Used some AC dye and found the worst case, an evap core leak in a 1999 Chevy truck. Not a good value prop to change it out. I figure I'll take one shot with the "R134a with sealant" to see if I get lucky. Are there any brands that are better than others or just pick whatever is in stock at AdvanceZone?
I am guessing you cant get to the core, right? If so, I have had success with the aluminum brazing rod (as found at HF). Otherwise I suspect there is not much difference in sealant although if it is a core leak (depending on the size), it might not seal. I think sealant is really only good for very small leaks.
If you have lost all pressure you do realize you need to vacuum the system down to refill and probably should replace the receiver/dryer, right?
There's 2 kinds of sealants, one for soft (O rings) and one for hard (evaporator core, etc.). The soft sealant you usually run across will do nothing for your core. The hard one has been rumored to work, although I've never had the guts to actually try it.
Most sealants are just pag oil. If you have a dry seal, it may lube it up and fix the leak. Listed as "system safe."
The other sealant, which will fix leaks in metal, may also clog an o-tube. Not "system safe," but better at sealing a leak.
I tell people fixing a leak is like using a band-aid. Small cuts might heal. Cut your head off, a band-aid probably won't heal you.
But I've heard Red Angel is the best A/C stop leak.
I've used Red Angel on three cars. All three were "if this doesn't work, the car doesn't have AC from now on" type situations. It fixed all three of them. I don't even know where the leaks were; I didn't care enough to find it before trying the leak stop. Oh, and I had each of those cars for over a year (in one case ~three years?) after using the leak stop and it worked the whole time. I think I added refrigerant once in that 3-year time period to the Taurus X.
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