My dash a/c has been recharged with refrigerant 3 times in the last couple years by 3 different mechanic shops. They've all tried to find a leak to no avail, using dye and blacklight. They say maybe there's a leak deep inside the system that would cost hundreds of dollars to take apart, and might be less costly just to get the system recharged every 6 months or so.Seems to work for awhile after being recharged. But after sitting on the Oregon coast for a couple months last summer, the a/c stopped blowing cold. Had it recharged again when I got home. Worked for awhile. Now after sitting in central AZ a few months, not blowing cold again.I know nothing about this stuff. Anyone have any thoughts? I just want to sound a bit knowledgable, or maybe have suggestions, when I go back to see one of those mechanics (or a new one). Or maybe what they've told me is all there is.Chevy 8.1L with Allison transmission.

I,d just act like nothing ever happened before ,a good shop has the tools and the knowledge to find the problem. if you tell them four other shops have played with it,they might not want to spend any time on it,

Go to irv2.com and check in the Workhorse forum. This is one of the known issues with the tem-con valve of that era.

I had a similar situation with a '96 Dodge pick-up. A shop would recharge but declare they couldn't find the leak. In six months it would be done again. Recharged it, can't find the leak. I just ended up going to Auto Zone or Advance or where ever and getting the can of freon with the little gauge and hose and recharged it myself. I carried a can of freon around with me. When the AC would start to get warm I'd put some more in. The can was only about $20 so it was definitely cheaper than paying shop labor to find the leak.Eventually someone told me that with systems of that vintage this was a common problem. Supposedly this was around the switch from R-12 to R134a or something like that. It seems the new refrigerant has smaller molecules that tend to leak around the seals worse than the old stuff. This made the leaks even harder to find. I don't know if that was true or not.I will say that my '05 Chevy truck, which must be nearly the same as yours, has never had the AC serviced in it's lifetime and it still blows very cold air. So, I do think you have an actual leak somewhere.

I have that problem with my car. On my Motor home I don't know yet.. I re-charged it last summer after replacing the compressor.. And some other stuff. But that is one spot where a leak is hard to find.

i would check your evaporator core for a leak,and i would also check the thermal expansion valve(if it has one),also check the receiver dryer for a leak(they like to rust up where the straps go around them.compressor seals will leak due to age,as will the other seals in the system.i was an auto tech for 25 years,a/c work was one of my specialty areas.these are common areas for leaks that are hard to find because they are usually hard to access.best way to find them is with a high quality freon detector(sniffer)any time you have a leak,freon goes out so does your refrigerant oil and air goes in.so just refilling it isnt a great idea. air contains moisture,moisture in your a/c system will eventually cause your compressor to fail due to loss of lubricant.good luck

Dash A/C not blowing cold | Good Sam Community

14 Replies

wa8yxm
Explorer III
Apr 08, 2018
I have that problem with my car. On my Motor home I don't know yet.. I re-charged it last summer after replacing the compressor.. And some other stuff. But that is one spot where a leak is hard to find.
KD4UPL
Explorer II
Apr 08, 2018
I had a similar situation with a '96 Dodge pick-up. A shop would recharge but declare they couldn't find the leak. In six months it would be done again. Recharged it, can't find the leak. I just ended up going to Auto Zone or Advance or where ever and getting the can of freon with the little gauge and hose and recharged it myself. I carried a can of freon around with me. When the AC would start to get warm I'd put some more in. The can was only about $20 so it was definitely cheaper than paying shop labor to find the leak.
Eventually someone told me that with systems of that vintage this was a common problem. Supposedly this was around the switch from R-12 to R134a or something like that. It seems the new refrigerant has smaller molecules that tend to leak around the seals worse than the old stuff. This made the leaks even harder to find. I don't know if that was true or not.
I will say that my '05 Chevy truck, which must be nearly the same as yours, has never had the AC serviced in it's lifetime and it still blows very cold air. So, I do think you have an actual leak somewhere.
harold1946
Explorer
Apr 08, 2018
Go to irv2.com and check in the Workhorse forum. This is one of the known issues with the tem-con valve of that era.
midnightsadie
Explorer II
Apr 08, 2018
I,d just act like nothing ever happened before ,a good shop has the tools and the knowledge to find the problem. if you tell them four other shops have played with it,they might not want to spend any time on it,

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Dash A/C not blowing cold

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