Auto AC repair

Auto AC repair is one segment of the car repair industry that has many comebacks. When I say the word comebacks I am referring to multiple repairs of the same system. This issue affects both professional car mechanics as well as do-it-yourself driveway technicians.

When it comes to my own personal comebacks auto AC repairs is at the top of my list. In most cases this is caused by extremely small leaks that are very difficult to pinpoint.

In other cases it may be due to the fact that you have found problems or leaks and repaired them believing that all issues were addressed. Then the air conditioning stops working six months down the road.

Whether you are an automotive consumer or a do-it-yourself mechanic you may run into problems with your car air conditioning system experiencing repeat failures. Even the most caring and experienced mechanics can have problems in this area.

Problems with auto AC repair

Your vehicle's air conditioning system depends on quality AC parts and AC compressors that will get you through the hottest summer days.

One of the difficult issues with automotive AC is the Freon itself. It is an invisible gas that has no color or odor. Add to this fact that the most modern systems only use about 24 ounces of Freon and even a small leak can cause the AC to blow warm air over short period of time.

When you look at the standard automotive air-conditioning system it covers a lot of ground in the engine compartment and even goes inside the car in the dashboard area. Covering this amount of area requires a lot of connections and fittings. Every one of these is a possible suspect for small leaks.

As a car repair customer you may have to have some patience with your auto repair shop or if you're a DIY driveway mechanic you may have to have some patience with yourself when it comes to auto AC repairs.

Avoiding AC repair comebacks

For me the number one tool in reducing the amount of comebacks I experience when working on automotive AC is the Freon leak detector. This tool provides a signal when it detects refrigerant in the air.

The Robin air leak detector that I find very reliable provides an audible beeping sound when it detects this refrigerant. The larger the leak or the more Freon it senses the quicker and louder the beeping becomes.

One mistake that is often made by both professional mechanics and driveway technicians is that at least 50 psi of Freon has to be in the system for the leak detector to operate properly. This may require a test charge of the system.

If you're working on a vehicle that has Freon leaks chances are there is not enough in the system to test it with the leak detector. Another mistake that is often made when using an AC leak detector is that the mechanic will move the detector Probe too quickly.

It is my recommendation that you should not move the probe more than 1 inch per second. This will give the leak detector the time it needs to sample the air properly.

Many people wind up rushing and moving the detector too quickly. You also want to point the probe below the area being tested because Freon is heavier than air and will begin to sink towards the ground as it leaks out.

My number one piece of advice to mechanics looking to reduce their auto AC repair comebacks is to take some extra time after you believe all repairs are completed. Perform one last additional AC leak check! When the system is refilled to the proper amount and working properly system pressures will be at their highest.

It is at this time when a Freon leak detector will be most effective and will be capable of pinpointing even the tinniest leaks. It is these very small leaks that are responsible for large amounts of auto AC repair comebacks.

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Repairing automotive systems is a lot easier when you understand how they work. Car AC is covered pretty well on this site. For more information visit my page about automotive air conditioning

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One of my favorite pages on this subject provides a pressure diagram and illustrates the flow of Freon through its components. Leaks are more common on the high side components and fittings. This next link takes you to the chart from this page about auto AC repairs

The homepage has instructions on what other kinds of Diy auto repair information and help is available here. You can also find out how to ask car repair questions

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