Boba Ben
07-18-2017, 11:37 PM
I'm already feeling pretty stupid for using this stuff, so please don't rag on me too much.
Anyway, I've been having a/c problems all Spring/Summer and have taken it to my regular mechanic shop several times. They've put the dye in with the recharge and haven't been able to locate the leak, and it keeps emptying out in about a week. They said they think it's probably behind the dash in the evaporator coil. The guy told me that if that's what it is, it' going to cost a ton of money and take a ton of time and they didn't seem too interested in doing the job. I contacted the Toyota dealership and they quoted me over $1600 to do the job, which didn't sound too great, either.
The car is an '09 with 125k on it, so I figured it's probably not worth that, so I started looking online for other options. I found this Red Angel Stop Leak stuff that seems to have worked quite well for many people and they claim that it does not harm any recovery equipment and doesn't clog the system. Here's what they say:
The new oil-based stop leaks have a tough road ahead overcoming the negative connotations brought about by existing A/C stop leaks. However, this new era of sealant works in an entirely different fashion. Oil-based stop leaks are activated by pressure and flow velocity at the leak point. The oil acts as a lubricant and is compatible with the PAG or ester oil already present in the A/C system. The stop leak is inert when injected into the system through the low side port. The refrigerant charge activates the molecules in the sealant as it reacts to flow velocity at the leak point only. The result is a flexible yet strong repair.
As long as the A/C system is not losing more than a pound of refrigerant per day, this repair is permanent. Once the leak is sealed, the remaining oil will continue to lubricate the system. Therefore, there is never any crystallization in the orifice tubes, no damaged compressors and, most importantly, if the system is ever recovered, the remaining stop leak is reclaimed with the oil, keeping the recovery machine safe and technicians happy.
Well, I tried the stuff and put a 12 oz can of R-134a in the system afterwords, but the charge was done in about three days and the leak was not stopped. I'm just wondering if anyone's had experience with this and if their claim about it not harming recovery equipment is correct. I'm thinking of bringing it in for the big repair to the evap coil, but I don't want to cause any harm to the shop's equipment and want to know if this stuff is known to damage or clog the a/c system(they say it doesn't, but that doesn't mean it's true). Any advice would be appreciated.
Anyway, I've been having a/c problems all Spring/Summer and have taken it to my regular mechanic shop several times. They've put the dye in with the recharge and haven't been able to locate the leak, and it keeps emptying out in about a week. They said they think it's probably behind the dash in the evaporator coil. The guy told me that if that's what it is, it' going to cost a ton of money and take a ton of time and they didn't seem too interested in doing the job. I contacted the Toyota dealership and they quoted me over $1600 to do the job, which didn't sound too great, either.
The car is an '09 with 125k on it, so I figured it's probably not worth that, so I started looking online for other options. I found this Red Angel Stop Leak stuff that seems to have worked quite well for many people and they claim that it does not harm any recovery equipment and doesn't clog the system. Here's what they say:
The new oil-based stop leaks have a tough road ahead overcoming the negative connotations brought about by existing A/C stop leaks. However, this new era of sealant works in an entirely different fashion. Oil-based stop leaks are activated by pressure and flow velocity at the leak point. The oil acts as a lubricant and is compatible with the PAG or ester oil already present in the A/C system. The stop leak is inert when injected into the system through the low side port. The refrigerant charge activates the molecules in the sealant as it reacts to flow velocity at the leak point only. The result is a flexible yet strong repair.
As long as the A/C system is not losing more than a pound of refrigerant per day, this repair is permanent. Once the leak is sealed, the remaining oil will continue to lubricate the system. Therefore, there is never any crystallization in the orifice tubes, no damaged compressors and, most importantly, if the system is ever recovered, the remaining stop leak is reclaimed with the oil, keeping the recovery machine safe and technicians happy.
Well, I tried the stuff and put a 12 oz can of R-134a in the system afterwords, but the charge was done in about three days and the leak was not stopped. I'm just wondering if anyone's had experience with this and if their claim about it not harming recovery equipment is correct. I'm thinking of bringing it in for the big repair to the evap coil, but I don't want to cause any harm to the shop's equipment and want to know if this stuff is known to damage or clog the a/c system(they say it doesn't, but that doesn't mean it's true). Any advice would be appreciated.