I have a 2002 Dodge Ram 1500, 5.9 L engine, SLT quad cab. I have a problem with the AC. I just replaced the compressor, condenser, accumulator, refrigerant lines with orifice tube. I flushed the lines with flush then pull a vacuum on the
system and when I turned the pump off in about 30 minutes, the system leaked down in about 5 to 10 minutes. I then put about 16 ounces of 134a freon in the system and started testing every joint with soap and water and was not able to
find a bubble anywhere. Maybe I should have bought a uv light and some dye but I have been told that the dye is bad on the ac system. Please tell me what I should do next. Thanks for your help! Arthur

 

Probably the evaporator core in the heater box leaking....... You can try the dye, it's not really bad for the system.....

 

Thanks for the reply, Hey You! If the evaporator were leaking wouldn't the flooring inside the truck be wet? There is no evidence that the evaporator is leaking.
What to do next?

 

The evap core would be leaking refrigerant, which would be a gas... so, no mess on the floor. Maybe some oil in the heater box, or dripping from the drain.... but that's just a "maybe". You *might* be able to see the evap core, or, at least, one side of it, if you pull the blower motor, don't know how its set up in your truck... Dye may or may not show up there, depends on where the leak is. A sniffer (tool that detects the refrigerant in the air around it) would work there, but, those are NOT inexpensive, and I don't think the typical parts store rents them either.

 

Thanks again for your response, Hey You! And thanks for all the info! I am going to take the evaporator out sometime after Christmas and replace it with a new
one and see if that corrects my AC problem. I don't know what I would do without the internet and websites like yours. Merry Christmas to you and yours, Arthur