# A/C leak sealer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [July 9, 2011, 4:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-c-leak-sealer/66098 "2011-07-09T16:57:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ondeck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e99b99/32.png) [@ondeck](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ondeck)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 4:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-c-leak-sealer/66098/1 "2011-07-09T16:57:01Z")
Do any of these products really work or will they just cause more problems? ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 5:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-c-leak-sealer/66098/2 "2011-07-09T17:39:58Z")
For a major leak it will not help. For a minor leak and depending on where it’s at there’s a chance it may help to some degree. If your A/C system is at the point where it’s losing most of the refrigerant charge in a few weeks then it would be a waste of time. What year/make of car and how many miles on it? ---
**Author:** ![ondeck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e99b99/32.png) [@ondeck](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ondeck)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 6:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-c-leak-sealer/66098/3 "2011-07-09T18:38:48Z")
99 Honda Civic. So losing refrigerant in a matter of weeks would be considered a major leak? ---
**Author:** ![Durwin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c37758/32.png) [@Durwin](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Durwin)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 6:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-c-leak-sealer/66098/4 "2011-07-09T18:42:38Z")
Yes, losing refrigerant charge (enough to have it stop working) in a few weeks is a major leak. Don’t wait until there is no refrigerant left because an AC shop can track the leak as long as there’s a little refrigerant left. Then you can determine whether it’s a hose or seal (cheap), a condenser (not so cheap, but more likely), a compressor (more expensive), or an evaporator (probably the worst due to labor charges). ---
**Author:** ![ken\_green](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/ken_green/32/816_2.png) [@ken\_green](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ken_green)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 6:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-c-leak-sealer/66098/5 "2011-07-09T18:43:45Z")
An A/C system is sealed and never loses freon unless there’s a problem. A leak detector would be best so as to properly find & repair any leak. ---
**Author:** ![oblivion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3ab097/32.png) [@oblivion](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oblivion)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 6:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-c-leak-sealer/66098/6 "2011-07-09T18:48:00Z")
It may stop a very minor leak if it’s a seal that’s leaking, but you run the risk of gumming up the system and any sensors. I would avoid it and get the leak fixed properly unless you’re getting rid of the car in a year or so anyway. ---
**Author:** ![FordMan59](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@FordMan59](https://community.cartalk.com/u/FordMan59)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2011, 1:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-c-leak-sealer/66098/7 "2011-07-10T01:27:56Z")
I’ve been told that this type of leak sealer usually only lasts about a year. I’ve also been told this can cause significant damage to the a/c system. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2011, 1:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-c-leak-sealer/66098/8 "2011-07-10T01:38:44Z")
I’ve actually used this stuff in some of my older cars that suffered a small leak (say a can a year) and it actually worked to some degree by cutting that can a year down to say a 1/3 of a can per year. There were no problems as far as clogging anything or damage to the system. That being said, if you’re losing a can every couple of weeks then it’s a major leak and any goop em’ will not help much if at all. With a major leak like that it should not be hard to find. Look for a dirty oil blotch on the compressor, lines, condenser, etc. That will be where the leak is at.