a/c aint chillin like it useta

[Mayhem_J30]

What steps should I take to get my a/c going like new? It just doesn't put out the cool air I need anymore on hot days. There's no strange noises and as far as I know the a/c has never needed to be serviced. Could it just be old seals slowly leaking out coolant? If I get it repaired I want it done the right way and not just some billy bob pumping more coolant into it so more can burn a bigger hole in the ozone.

[DAEDALUS]

Receiver/drier A/C systems are probably the most consistently similar systems on modern cars, with few exceptions (e.g., dual climate), so even Billy Bob has a pretty good chance of trouble-shooting it. If you're concerned about leaks (rightly so) then there are a couple methods of checking. Leak detectors cost about $100 and the service can be done at most national chains for $15-30. It's just an electronic sniffer you put up to each junction in the line and along the rubber hoses. There's also ultra-violet, in which they inject UV dye into the system and then inspect the same areas with a blacklight. Again, cost is $15-30. FYI, there's an active debate about whether the dye is harmful to the system. You CAN spend a few minutes looking for the leak yourself. The AC system contains oil for the compressor, about 7 oz, so look for oily/grimy residue around each junction. That's a pretty good sign of a leak.The other possibility is your compressor's going bad. You can get an AC manifold just to check the high and low-side pressures. The manual will tell you what they should be (I think) with the compressor on and with it off. The manifold is essential to troubleshooting A/C problems. You'll know if you're low on R-12, have a bad compressor, and/or have a blockage in the line. There's a good-sized trouble-shooting matrix out there...if you know all the symptoms at various locations, you can home in on the problem. Read up on the work involved (dangerously high pressures involved plus legal issues) on http://www.epa.gov/ozone/title6/609/index.html, then get a used manifold (R-12, not R-134A) from Ebay for $40. Legally, you need to be EPA-certified to do any work, but that only takes about an hour of reading and costs $15. Check out http://www.asecert.org/subchan...e.cfmI applaud environmental sensitivity. It wasn't that long ago that freon was $1/can and was widely used to chill the warm 6-pack in the cooler.