Automotive Air Conditioning Information Forum

Hello everyone!

My vehicle: A 2004 Acura TSX. I live in Mid Florida (Orlando).

About 2 weeks ago, I noticed my driver side vents were blowing 30* warmer than passenger. A shop diagnosed it as a low charge. Filled it with UV Dye and was asked to come back in the future to check for leaks.

I have not been able to find a time that works with the shop since they do not do appointments and are open M-F early in the day. I have a pretty busy schedule with young kids and all.

I’ve taken it upon myself to learn the basics and fundamentals of an AC system through several videos online along with reading my full service manual.

I purchased a UV light and found a leak on the crimp of the discharge hose (compressor to condenser).

I plan on getting a shop to recover the refrigerant so I can do the parts and labor myself. I like to do things on my own as much as possible. I like doing things right the first time and having things that last. No cutting corners etc

To my question: if I have the system empty for servicing, should there be any other parts replaced while I have the opportunity? I don’t mind spending a bit to do things by the book and with others knowledge and experience to get me down the path of success.

Some people have mentioned to only replace the leaking hose and supplement with a bit of oil from the loss at the leak, vacuum, charge, etc

Others have a more preventative maintenance approach in mind by replacing other parts since I’m already going down the path of replacing a hose.

Any help and feedback is appreciated!

I should mention. I’m the 2nd owner of the vehicle. Just hit 100k miles this week. All AC system components appear to be original from Honda/Acura.

I’ve had the vehicle 5k miles now.

In my humble opinion, the best way to check for leaks is by means of an electronic refrigerant detector, or "sniffer." You might miss leaks in certain crucial areas relying only on UV dye—for instance, the hard-to-access evaporator, or the compressor shaft seal.

For the former, you could use the detector to check the air discharge vents and the condensate drain for slight traces of refrigerant. Of course, UV dye will also show up in the condensate if the leak is big enough.

You could also wrap the front of the compressor with a plastic bag or shower cap, securing either with tape or an elastic band, then "sniffing" underneath the cap or bag a while later.

In readily visible areas like the condenser, TXV, lines/hoses, and most joints, the UV dye should show up if leaks are present. In any event, you might as well do all of your leak-checking now while the system still has some refrigerant and dye in it.

notyouracguy wrote: ↑Mon Apr 24, 2023 4:43 pm To my question: if I have the system empty for servicing, should there be any other parts replaced while I have the opportunity? I don’t mind spending a bit to do things by the book and with others knowledge and experience to get me down the path of success.
Some people have mentioned to only replace the leaking hose and supplement with a bit of oil from the loss at the leak, vacuum, charge, etc
Others have a more preventative maintenance approach in mind by replacing other parts since I’m already going down the path of replacing a hose.

The answer to your questions is, it depends. Once you open the system (minimize the time it's open to the atmosphere, if possible), best practices are to repair the leak(s) and add some PAG oil. How much oil to add is your best guess based on how the area of the leak looks. If it's very wet, you'll have to add more oil, maybe an ounce or two. If it's just a trace of leakage, then add less, maybe 1/2 ounce—again, based on your best guess about how much was lost.

Don't get carried away with adding too much, though, because your car calls for only 8.1 fluid ounces in total. Adding too much oil will compromise system performance and might even damage the compressor by "slugging" it—liquids including PAG oil can't be compressed.

Lastly, before buttoning everything up, replace the receiver/dryer (R/D) with a brand-new one. At that point, you're ready to evacuate and re-charge the system. Then, performance test it (pressures, vent temps, etc.).

JohnHere wrote: ↑Tue Apr 25, 2023 1:40 pm

notyouracguy wrote: ↑Mon Apr 24, 2023 4:43 pm To my question: if I have the system empty for servicing, should there be any other parts replaced while I have the opportunity? I don’t mind spending a bit to do things by the book and with others knowledge and experience to get me down the path of success.
Some people have mentioned to only replace the leaking hose and supplement with a bit of oil from the loss at the leak, vacuum, charge, etc
Others have a more preventative maintenance approach in mind by replacing other parts since I’m already going down the path of replacing a hose.

The answer to your questions is, it depends. Once you open the system (minimize the time it's open to the atmosphere, if possible), best practices are to repair the leak(s) and add some PAG oil. How much oil to add is your best guess based on how the area of the leak looks. If it's very wet, you'll have to add more oil, maybe an ounce or two. If it's just a trace of leakage, then add less, maybe 1/2 ounce—again, based on your best guess about how much was lost.

Don't get carried away with adding too much, though, because your car calls for only 8.1 fluid ounces in total. Adding too much oil will compromise system performance and might even damage the compressor by "slugging" it—liquids including PAG oil can't be compressed.

Lastly, before buttoning everything up, replace the receiver/dryer (R/D) with a brand-new one. At that point, you're ready to evacuate and re-charge the system. Then, performance test it (pressures, vent temps, etc.).

Much appreciated! I’ll keep these things in mind.