Air Conditioning System Leak Inspection
What is an air conditioning leak diagnosis?
At some point during the useful life of most vehicles, the air conditioner may stop blowing cold. When this occurs, especially in warmer climates, an A/C diagnosis is needed right away.
How does an air conditioning leak happen?
This is a dreaded scenario and the first thing that comes to mind is dollar signs. This does not necessarily have to be the case. A/C systems may develop a leaky seal where one component connects to another, which can be fixed quickly, and recharged with refrigerant. To find out how severe a problem is, the technician will connect the air conditioning system to a specialized recover and vacuum machine, or a set of A/C test gauges. The readings will indicate if the refrigerant is charged (ull), and, if not, how large the leak he is searching for may be. This and other diagnostics tests are performed so you can understand why you A/C is not working, and decide whether to fix it, or not.
If your A/C is providing little cooling or none at all, it may be that the system is leaking A/C refrigerant. As the system becomes low on refrigerant, you may hear the A/C compressor cycling on and off rapidly when the A/C is turned on.
What are the symptoms of an air conditioning leak?
A/C refrigerant may slowly leak out of the system over days, weeks, or even years. Vehicle occupants may not realize there is a problem until the air conditioner does not produce the low temperatures they are accustomed to.
Can I drive with an air conditioning leak?
Driving a vehicle with a discharged A/C system will not cause further damage, however, over an extended time, other seals in the system can being to dry rot due to lack of lubrication from refrigerant and oil. In this situation, the repair will become very costly, as most of the system may need repair.