My A/C system in my 99 maxima has a leak. I added refrigerant + U/V dye. I then used my blacklight to look for leaks. compressor was covered near the lines. I replaced the o-rings there and it's not holding a vacuum when I evacuate it. Is there any change that the compressor is leaking from the body of it near the lines? There wasn't any dye near the pulley/clutch of the compressor. Or do you think There is possibly a leak somewhere else? I guess my main question is, Where are the leak points on a compressor besides the lines?

 

Any part of the a/c system could leak, not just the compressor. All the lines, the condenser coil, the evaporator coil, the receiver, the drier, just to name a few.

Look at the condenser coil in front of the radiator. Maybe it got hit by a stone.

 

Yeah I checked everything under the hood and the only place I can see any sort of U/V dye was on the compressor right near the a/c lines and dripping down to the bottom of the compressor. Only other place I haven't checked is the evaporator/expansion valve which I will do today after work. If there does not end up being any leak under the dash, do you think its more likely that the lines are leaking near the compressor or the compressor itself? Is there anywhere near where the lines plug into the compressor that it could be leaking from? Thank you for the help

 

I would guess that the point where the shaft exits the compressor case could leak, but you would see dye in the vicinity of the shaft and pulley, not around the lines.

I think if you didn't check the entire system for dye, and now can't hold vacuum, you have no choice but to recharge it, add dye, and check again. Look at the whole system this time.

When you say you can't hold vacuum, are you closing the valves on your manifold to isolate the system from the charging hose and vacuum pump? If you don't do that, the vacuum pump has a relief valve that will release the vacuum after the pump has been shut off for a minute or so. But you would hear the hissing from the pump.

 

Yeah, I pull the vacuum and then close both low and high valves on the manifold gauges then shut off the vacuum pump. Let it sit for about 15 minutes and it went from -28 to -20. After an hour it was back to 0. There is no dye near pulley or shaft, it's all around the 2 lines. I'll check behind the dash and hopefully find something back there that is leaking, if not I'm not sure what to do next.

 

Ok, the evaporator looked pretty bad. There were faint traces of the dye over the whole evaporator but didn't look like any major leak. I ordered a new evaporator and expansion valve. Now the strange thing that I just noticed, When I got home today the compressor clutch was engaged with no refrigerant in the system and it was causing the belt to squeal. I turned the car off and back on and the clutch kinda was randomly engaging. Could this have damaged the compressor? Any thoughts on the my next step?

 

Be sure the check the drain tube for the condenser that is inside the car. If this is leaking it will leak out the drain tube near the passenger wheel well.