car AC question: what to do about AC leaking oil w/ refrigerant dye in it?

Question

My dad has a 99 stratus, and it loses an AC charge in about 4 days, so he just stopped filling it. Now I might buy it, and I was seeing if I could troubleshoot the system. In the hose (high pressure) leading from the compressor to the evaporator, there is an oil leak in the connection. I swabbed some of the oil onto my finger and the UV light revealed some of the flourecant dye in the oil. Is this common? What do I do? Is it cheap to fix?

If you have a good answer, could you let me know that you aren't just some stupid kid? Thanks

Answer 1

How about an A/C certified?
If you have oil present at a hose connection, and there isn't a screw on clamp. You must take the vehicle to a certified a/c repair shop. The hose needs to be replaced but you don't just dump the freon.......It must be collected in a machine.
The hose replaced, the system pumped down and tested for leaks, then the correct freon installed. The have been changes over the years so someone who knows needs to see what freon is correct for the vehicle.
If the wrong one is used you could be injured when the system explodes..............................

Answer 2

I don't know your local and state laws but here in Missouri you can charge your own A/C system so long as it is with the new 134A and not the old type R12 or R22 freon....you say the system shows oil and UV dye, you have already located the leak....if that leak is just a screwed together connection you can tighten the connection and refill the system yourself with the new 134A freon alternative if its leaking next to the pully on the A/C compressor you will need a new compressor. This can be replaced by you or a mechanic if need be replaced. If you get the leak sealed you can fill the system with 134A, this can also be used in a conventional R12 system. (You may need to buy a 134A adapter available at Auto Zone to anyone wanting to purchase it). Only if the system still has R12 Freon in it are you required to go through a certified shop to have the recovery of freon done
( US Federal Law). Odds are with it not working and with the oil and dye showing you are too late to recover anything from the system. (If the system isn't completely empty of the old R12 it must be drained by a certified mechanic.) 134A can be used in the same system so long as no R12 is present.

Pro Mechanics, certified ones, don't want anyone knowing that 134A freon alternative is out there for the backyard mechanics and do it yourselfers, they had to pay thousands of dollars for R-12 freon recovery equipment and licensing fees in the past and they are probably still trying to recover their losses. Don't Be Taken By Shady or Shoddy mechanics telling you that you can't do this repair yourself.

Lastly, Most vehicles have a diagram showing the low and high side of the A/C system, "Never connect the container of refrigerant to the high pressure side of the cooling system!"

Answer 3

Get a new compressor. You are screwed.