I just got back from the auto hobby shop where I was going to try to fix my A/C today. Bad news, the condenser has a hole in it. This was caused by coolant leaking out of my old radiator and pooling at one of the brackets. So if anyone here has that problem, I would suggest fixing it and cleaning it up good.

The sniffer also detected a very slight leak at the rear of the compressor. We couldn't get any bubbles out of it with the soap spray but its hard to get back there and see what's going on. I guess one of the service ports or possibly one of the refrigerant lines has a small leak at the compressor. Has anyone else ever experienced this?

I'm getting to know a lot about my car's A/C system albeit at some cost. Hopefully it'll pay off in the long run.

Can anyone suggest a source for a replacement condenser and share experiences with leaking compressors or possible sources of this leak? Also, is there a way to repair the condenser? Is it worth the trouble to try to repair it? Also, does anyone know where the high pressure service port is? Neither me or the techician could find it today.

Thanks
Don Tibbetts
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92 745T 93K mi

Don:

I know your '92 is configured differently than my '91 in several ways, and I think the A/C systems may be totally different, so most of what I have to say may not apply. But - in my minimal experience with working on A/C systems with a more knowledgable friend, I've found the most common source of leaks are the Schrader valves at the service ports. You can buy these at Auto Zone or wherever for less than a buck apiece; they're supposedly generic. Replacement requires evacuating the system, however. Also, on my '91 740T there are three places where you can open up the high side. One on the back of the compressor (closest to the engine, furthest from the fender), one on the pipe coming out the bottom passenger side of the condensor, and one on the receiver dryer itself.
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Mike W., four 240s, a 740T and a 940T, Largo, FL

Thanks again Mike. It sounds like your system is similar to mine. I'll check out the back of my compressor for that high side fitting and probably replace all the connections back there because we couldn't detect exactly where the leak was.

I saw a fitting on the pipe coming out of the condenser but it didn't look like a service port. Also, which fitting on the receiver dryer is high side?

Thanks again Mike.

Don Tibbetts
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92 745T 93K mi

Don:

On mine, the service ports on the back of the compressor are under plastic screw-on caps, and when I removed the caps, you could hear a hiss of escaping refrigerant. If you have a leak at a hose fitting, it may be a bad O-ring.

I didn't really look too closely at the pipe coming out of the condenser. It looked like a service port, but it was also covered with undercoat material and I didn't mess with it. I think the entire receiver dryer is part of the high side, and so any fitting would be a high side fitting, although I may be wrong about that. Anyway, on mine, there is a port which points almost directly toward the passenger side A-pillar. The Schrader valve here was leaking, too.

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Mike W., '91 744T 191K, Largo, FL

Mike
I'm definitely going to check out that compressor tonight if possible. The receiver dryer on mine is low side. I know this because the expansion valve is in line between the condenser and the r/d. The fitting that points to the passenger side A-pillar is my low side service port.

Don
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92 745T 93K mi