Slow AC leak... Anyone have any ideas?

j1gilles · 09-06-2014, 02:10 PM

-So about 3 months ago I turned my AC on after leaving work and all I received in return was a blast of hot air to the face... Went home and verified the compressor was work so I checked the line charge and it was low. I added some R134a and presto, AC blowing cold air again. I added a little AC dye to the system and checked for leaks the next day with my dye light. I could not see any visable leaks so I figured that after 5 years the system lost a little refrigerant. The system worked well for a couple weeks but then I noticed it was not blowing as cold on a hot day after work. The very next day I was welcomed with just hot air again! I'm obviously loosing refrigerant somewhere but I cannot seem to find this slow leak

!

-Anyone have any ideas to where this leak could be? Thank you...

Pr335bob · 09-06-2014, 02:35 PM

leak test just do it again with some color dye thing that they use. a couple years ago I had a small leak. it was attributed to a small hole of one of the aluminum AC lines. My ac guy is great. All he did was solder the the affected line and it's been good ever since. Some BMW guy wanted to charge me about 450 thinking it was something else

Ingeniator · 09-06-2014, 02:37 PM

Did you check the line that runs by the chargepipe it rubs sometimes.

Miller335 · 09-06-2014, 03:41 PM

I don't work on cars for a living but I do know tracking down an A/C leak can be a difficult task.

It might require things to be removed from the car to see the dye leaking.

AZBimmer · 09-06-2014, 03:44 PM

I had same problem. New evaporator and $1900 later problem solved. Hope this is not your issue. Good luck.

j1gilles · 09-06-2014, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ingeniator

Did you check the line that runs by the chargepipe it rubs sometimes.

No I have not... I will now though! Thanks!

j1gilles · 09-06-2014, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZBimmer

I had same problem. New evaporator and $1900 later problem solved. Hope this is not your issue. Good luck.

The evaporator core did cross my mind... Thanks!

LGCubana · 09-07-2014, 06:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j1gilles

The evaporator core did cross my mind... Thanks!

Same here. with 34K, dealership just replaced mine last week.

I bought the car in early July; the AC was fine on the test drive, but it was blowing warm to hot air, a few days later, when I signed the paperwork; they recharged the unit while I waited. Fast forward 6 weeks: the AC was starting to loose the battle against the Florida sun.

j1gilles · 09-07-2014, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LGCubana

Quote:

Originally Posted by j1gilles

The evaporator core did cross my mind... Thanks!

Same here. with 34K, dealership just replaced mine last week.

I bought the car in early July; the AC was fine on the test drive, but it was blowing warm to hot air, a few days later, when I signed the paperwork; they recharged the unit while I waited. Fast forward 6 weeks: the AC was starting to loose the battle against the Florida sun.

I'm at 39k miles... I'm going to bust out my dye light one last time before I tear apart my dash. I really hope it's not the evap core

Pr335bob · 09-07-2014, 08:17 PM

I hope so to. I know I had to refill mine like every week or so. When the ac guy discovered and fixed The leak. I was relieved. Hope you have a similar situation and can resolve it quickly and for cheap.

j1gilles · 09-07-2014, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pr335bob

I hope so to. I know I had to refill mine like every week or so. When the ac guy discovered and fixed The leak. I was relieved. Hope you have a similar situation and can resolve it quickly and for cheap.

Thank you! I'm pretty sure I smell AC dye when I turn on the air. Looks like I'm pulling my dash apart in a few weeks

jaykayelemenohpee · 09-08-2014, 12:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j1gilles

Thank you! I'm pretty sure I smell AC dye when I turn on the air. Looks like I'm pulling my dash apart in a few weeks

Check for dye above the transmission. Thats where I hear it will leak to if there is a condenser leak.

asian010 · 09-08-2014, 01:15 AM

mine was from line rubbing against charge pipe. common problem.

09-06-2014, 02:10 PM	#1
j1gilles Captain 51 Rep 719 Posts Drives: 2009 335xi Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Chicago iTrader: (0)	Slow AC leak... Anyone have any ideas? -So about 3 months ago I turned my AC on after leaving work and all I received in return was a blast of hot air to the face... Went home and verified the compressor was work so I checked the line charge and it was low. I added some R134a and presto, AC blowing cold air again. I added a little AC dye to the system and checked for leaks the next day with my dye light. I could not see any visable leaks so I figured that after 5 years the system lost a little refrigerant. The system worked well for a couple weeks but then I noticed it was not blowing as cold on a hot day after work. The very next day I was welcomed with just hot air again! I'm obviously loosing refrigerant somewhere but I cannot seem to find this slow leak ! -Anyone have any ideas to where this leak could be? Thank you... __________________ ASE master tech (many moons ago)335xi- JB4 G5 iso/e50 custom flash/Custom meth/Borla mids/Custom x-pipe/DCI/ER charge pipe/Dual Ebay BOV's/Alpina B3 flash/Paddle shifter retro fit
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09-06-2014, 02:35 PM	#2
Pr335bob Captain 38 Rep 753 Posts Drives: Black on black e92 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Puerto Rico USA iTrader: (0)	leak test just do it again with some color dye thing that they use. a couple years ago I had a small leak. it was attributed to a small hole of one of the aluminum AC lines. My ac guy is great. All he did was solder the the affected line and it's been good ever since. Some BMW guy wanted to charge me about 450 thinking it was something else
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09-06-2014, 02:37 PM	#3
Ingeniator Major 34 Rep 1,093 Posts Drives: 07 335XI(90) 09 135I(82) Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Fort Mac, Alberta iTrader: (1)	Did you check the line that runs by the chargepipe it rubs sometimes. __________________ 07 335XI (A008006) 6AT ~94K miles JB4 G5 ISO VSRF DP's 09 135I M (VK80379) 6MT. Race Project car. 1) Install Cobb/piggyback? and Motiv 600 Kit[HTA3076R w/ tial .82] 2) JRZ or Moton suspension. 3) Build high flow intake manifold with multi-port fuel and relocate OFH 4) Build full cage 5) Complete staged twin setup with HTA4205R [w/Tial 1.16] 6) Complete dry sump system
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09-06-2014, 03:41 PM	#4
Miller335 Colonel 291 Rep 2,189 Posts Drives: 2007 E92 Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Portland, OR iTrader: (0)	I don't work on cars for a living but I do know tracking down an A/C leak can be a difficult task. It might require things to be removed from the car to see the dye leaking.
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09-06-2014, 03:44 PM	#5
AZBimmer Private 11 Rep 97 Posts Drives: 2009 FBO E90 N54 Cobb E30 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Phoenix, AZ iTrader: (0)	I had same problem. New evaporator and $1900 later problem solved. Hope this is not your issue. Good luck.
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09-07-2014, 08:17 PM	#10
Pr335bob Captain 38 Rep 753 Posts Drives: Black on black e92 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Puerto Rico USA iTrader: (0)	I hope so to. I know I had to refill mine like every week or so. When the ac guy discovered and fixed The leak. I was relieved. Hope you have a similar situation and can resolve it quickly and for cheap.
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09-08-2014, 01:15 AM	#13
asian010 Brigadier General 120 Rep 3,236 Posts Drives: 335i Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: bay area iTrader: (6)	mine was from line rubbing against charge pipe. common problem.
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