Automotive Air Conditioning Information Forum

Good Morning.
A crack developed in a weld point on my trucks' condenser unit. As a result, I have the yellow dye all over the engine compartment. I replaced the coil but there is still a leak in the system. (Yes it was there prior to the catastrophic failure.)
Are there other Leak detector colors available on the market and does anyone know a reputable brand and injection system?
TIA.
David

Most of what you'll find for MVAC systems is the greenish yellow or green fluorescent dye, and sometimes but rarely, fluorescent red. The much better option IMHO is a decent-quality "sniffer"--electronic leak detector--that can sense even minute refrigerant leaks that the dye won't show. Whether you want to invest in a sniffer depends on your budget and how often you'll use it. I suggest consulting Tim at ACKits.com, this Forum's sponsor, for the appropriate pro-quality tools and materials.

Santech products are a solid buy. CPS, Mastercool, and Robiair are also fine products.

43-MT1380

Looking at ACKits..
Here is a really out there question.
Will the R-134 and 1234yf detectors also sniff R-152a?
Not sure that I am going that route, but I am sure I don't want to be dumping more 134 into the atmosphere which may end up being the case if I fill this up and the leak is in the evaporator.
Would a partial charge be good enough for finding the leak?
Thoughts?
Thanks..

Refresh the link, I added another image. The general answer is yes.

OK..
Thanks $300 is out of budget at the moment. I'll check for red dye first.
Any idea where to find it?
Thanks bunches..
Best..
David

A red refrigerant dye (NOT with stop leak) that FJC describes as "visual" is available. It's not fluorescent, and it doesn't glow brightly like the greenish yellow dye does using a UV light and special eyeglasses in a darkened shop. It might be sufficient for your purposes, though.

dherde wrote: ↑Fri May 17, 2024 6:27 am A crack developed in a weld point on my trucks' condenser unit.

David - just curious: is this a GM vehicle and the leak on the driver side of condenser?

dherde wrote: ↑Fri May 17, 2024 10:43 am OK..
Thanks $300 is out of budget at the moment. I'll check for red dye first.
Any idea where to find it?
Thanks bunches..
Best..
David

I picked up a relatively inexpensive electronic leak detector at Harbor Freight a few years ago that worked well enough for me to hunt down a slow leak in an automotive AC system I was restoring. I can also confirm it works to detect R152a/"duster gas", as that's what I charged my system with just to find the pesky leak. Here's a link: (Link removed. Please see "Forum Rules.")

It's clearly NOT a professional grade tool, but for occasional DIY use it may be good enough to get the job done.

Here is my take on leak detectors. Is it worth it to trust a lower-grade tool with the cost of refrigerant, and labor to repeat repairs? False-reports, unless you have a reclaimer on hand, will cover the cost of a quality leak detector. How many refills will it take to find tough leaks? See it where customers claim it is a defective item, and want the supplier to resend products that are not defective.