Notorious Refrigerant Leak Locations?

4x4dually

4x4dually

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Every year I need to charge my AC once it gets warm outside. Last year, we charged it and "sniffed" the entire thing with dad's leak detector. No leaks. But, I'll be danged, it is going somewhere. We didn't sniff inside the cab so maybe it is leaking in the evaporator into the cab.

Does anyone know of any notorious spots for refrigerant leaks on these trucks? I'm headin' to dad's body shop tonight to charge and sniff some more. It would be great if I had a feel for where to start if anyone had any suggestions.
 
evaporator core is a HUGE leak spot on the 2nd gens... they'll get leaves/pine needles/debris colleting on there and they'll corrode though
 
Check your charge port and the line connections to the coils from the compressor.
 
Forrest Nearing said:
evaporator core is a HUGE leak spot on the 2nd gens... they'll get leaves/pine needles/debris colleting on there and they'll corrode though
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PERFECT! I can't wait to tear the freakin' dash out. I look forward to this...NOT.

167XRK said:
Check your charge port and the line connections to the coils from the compressor.
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Checked, will double check tonight. We sniffed everything under the hood except my crack, no leaks. We tested the siffer on the bottle and it worked great, but no ding ding under the hood last year.

Thanks guys.
 
all chryslers are famous for it...jeeps, cars, dodge trucks...evaporator cores SUCK

when mine starts leaking i guess ill have to delete the ac and make room for the hood stack piping...NOT
 
I just DREAD tearing apart the dash. Dashboards are never designed for service. I'd bet I have a dozen screws left over if this happens. :D
 
Mine leaks at the scrader valve by the passenger battery. Just have to recharge it every year. (still need to do it this year)
 
man, I didn't think it was that bad pulling the dash... I'd plan on replacing the heater core while you're in there, because I'm sure it'll have some corrosion too
 
Have you tried using dye in the system? Check all the connection points too. If you see any oily/dirty connections, it's probably leaking there.
 
my ac went out.i suffered 1 almost 2 years.then i brokedown and went to the dealer.only cuz there good people.they told me dirty rad.freaked out the system.they steemcleaned it recharged it its fine. now i am putting a cam in and have to get it recharged again!bummer......
 
I changed my cam and didn't have to recharge. Condenser will swing out of the way.
 
Like Daniel's, the service port by the left battery on mine is leaking out of that little valve core. I didn't notice it till I was going to recharge it. There is a little ball that's in there that was tore up, so I moved it around to where it would stop leaking and it has worked ever since. I could barely tell that it was leaking because there wasn't hardly any freon in the system. Put some dye in there and hook it up with some nitrogen and go searching. Might find something. Hope this helps or gives some ideas.
 
There is a heater-a/c box drain through the firewall and I've had the best luck finding slow evaporator leaks by sniffing the drain with the engine running and the a/c set on max with the blower fan on low speed.
 
Sniffing all that refrigerant huh Jory, that explains everything :hehe:
 
haloman said:
Mine leaks at the scrader valve by the passenger battery. Just have to recharge it every year. (still need to do it this year)
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Ding Ding Ding...we have a winner.

roskoe115 said:
Like Daniel's, the service port by the left battery on mine is leaking out of that little valve core.
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You too slow Joe. :hehe:


I think there is a leak somewhere else too. When we pull it down and hold it, it slowly leaks out from 29 to 28 inH2O or what ever the scale is in. The crappy valves shouldn't affect that since it is open at the time. If I could keep all the dodge junk from falling off this cummin, I'd have a nice truck. :D
 
Not sure where mine is leaking, but it does the same thing... charge it in the spring, it runs ice cold all summer and come next spring it needs to be recharged. I had dye in mine for two years and still no signs of a leak, maybe mine is inder the dash too? Good thing I get mine recharged every spring for a case of beer since my buddy bought all the tools and R134, etc...:D
 
Jeremy, we should meet about half way and bring some saws-alls and "tear into it". :D
 
duallyspeed said:
my ac went out.i suffered 1 almost 2 years.then i brokedown and went to the dealer.only cuz there good people.they told me dirty rad.freaked out the system.they steemcleaned it recharged it its fine. now i am putting a cam in and have to get it recharged again!bummer......
Click to expand...

I just had the AC fixed on my truck and they said the same thing about a dirty radiator. They think it caused the compressor to fail. One way or another I changed the conpressor, condensor and stuff out and it works great now. Tomorrow I plan on cleaning the radiator now.....
 
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