The pressurized refrigerant has oil mixed with it at all times to provide lubrication for the AC compressor. When the refrigerant leaks out of the AC system, a small amount of oil will also leak out. Whenever the presence of oily residue is observed, it is definitely a location where some refrigerant has leaked out too.
Refrigerant oil circulates with the refrigerant throughout the whole AC system in order to supply a continuous flow of oil to the compressor as it operates. Some typical locations that oily residue can be seen are on the compressor, hoses, lines, dryers, and condensers. It is advisable to be thorough when performing a leak inspection of the AC system because there can often be more than one leak present in a system. If time and money is going to be spent on repairing an obvious leak, it is advisable to be sure to repair all of the leaks and problems with the AC system.
The compressor should always be closely checked for signs of oily residue. Leaks can occur at the compressor front seal, body, and at the connections with the suction and discharge
The refrigerant in the AC system is under constant pressure, so it can leak out in many different locations. Oily residue on the components of the AC system is a sign of a leak. However, caution needs to be used to make sure that the oily residue did not come from another leak that is nearby, such as engine oil or power steering
The condenser is positioned in front of the radiator and is subject to rocks and debris hitting the surface, which will often cause a leak. There will be an obvious oily area on condensers that have been pierced with an object. There could also be leaks where the discharge line and liquid line connect to the
Leak detection kits are a popular choice to use when performing repair and maintenance on a vehicle. This kit comes with a small dye injector, a black light, oil-based dye, and a dye
This dye injector is used to inject a small amount of refrigerant oil with dye mixed with it into a charged AC system. The tool uses a small screw press mechanism to force the dye into the
Refrigerant dye can simply be poured into an AC component during service. It only requires a small amount of dye to be very effective in the leak detection process. The dye can remain in the system for the life of the vehicle without any negative performance
