Auto Air Conditioning & Heater Repair: Ford Escort 1998 Intermittent Air Conditioning, electronic leak detector, warm moist air

Question
I have a 1998 Ford Escort.  I waqs on a trip last week and the air conditioner started putting out warm moist air.

Now there is a problem with this vehicle draining water out so I finally put a small hole in the bottom of the of the air vent to drain out the water.  After draining out the water the system worked normally with a lot of water draining out.

The next day on the way home from work it stopped working.  I figured it might be a little low so I got a can of R134 and a gauge.  With the gauge hooked to the LOW end I was reading about 125psi.

I didn't want to try to add the R134 to the system at that pressure and I drove home with no air.

The next day on the way home after trying the air conditioner a couple times it started working.  While it was working I hooked the gauge to the LOW pressure and got about 40psi.  This was below the 45-50 the package said for the ambient temp so I added the can of R134.

The system worked better than before and I finished the ride home.  The next day it worked on the way to work and stopped on the way home.  It hasn't come back on since.

What should I look at, as I can't afford a repair shop right now.

Thanks.


Answer
Obviously you have a leak somewhere in the A/C system. You need to find the leak using an electronic leak detector.

Some people use a can of freon that has a RED DYE in it so when the leak occurs they can see where the RED DYE is leaking out of.

It works, But I do not approve of putting dye in the system.


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