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Car Forum / Honda Cars / July 2005A/C pipe leaking freon
guys, I've got an A/C pipe leaking Freon ( the one in front the evaporator ) on Honda '93 accord. It's actually a tiny hole in it and hate an idea of spending $300-$400 to get it replaced . Is it possible to seal it with the stuff like a liquid aluminium or smth. like that and refill the system? thanks > guys, > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Is it possible to seal it with the stuff like a liquid aluminium or smth. > like that and refill the system? Where exactly is this pipe? Do you hear freon escaping? Since it is a '93, is it R12? If it were R134a I would certainly try a patch. If it is R12 you'll pay through the nose to get the system recharged. Then if the patch doesn't hold, you'll get to pay for it all over again. 4 - 5 years ago my brother's '87 started leaking R12. He bit the bullet and had it properly repaired and recharged with R12. Still holding, and he's happy he had it repaired properly. > guys, > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > thanks You can't patch it. Welding might work but no welder in his right mind is going to heat up anything that might contain traces of Freon. You'd have to completely remove it. You might as well pull a condenser from a junkyard. > guys, > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > thanks I have successfully repaired pinholes in aluminum, including one A/C high side pipe, with JB Weld. But the pressure has to be completely relieved - pulling a vacuum is best - and the area has to be 100% oil free. Brake cleaner is good for prepping the area, and a dab of JB Weld is all you need. Before you get excited about it, have you determined why the pinhole developed? Others may be in the works. Mike the fact is - A/C system is empty now and I've got an estimation from mechanic $110 (CAD) for the pipe + labour ( bumper removal etc) + $120 system refill. He didn't say anything about conversion though. So I would guess it's even more. I would like to try patching with JB Weld but Canadian Tire doesn't carry it . They have liquid aluminium there. Is it the same stuff? Pinhole developed because of the contact that pipe had with the other one below ( I guess it's a galvanic effect) . thanks guys for your input. I appreciate. >> guys, >> [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > Mike > the fact is - A/C system is empty now and I've got an estimation from > mechanic $110 (CAD) for the pipe + labour ( bumper removal etc) + $120 [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > They have liquid aluminium there. > Is it the same stuff? No - JB Weld is a brand of steel-filled epoxy. Pretty much any steel-filled epoxy will do the same thing. It is available at most hardware stores in a variety of forms, from slow set to very quick set. All take about 24 hours to develop full strength. I haven't used liquid aluminum, but if it is aluminum-filled epoxy it should be pretty similar. > Pinhole developed because of the contact that pipe had with the other one > below > ( I guess it's a galvanic effect) . Then I think it's worth a try. Be sure there is no pressure inside to try to bubble up through the epoxy - applying it at night when the temperature is already dropping should do the trick - and be sure there is no trace of oil on the pipe. > thanks guys for your input. I appreciate. > [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] >> >> Mike > the fact is - A/C system is empty now and I've got an estimation from > mechanic $110 (CAD) for the pipe + labour ( bumper removal etc) + $120 [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > I would like to try patching with JB Weld but Canadian Tire doesn't carry > it . They certainly do. Try a different store. Where did you get the $300-$400 figure from? I wouldn't think that pipe or hose is more than $50-$60. Would it cost more than an hours labor to drawn down the system and replace the hose/pipe? I wouldn't think so. If you do the job, convert to R134A while you have the system evacuated. It will cost you less now and in the future. The valves necessary to convert are much more than $5-$10 each and R134A should be not more than $20-$30 to recharge your system. You DO NOT need any other parts to convert providing your a/c system is in decent shape. The difference in the freon types should pay for your labor alone and save you on any future a/c work. You'll need a new receiver/dryer for maybe $60 also. Add up even the high ends and I think you'll find it less than you think, unless of course there' more to the repair than you indicate. Howard > guys, > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > thanks > Where did you get the $300-$400 figure from? I wouldn't think that pipe or > hose is more than $50-$60. Would it cost more than an hours labor to drawn [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > repair than you indicate. > Howard It's important to note some receiver/driers and even some compressor seals are not compatible with the R-134a system. Once upon a time I saw a table of cars and whether the receiver/drier had to be replaced when converting, but I don't know where it was. In general, I don't recommend DIY conversions - I've rebuilt an engine and do nearly all my own work, but I hired out the conversion on our Volvo. For more by-the-ways (including legal restrictions), see http://autorepair.about.com/cs/generalinfo/a/aa060301a_4.htm My daughter's '93 LX uses R-12 (label under the hood, passenger side) so I imagine this one does also. I don't plan to convert unless it is absolutely necessary - fewer unknowns that way. Mike > It's important to note some receiver/driers and even some compressor seals > are not compatible with the R-134a system. Once upon a time I saw a table of [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Mike If it ain't broke, don't fix it. But if your Honda ever needed a/c repair don't hesitate to convert. I've literally seen hundreds of Hondas converted by this simple method with no effect except for saving some money now and in the future. If the system is non-leaking and of good quality, the only thing to change are the high and low side valves and a receiver/dryer. Evacuate the system and add R134A. BTW, I stand corrected on some of my prices in my earlier post on the cost of repairing HND's Accord. The pipe and the rec/drier are a little more than I suggested. The pipe is in the $90's and the rec/drier is a little over $100. Still the price of the repair and the conversion is well under HND's concerns. Howard > guys, > I've got an A/C pipe leaking Freon ( the one in front the evaporator ) on > Honda '93 accord. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > like that and refill the system? > thanks I have a 1993 Accord, and my A/C began to fail a few weeks ago. I brought my car to my mechanic yesterday. He converted to R134 and he detected a very slight slight leak in the evaporator. He he said the evaporator repair would cost $250, but he recommended that I try an A/C sealant instead. http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/CLP-946KIT.html My mechanic said that of all the types of work he does on Hondas, A/C repair has the highest rate of returns for recurring problems. He said there are hundereds of places the A/C system could be developing leaks and the best approach would be to try the sealant first. The R134 system is works well and is quite cold. Andrew >> guys, > [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > > Andrew 1993 was one of the first years for major evaporator leakage problems industrywide. Many mfrs were changing to R134a and the evaporators they were using (I don't know just what the difference was - maybe different alloy?) began developing pinhole leaks. The problem was traced to corrosion caused by dirt and pollen building up in the condensation on the evaporator and forming a corrosive mud. Sealants would stop the initial leak, but more would form. By 1995 just about everybody had added the now ubiquitous cabin air filters to keep the mud from forming. Mike Just to let you know. I used "J&B Weld" and it worked perfectly. After A/C was refilled mechanic checked it for leakage and it was OK. It cost me $9 for "J&B weld" and $140 for the refil with conversion ( CAD) . Thanks for your advices. > guys, > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > thanks |
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