interesting to see if that snapon tool sniffs nitrogen probably not its why 20% refrigerant is allowed to be added with nitrogen for leak detection.
Absolute myth and proven conclusively to be so. I even didn't know this was still perpetuated.
ok i have no proof but i sure as hell wont be going to find out if it is a myth i know that everything alan olivas said was plausible , would be good to have some form of proof how and why this is a myth.
i think mr olivas talked about emense fines in the usa if you refill a used refrigeration container as somone used it to fill air in the tank for there bike tyres.
How do I know it's a myth? because I looked at the chemical composition and also for "laymen" you can use an MSDS.
www.meicorporation.com/pdf/8209msds.pdf
Welcome the the world of fact and evidence based foundation!!!!
ok but that wont explain how this supposed myth came to be, i know the battery on concreet floor myth was because battery once where made from wood and porouse material, thats how that originally had some true components. i want to know now for sure. one good reason you wont put air in there is moisture , i was also thinking what chemicals is the smoke made from and some manufacturer ban the use of die for warranty claims.
Why a myth forms is irrelevant- because they all form from the same exact source. Ignorance.
Fluorescent eyed lady. What a great idea for a song. You never know who is living just down the street. I used to be neighbors with Tammy Faye Bakker.
You all most as bad as mad men!! However I'm VERY happy to watch your detective skills ;)
What's up with the cat?
Trying to be a 98% with this one. Glue the divot. LOL
Lol actually he said a can of stop leak he used previously on the system did seal the leak for over a year before I saw the car!
Schrodingers Box Lucky it's not clogged. That comment is in the right spirit! Lol
Can't wait until the paid channel video. It's great to see you ol' friend.
Sugarloaf ha I think that was a town up the canyon from boulder ,co if my memory serves me well any who that,s cool I like the band
What has happened to that cat, sounds like he (she) was in pain? 👁
Hahaha I think I ran over it’s tail with the car!
@@SchrodingersBox Very funny. I didn't expect it from you. Unsubscribe, despite a good content of your films.
You're making people pay to watch you replace parts? Sad lol
No I offer them the opportunity to learn how to DIAGNOSE.
you look tired.
Pretty good observation. I actually just got back from a week in Phoenix earlier that morning and I've been at 80 hour workweeks the last couple of months. Lots of stress going on and I am sure it shows.
Like a rock star? Where's the line of coke?
:D (No offense intended to your vehicle's owner.)
Hahaha- Myron never got involved in that stuff. Can't say the same for a couple of the other band members though. But still, the guy has some stories!!
Okay dum dum you sprayed soap water on the condenser the fans pulling the air through the condenser how do you expect to make bubbles turn the engine off you still get a hundred pounds
Stupid incomepent moron- how is the soap going to enter the condensor against POSITIVE PRESSURE . Stupid people annoy me.
Why do you talk much and work less ? You are easy to be overtaken by others lesser than you are !!! Just why is this self waste why ?? I am new here but have seen others from highly decent beginners to downwards propagandists . Please just don't decline that way !
Fool. The talking IS the work. Work is proper diagnosis. ANY IDIOT CAN SPIN A WRENCH. It is knowing what to change that is the challenge people like you fail at. Look at all the comments below yours. Now look at yours. Feel like You're an idiot that walked into an advanced math class?
Schrodingers Box LOL....I like you man. I just wished for no disappointments like with the others. You are just nice and not worthy of turning into a propagandist monster. Please stay pure. Only the innocent claim they are scientists when they are mere mechanics / mechatronics. I am watching you. I will sense when you start loosing the essence of your good work for something bad !
This is the second video of yours I’ve watched just came across your channel today you have the potential to become so much better at diagnosing air-conditioning leaks and other things you just need a little bit more information to guide you on the way so you don’t have to spend another decade or two trying to figure out and learn the hard way.
Tell one of the absolute UV light leak detectors is by tracer line Opti promax be careful because there’s three levels of this light you only want to get the one that says Opti pro max.
For that good snap on corona discharge refrigerant leak detector put it back up for sale on the garage sale unfortunately that’s one of the worst leak detectors on the market using the corona discharge method.
Few decades of research the Baccarac H - 10 with the heated diode leak detector with a refrigerant calibration leak detector to calibrate and test your leak detector included in the box is the best you could get and will find those hard small leaks that you normally cannot find.
For high-pressure leak detection without using refrigerant or if you have a nearly empty system that only has like 25 psi of refrigerant and you wanna pressurize it to 150 or 200 psi use dry nitrogen or argon gas because it’s dry and it’s in Ert and you can pressurize it at high-pressure you cannot do that with just pumping in refrigerant and you don’t waste no materials and everybody who does welding usually has argon or nitrogen in their shop .
UA-cam videos I don’t have time for that it’s pick up the camera and shoot and go off to the next job I think you would enjoy watching some of my videos on air-conditioning only and you can apply those methods to your diagnosis to shorten your diagnosis times and do a better job for your customers.
If I wasn’t a DIY i would use those methods. I am stuck with DIY level equipment including my scantool and oscilloscope.