2013 Mustang 5.0. Noticed I have green liquid which I believe is the refrigerant dye coming from what I think is AC condenser. It is winter here so I have not been using the AC. I know it’s not antifreeze or a radiator leak because I have orange coolant. Yesterday I had seen the leak in the same spots in the photos so I wiped it clean. Today I checked again after driving and the fluid appeared in the same spots so I know for sure there’s a leak.
I tried snugging the nut that’s on the bolt next to the green liquid where I think the leak is coming from but it was already tight when I put a wrench on it. I also notice the refrigerant leaking from up above. Do I need to get the entire AC condenser replaced to fix the leak? Or what part(s) need to be replaced?
There seems to be leaks in 2 places. Would replacing the o ring fix the leak shown in the first and second photo or for the third photo up top? Or do both places use o rings?
The A/C system has pressure in it whether you are using it or not. And the A/C runs whenever you use defrost, whether you know it or not. So the system has probably been used more than you think.
As has been pointed out above, you have a couple of leaky connections. Probably just need to replace the seals.
As soon as R134a was replaced by something newer and more expensive, now it is bad for the environment? Were they lying then or lying now? The rules are funny. If it is a stationary sealed refrigeration system, a certified technician must evacuate the system before any repairs, and any leaks must be fixed before the technician is allowed to refill the system. Nothing can be vented to the atmosphere.
If it is an automotive or belt driven type system, no certification is required to work on it and you can refill the system as often as needed if it is leaking very badly.
It was better than what it replaced but that doesn’t mean it was/is harmless. R12 was ozone depleting, R134a is a green house gas. Both are prohibited from being purposely vented to atmosphere. The small cans of refrigerant are already undergoing rules changes to try and further educate consumers on the acceptable use. Personally, I think you should have to buy all of the right equipment to do the service or pay a pro to do it.
Can someone pump their septic tank into the nearest stream to empty it or should they have to hire a pro to do it so it is disposed of properly?
Absolutely wrong. By law I am required to be Section 609 Certified to handle R134a and I am required to use approved equipment to recover and recharge. I am not allowed to knowingly charge a leaking system. My Section 609 Certification dates back to 1993 so this is nothing new.
But this is specific to a business, is it not? Like how your business is required to keep records showing the proper disposal of used oils and such. If you’re not a business you don’t have to. I looked it up, if no money is involved (doing it yourself) 609 is not required.
This rule reeks of an industry that lobbied the EPA to make regulations to sell more refrigerant:
What a scam. Source: hagerty .com
The EPA also fined and shut down a company that was selling hydrocarbons as a replacement for refrigerants. Their claim was it was dangerous since since they are flammable. There was no way they could even come close to making the argument that it was bad for the environment. But the EPA has no authority make safety regulations or shut down a company selling hydrocarbons or confiscate the knives in your kitchen drawer. Obviously they are heavily lobbied by the refrigeration and refrigeration service industries.
I think you would agree in the danger if you were involved in a collision with another vehicle that had propane used as a refrigerant in the A/C system.
I remember the propane days, what a pain, had to sniff every car cause you didn’t know what the idiot had put in the system before you back then…
And as a friend of mine once said, can you imagine a evap core getting a pin hole in it and momma lights up a cigarette, she would not need to shave her legs for a while…
I’m not sure about the environmental hype but propane is very dangerous. I think some of the cans from Mexico back then were just propane.
For any hvac leak though I believe the system needs to be evacuated, the leak repaired, and then filled again with a dye. The diy days are gone.
Turning the grill on and having the ignitor not work right away was a testament to its explosive power. Once camping was not happy with the progress of the campfire, and took a one half cup of Coleman fuel in a paper cup and threw it on the fire. Whoosh. It not only singed my eye brows but singed the hair on my arms underneath the wind breaker I had on. Not to be trifled with.
Was anyone ever actually injured by flammable refrigerant leaking in to the cabin of a vehicle? I don’t know of anything that would cause the system to suddenly leak. The high pressure side is in the engine compartment.
