Happy New Year to all of you
air conditioning:
new compressor new dryer new valve … transformed into 134 r
everything worked fine then:
gas leak that empties the system in two weeks without being able to find oil to identify where the leak is
unfortunately I’m afraid it’s in the evaporator inside the passenger compartment, its replacement seems very difficult to me … I think you have to disassemble half the car
Any idea about it?
thank you
You can charge the system with nitrogen then some soapy water to detect bubbles. I’ve used compressed air to pressurize the system. Or if uv dye has been added to the system, check with a black light.
I think it would be better to rule out leak elsewhere before tearing apart the car.
yes uv two is present I checked everything except the front radiator to check it you need to remove the bonnet but still less work than inside the car
You said you replaced the compressor, dryer, and the TXV valve. Assuming you replaced all of the o-rings including ones not between these components.
It’s awkward, Briciola - the leak(s) should really have been discovered and addressed during the vacuum phase before the fill. Was it DIY or professional?
With uv present in the system is likely worthwhile to find the leak this way - and some effort to inspect the evaporator in in situ should be made. It may be inconclusive due to accessibility - but as Jay says; eliminating easier suspects is mandatory before serious work on the evaporator specifically…
It is virtually impossible to repair a leak without emptying the system. There is no alternative but to empty the system and start from scratch - which allows various methods for leak detection…
The evaporator is quite reliable and seldom fails - however when it does; it’s a bear of a job. There are some description of the job in the Archives - in addition to the workshop manual…
Frank
xj6 85 Sov Europe (UK/NZ)
Scratch around the hinges to mark the position and then remove the bonnet. Test the accessible bits first… the car really is built around the evaporator.
Briciola …
Without a doubt the evaporator is the hardest (nightmare) part of the climate control system to get to.
So how to check if it’s leaking WITHOUT removing it …
1.There are two fittings on the engine side of the firewall that come from the evaporator. Disconnect them both (after discharging the system of course) and cap off either one with a tight rubber cap or something like that.
2.Now connect the other fitting to a set of manifold gauges. You may have to get creative here.
3.Connect a vacuum pump to the manifold gauges and pump the evaporator down. If it holds a vacuum then your evaporator is not leaking.
4.If it doesn’t hold a vacuum TRIPLE check that both fittings are completely sealed. Also double check the manifold settings and that the vacuum pump is operating properly (it pays to use a good quality pump).
If you are going to do this yourself be sure you familiarize yourself with the proper operation of the manifold gauge and vacuum pump. Bottom line is be 100% sure your evaporator is leaking before you remove it, it’s a big, big job.
the work was done by a jaguar specialist obviously all the rubbers were changed we left the system with a vacuum for almost a week and it didn’t lose anything…so i think the leak can only occur under pressure and therefore more likely on a elastic tube… we also used a leak stopper twice but in two to three weeks the system runs out of gas… now we will disassemble (in the spring) the bonnet to examine the front radiator then I would pressurize the system with simple air to check for any leaks on the fittings or on the evaporator without disassembling it…I’ll keep you posted for now, thanks for the advice
briciola