So I put some freon with UV dye in and I am trying to find the leak. I don't see any obvious leaking from the compressor, condenser or the receiver drier. So that leaves the evaporator under the dash. Before I go tearing into the dash anyone have any tips for what to look for? Any usual suspects?

 

It can be anywhere, you would be better using a sniffer to find the leak.

 

What's a sniffer?

Edit: Never Mind, Google is my friend.

Is that something you can rent from autozone?

 

Call and check, I don't know.

 

Those things look pretty neat especially how you can stick the probe in your vents so you don't have to tear your dash up to inspect the evaporator.

 

With freon in the system, sniff every where with the a/c on, you'll find it, then maybe you'll get to tear the dash out.
How often do you have to refill it? Some freon come with a sealant included with it, might be worth a try.

 

It started off as a "once a year" kind of leak for a couple summers and then this summer it will leak out completely in a couple days even the stuff with the leak sealant does not work. So I am assuming the leak should be pretty obvious once I find it. I'm thinking it is in the dash though because a leak that fast I assume I would see the dye pretty fast. I will check for dye again tomorrow evening and see if I can find a place to rent a sniffer.

 

Imo, the BEST way to find a leak is get the system pressure tested with oxy free nitrogen, then and only then will you most likely find it.

Recently had a leak on mine, would loose from 700g down to 200g in a week or so.

Went and had it pressurised / tested, initially it was pushed up to 9 bar, and nothing!!....no leaks at all, we simply used soapy water spray solution on all the joints. There is not that many really, and most of them are accessible.

We then put the pressure up to 10.5 bar, and hit the joints again with teh spray, still nothing, so continued to spray "Other" areas, like where the "P" clips hold the pipes, and low and behold, right at the front behind the passenger (UK CAR) headlight there is a small pipe that runs around the Air filter box in the engine bay and goes into the grille area and onto the receiver drier, and right where the P clip is (below the horn), the smallest bubbles where appearing in the soapy solution.

After removing the pipe, found it corroded to hell under the P clip, could not actually see a hole, but it was def there, a combination of age, crap / dirt collected over the years and disimilar metal corrosion (most likely cause) because of a steel clip but ali pipe (nice one Land Rover)

New pipe fitted......Aircon fixed!!.

I find it un-likely you will have a problem "in the car", I pretty much bet its in the engine bay some where, worth checking that pipe !!!

 

Thanks I will give it another going over this evening.