Last year the air-con on my 1995 X300 suddenly stopped blowing cold, so I had the system checked and the refrigerant level was found to be extremely low. A re-charge succeeded in restoring it to full efficiency. Now, very suddenly once again, it's doing it again. I only cover about 2K miles a year in this car, so it's happened again rather quickly.
I'm pretty sure a re-charge will again solve the problem, BUT I'm also now sure that it will reoccur. Researching the likely source of the problem had led me to think it may be the condenser that may have failed, however as I don't understand air-con systems at all I have a couple of questions:-
1. If the condenser is the problem, does this cause loss of refrigerant and therefore would a re-charge just mean another re-charge is necessary in the very near future?
2. How do I know it's the condenser? Could the loss be down to another problem? If so, can a garage locate the precise source of the loss ? I don't want to replace the condenser, have the system re-charged and then find the leak (if there is a leak) was elsewhere!
Any answers and advice very welcome.
Thanks in advance.

 

Tracing leaks is a routine exercise for a/c repair shops/garages.

As with any other leak, larger ones are usually easy to find and can mask smaller ones, which can be harder to find. Sometimes a dye is put into the system which makes tracing the leak easier. Other times a "sniffer" device is used to detect the gas.

A leaking condenser is one of many possibilities

Good luck

DD

 

Thanks a lot Doug - much appreciated.
Hope Washington is good at the moment. Here on the coast of Southern Spain it's 90+ degrees. Just when air-con is needed the most. Typical for it to fail now eh?

 

I'm certified in automotive hvac...and the above info is correct. Have some A/C dye put in the system along with a pound or so of R134a. Once the A/C stops blowing cold again bring it back to the shop and they'll inspect the whole system with an ultraviolet light. The condenser could very well be leaking but it could also be as simple as an o-ring on one of the bosses on the lines...the compressor...and got forbid if it's the evap core. Like most cars I believe ours requires the removal of the dash to do that. Good luck