I'll add there is some stuff called Red Angel A/C Stop Leak, that works really well as a lubricant and stop leak. Years ago it came in a small bottle that you had to use a chambered dye injector to get it in the system, now I think it comes premixed in a can of refrigerant.

It was recommended to me by several folk who own A/C shops as it will stop leaks, but won't clog the filters of the recovery systems they have at the shops.

Most A/C leak stops harden in the filters of the recovery machines and shops have to replace the filters. If they test your refrigerant and find any of those additives, they likely won't service your vehicle should you need them to.

 

I dont like the sounds of this. Maybe I should just bite the bullet and have a pro do it.....

 

It completely depends on your skill level and understanding of what you are doing.

Sometimes I post stuff and it scares folks from doing the job. That's not my intent, but I feel folks should know all aspects of the job the are getting into. It could be as simple a buying a can of refrigerant and dumping it in. But maybe not.

If you tale it to a shop, they'll tell you it needs to be rebuilt, charge you $1000+ and replace every o ring in the system and flush it out and start over fresh.

That will usually fix the problem. Nut at what cost?

 

It's really not as bad as you might think after Aims has been through and posted. He's just giving you worst case scenario I think. (Hope) I know back in 05 or 06 I replaced the compressor on mine and it was time consuming, but nothing overly difficult. Main problem I had was getting the fittings off the accumulator. Of course, we were at an advantage since we had an evacuator machine to put the vacuum on the lines for us. In the end, I think I was out about $300.00 with new compressor, oil, and refrigerant. Much much better than the $1450.00 that the shop here in town quoted me- Entrance to the birth of the second family gearhead after that quote!