97 K1500 Extended Cab AC Freon Lean

[tblake]

112,000 miles, 350 V8 4x4.

when I turned the AC on for the first hot day this year I had hot air. Later that week I purchased a can of r-134a and the truck took the whole can. The AC was ice cold and the compressor was cycling perfectly.

Now 2 weeks later I have warm AC air again. The truck has a new manifold set, the compressor doesn't have any visable oil spots around it, and neither do any of the manifold set fittings.

I did notice that the condensor near the front of the radiator has a few fins messed up like maybe it got hit by some rocks or something. So I am thinking if the condensor may be leaking.

What other spots are common to leak on these trucks? And please don't say the evaporator. Are condensors expensive?

[jdmccright]

Grab another can or two of R134a with the leak detection dye and let it show you where the leak is. The UV kind is easier to see though more of a PITA to use with the glasses and light.

The condenser and compressor are the more common parts to develop leaks. That and the various connection points that could develop leaks from old o-rings. Finally, the schrader valves in the low- and high-pressure ports can develop leaks.

If it's the condenser, they can be had online for a reasonable amount...~$68 on eBay. Don't forget to add back the oil that was left in the old condenser...or any component for that matter.

And as you may know, if the system was completely depressurized for a long time, you'll likely have air/moisture contamination, which means you should replace the accumulator, too. But if it still had some pressure (albeit low) from refrigerant then you should be okay with keeping it.

Good luck!