Condenser leaking then not. does this effect engine cooling?
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Racer
Joined: Jul 2002
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From: Victoria BC
Condenser leaking then not. does this effect engine cooling?
Just went to get a leaking tire fixed and at the tire store there was antifreeze leaking from the condensor. Cant see a hole or?? but the fins are wet about 4" up and to the drivers side. Got it home and now there is no fluid leaking. I had the air off while i was going to the tire store. Now that it has cooled down I removed the rad cap and its full. The car wasnt running hot either way.
Does a leak in that system effect the engine cooling?
Does it share the same fluid?
Any ideas on why it would leak then not?
I also noticed that my rad was very clogged. After buy the car last month I pulled out a very dead bird from the base of the rad. Seems like he was being cremated on an installment plan by my rad. Whats a good way to clean it whith out damaging the fins?
Thanks, Brian.
Does a leak in that system effect the engine cooling?
Does it share the same fluid?
Any ideas on why it would leak then not?
I also noticed that my rad was very clogged. After buy the car last month I pulled out a very dead bird from the base of the rad. Seems like he was being cremated on an installment plan by my rad. Whats a good way to clean it whith out damaging the fins?
Thanks, Brian.
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Re: Condenser leaking then not. does this effect engine cooling? (shane99)
:cheers:
There is no physical connection between the AC Condensor and the Rad. There is no antifreeze in the A/C condensor, there is only freon.!
If you have moisture on the AC Condensor, you have a freon leak.
If you see green coolant, that's a Rad leak
Only way to clean the Rad is to pull it. There should be lots of info on this in the tech tips section of the Forum since it has been well discussed, check there
Jack
There is no physical connection between the AC Condensor and the Rad. There is no antifreeze in the A/C condensor, there is only freon.!
If you have moisture on the AC Condensor, you have a freon leak.
If you see green coolant, that's a Rad leak
Only way to clean the Rad is to pull it. There should be lots of info on this in the tech tips section of the Forum since it has been well discussed, check there
Jack
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Racer
Joined: Jul 2002
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From: Victoria BC
Re: Condenser leaking then not. does this effect engine cooling? (jackdaroofer)
Yeah thats what I kinda thought but wasnt expecting anything that looks and feels like anti-freeze coming from the air conditioning system. It is clear that the fluid is green and coming out of the condensor in front of the rad. My GM manual calls it the condensor and states its full of refrigerant i was assuming R-12. But having never seen R-12 Im not sure what Im looking at.
What should be in the 'front rad'?
What should be in the 'front rad'?
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Re: Condenser leaking then not. does this effect engine cooling? (shane99)
If it's green, I suspect it is coolant and for you to see it at the front of the A/C condensor it would have to be squirting through from the RAD.
It sounds like you haven't found much of the green stuff and the fact that the radiator still looks full sounds to me like a very small, pinhole, RAD leak.
I had a freeze plug go bad a few months ago, I could smell the coolant when it hit the exhaust, but I drove about 100 miles and never saw a temp increase.
Pressure in the RAD/cooling system increases with Temp increases, so it could be that if engine temps remain low you see no leak, but when engine temps increase, you see a leak.
Get or borrow a pressure tester. You can simulate full pressure on the RAD and see what happens. I am betting on a pin hole in the RAD or a separation between the RAD core and the side tanks
You said you checked the RAD after it cooled down and it was full...that may be due to the fact that the RAD sucks coolant from the overflow tank as it cools down. The RAD may be full, but you may have less coolant in the overflow/expansion tank
[Modified by jackdaroofer, 9:40 PM 9/21/2002]
It sounds like you haven't found much of the green stuff and the fact that the radiator still looks full sounds to me like a very small, pinhole, RAD leak.
I had a freeze plug go bad a few months ago, I could smell the coolant when it hit the exhaust, but I drove about 100 miles and never saw a temp increase.
Pressure in the RAD/cooling system increases with Temp increases, so it could be that if engine temps remain low you see no leak, but when engine temps increase, you see a leak.
Get or borrow a pressure tester. You can simulate full pressure on the RAD and see what happens. I am betting on a pin hole in the RAD or a separation between the RAD core and the side tanks
You said you checked the RAD after it cooled down and it was full...that may be due to the fact that the RAD sucks coolant from the overflow tank as it cools down. The RAD may be full, but you may have less coolant in the overflow/expansion tank
[Modified by jackdaroofer, 9:40 PM 9/21/2002]
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Re: Condenser leaking then not. does this effect engine cooling? (jackdaroofer)
I agree with jackdaroofer. it has to be Radiator fluid. first of all you can not hold freon in your hand, it is not a liquid at normal atmospheric pressure. if you have an oilly mess., then that is the oil in that is carried with the freon, and would indicate a leak in the condensor. one last question, does your AC still work?
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Racer
Joined: Jul 2002
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From: Victoria BC
Re: Condenser leaking then not. does this effect engine cooling? (Rich_01659)
I'll look at that in the morning. Seems the most reasonable explanation. I wasn't sure if R12 was a gas.
Thanks Gentlemen.
[Modified by shane99, 4:58 AM 9/22/2002]
Thanks Gentlemen.
[Modified by shane99, 4:58 AM 9/22/2002]
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Re: Condenser leaking then not. does this effect engine cooling? (shane99)
Yes you are seeing Antifreeze,probably blowing or sucking into the condensor coil during driving. R-12 has no color, me being in the HVAC-R bizz, I pretty much no this,lol,but for future information, normally when there is a refrigerant leak you will notice dust and fuzzys accumulating in one area of a leak on the coil or by the fittings of the refrigerant lines,U will see OIL residue,no color. :chevy :cheers:
