AC wont hold a charge for more than a couple days, added dye to AC system, and after a little bit of operation, the dye shows up in the cooling ducts. i.e., using the uv light and looking into the HVAC ducts from inside the cabin, the dye is visible in the ducts... bummer.
But, leaking evaporators are kinda rare, so my thought is, since the car is low mileage, it seems possible that it had sat a long time without anyone running the AC. I've read where if you don't run it for a while, the rubber seals can degrade.
So.... I ponder whether it might be possible that the seals are bad, at the location where the AC hoses interface with the evaporator core. Two rubber o-rings.
I'm thinking maybe to raise the car on a lift, and get up under there by first removing the two heater hoses. Then, loosen the one bolt that holds the two AC lines to the evaporator core, and change out those o-rings.
Anybody know off hand, if that one-bolt flange that has both AC hoses at the interface with the evap. core is accessible from underneath, for such a swap of the o-rings ?
The other choice is the dealer, about a $1400 job to tear the interior all apart and change the evap core. (given my history with dismantling interiors, a wise choice to pay the dealer, since I always seem to break something when doing those kind of jobs). I thought maybe I'd try the o-ring swap first, if the bolt that holds the hoses flange to the evap core is accessible from underneath........ It seems as though it should be, since the bolt is oriented to be removed from that direction.... ugh
Its only been, like 110 degrees outside all week...
