In april my Xterra (2001 XE V6) got slammed into by a 1980's oldsmobile moving at about 75mph. Needless to say, this did some serious damage. Of the numerous parts that were replaced, one of them was the A/C condensor. The new condensor works great, but the lines from the compressor to the were not changed. Last week my A/C went out and after a dye test a leak was detected on the high pressure side line. So my question is this:
Should that line have been replaced when replacing the condensor due to collision damage?
Replacing it makes sense to me, but I want some unbiased opinions before I start harrassing the insurance company.
A/C Leak
It should have been replaced if it was damaged. If the accident caused the leak, then yes, they should have replaced it. However, I will say that of the maybe 10 cars I've tested, every single one of them leaks to some degree, even among newer undamaged cars. Most are very slight, maybe several grams/year, but they all do.The condenser is on the high-side of the system; are you sure the shop that replaced the condenser did a good job when closing up the system? Where on the high side is the leak? Are you certain that low refrigerant is the cause of the system not working? I.e., the compresssor still works, switches, fuses, relays, etc.
To answer your questions:Am I sure the shop did a good job? No, I'm not, as I know next to nothing about A/C systems, however the location of leaks leads me to believe that they did.
Where on the high side is the leak? There are actually two leaks on each side of the check valve where the metal portion of the line joins with the rubber hose.
Am I sure low refrigerant is the cause? Yes, everything else is working fine, but it took a full pound of refrigerant. It's blowing cold for now, however you can see where the dye leaked out with the naked eye, no need for the blacklight.
My thinking is that when the condensor was relocated to my left fender during the afore mentioned wreck, the line was damaged at the joints on the line.
Thank you for your help, Ted
Where on the high side is the leak? There are actually two leaks on each side of the check valve where the metal portion of the line joins with the rubber hose.
Am I sure low refrigerant is the cause? Yes, everything else is working fine, but it took a full pound of refrigerant. It's blowing cold for now, however you can see where the dye leaked out with the naked eye, no need for the blacklight.
My thinking is that when the condensor was relocated to my left fender during the afore mentioned wreck, the line was damaged at the joints on the line.
Thank you for your help, Ted