Help locating slow A/C refrigerant leak please!

[hid3]

Hello everyone.

I own a VW Golf Mk6, 2011 year, 1.6 CR-TDI.
Unfortunately, the Air Conditioning system is driving me nuts!
It has got a slow A/C refrigerant leak. Once you re-charge the system, it's good to go until next season. E.g. if I recharge it in beginning of April, it's good for entire season, but next year, around April when warm weather starts, it will need a re-charge again, because it will blow nothing but ambient warm air....

I have been unsuccessfully fighting this problem for 7 years and I'm really tired of this problem
All the A/C system components are factory ones, nothing has been changed or replaced (except the R134a gas each season, 540 grams per charge).

Of course upon each re-charge UV dye was used - unfortunately I was told there are no visible leaks.

Could anyone please give some advice on how to solve this problem? Any tips, tricks or suggestions how to nail down the leak or faulty component?

PS: I have noticed that when the system has got charge and you turn the A/C on, from the vents it can be heard slight hissing sound, like the one inside the kitchen freezer, if you know what I mean. When the system has almost lost its refrigerant and barely cools, this sound cannot be heard. Not sure if this is normal/expected behaviour or not.

Appreciate any input....

Thanks!

[Meat-Head]

You could arge 1gramm / day. But system will probably work down to 350g

going to be porous pipe or rubber seal at a guess

ask dealer how much all rubber seals and pipes, after condenser most common part they sell

not sure if a gas detector what a plumber uses.

going to be tiny tiny leak, more likely o ring as been going on so long

[hid3]

Hi Meat Head,

thanks for response.

Each time upon extraction (before re-charge), the machine extracts anywhere between 290-340 grams. AC at this point is useless.

Unfortunately dealers here do not service these AC systems much and are even clueless about the problems they should be well-aware (e.g. camshaft wear on TDI-PD engines, High-Pressure fuel pumps failing and EGR cooler issues on TDI-CR, etc).

I have visited 80% of specialised AC workshops in the city. And I get the same response each time - "The leak is tiny, just drive and recharge annually" or "It will cost very much to find and repair the problem" (but once I agree, nobody wants to pick this job up, giving excuses that they are busy, etc!).

What I am thinking now is:
1) Order a gas leak detector, particularly this one:
https://www.elitech.uk.com/Gas_Leak_...ector_140.html

Any opinions on this (or other similar) device? None of A/C repair shops have such device, everyone claims they are useless and that UV dye works better

2) Use "A/C stop leak" along with a re-charge. I'm thinking about this one:
https://www.amazon.com/Leak-Stop-EXT.../dp/B01MZ1TZ7R

Furhter comments, ideas suggestions are really appreciated!

[ateyourv8]

Dont put that a/c stop into the system. It will cause more damage later down the line.
Get yourself a a/c leak detection kit with UV light and shine around the a/c system components.
It could also be the evaporator core leaking. A way you can tell if thats leaking is checking the drain from the evaporator with a UV light since you cant actually see the evap core without taking it apart.

[Meat-Head]

Bit naughty what about SLIGHTLY overfill system or fill to the max add 50g
then use your light/sniffer.

you might even have a screwed fitting that’s “just slightly loose”

see if dk thanks button works

[hid3]

Thanks guys for response. I'll postpone my idea of adding the 'stop leak' solution.
Placed and order for that gas sniffer. Will await until it arrives, then will try to do some tracing.

Oh, and I always ask to slightly overfill the system when re-charging. Required norm is 525 g., I always ask to put 540 g (as it's leaking anyway )

Of course I'll report back my finding but if anyone's got a briliant idea to try, please let me know, really appreciate it.

[Meat-Head]

AFTERTHOUGHT:-

you need to do research but some cars have a excess pressure relefi valve in the compresser
have a sniff around there, but going to be a lot of effort

[hid3]

I am pretty sure this one doesn't have. It's variable displacement, made by Delphi, the only visible ports it has to the outside is for electric control valve, high and low pressure hoses.

[alessioblaupunkt]

If you plan a travel to the nothern part of Italy I can find your leak with N2H2.
I'm using it since 2 years and I always find leaks.
It requires patient and precision, and I have it.

[Meat-Head]

It requires patient and precision, and I have it.

and corno virus as well?

[alessioblaupunkt]

Corno has reached the lowest level ever had and by 15 June the people from all around the world could take a travel.
No excuses.

[hid3]

If you plan a travel to the nothern part of Italy I can find your leak with N2H2.
I'm using it since 2 years and I always find leaks.
It requires patient and precision, and I have it.

Hi, thanks for the offer but probably I won't be doing that. First of all, it's quite long trip, which makes it financially inefficient. Furthermore, there are some restrictions in border control still in place, so I may get stuck somewhere.

For now will await the sniffer/tester, try to do my own diagnosis using it. Will report my results.

Thanks

[hid3]

Greetings. So I got the tester. Unfortunately, I could NOT locate the leak spot anywhere, where the tester could reach
I tried to use it on other cars, both with known-having leaks and known-no-leaks. The device itself it working properly.

[Meat-Head]

On topic

thermal camera. See if any spots that look weird

[hid3]

Finally arranged that camera. All we saw was a big colourful nonsense. Not useful at all.