A/C leak located!

[Bob Dillon]

OK, I took my car down to the local A/C guy for diagnosis of the slow leak it has. The system will stay charged and cool for about 2 weeks and then leaks enough coolant to shut down the compressor.

The leak is in the high pressure line that goes from the compressor to the condenser, right at the fitting on the compressor. The mechanic's thought was that one of the O-rings has failed.

As I do my own work whenever possible, I'm gonna give this a shot. So my question is how hard is it to remove this line and replace the O-rings at both ends? I haven't put the car up on the ramps yet to trace the line.

I was thinking about replacing the line itself while I'm doing the work, but it seems to me that if the line itself was cracked, it wouldn't be a slow leak.

I'm sure the line itself is a factory part, but how about the O-rings? NAPA, or factory?

Anybody done this?

[Jrs3800]

The Napa O rings will be fine... I'd get a seal kit and replace as many of the seals as possible, as well I'd replace the orifice tube filter.. From that point on you should be fine..

[Tuffguy610]

I just redid my A/C so I can remember clearly that the o-rings at the compressor were metallic with rubber around them. I actually liked working with those far more than the traditional o-rings that seal up the rest of the system. I too had a leak that needed attention but it was on one of the lines going into the accumulator, my friend only put one ring on instead of two . At least my uncle hooked me up with a free recharge.