rns

I noticed some oil stains in lower grill area. Sticky clear yellowish oil that smells like some paint.
The pipe connector in condenser is oily. There is 10mm bolt that felt tight.
I can track that the pipe above coming from engine bay is oily too as the pipe disappears inside protective plastic pipe.

Does my description sound like compressor oil?
Could the pipe be broken?
Or if the connector leaks, how the oil has traveled up the pipe staining the plastic cover, can airflow do it during driving?

Has anyone had leaks here?


As it is winter I haven't used A/C lately so I don't know if it works.
But if it's the compressor oil as I think, the refrigerant has also leaked out.

Sticker in hood tells that refrigerant is R134a and compressor oil is ND oil 11.

If pipe is broken it is very long part all the way through engine bay to heater-A/C-unit in cabin, looks like huge work to replace it!!
88710E
http://japan-parts.eu/EU/2/87A684A.png

Mmagic76

Just checked mine, no oil or sticky residue on mine.

Clutchless

1. Turn on A/C to see if it works at all. However, it being Finland in Winter, I suspect that may difficult, however running the front defrost will provide a guide as it dehumidifies the air which requires use of the A/C. However, it may have only leaked a little, which is good.

2. Regardless of whether it works or not, have a professional shop check it out as you cannot do A/C repairs at home. It involves expensive specialized equipment and knowledge. They can also inject UV sensitive dye into the refrigerant and watch the engine with a special lamp to find the leaks. Leaks usually flow from the highest point to the lowest. You found the lowest, hose/tubenow someone needs to find the source. Most likely a seal or other component, not the pipe itself. If they replace the part, they will need to evacuate the system and recharge it again. This job is not that expensive and you do need the A/C to run the defrost and leaving it leaked out and without a charge will cause more damage to the system. So fix this right away.

rns

Thanks for answers

I have not tried if A/C works after I noticed the leak. And really current outdoor temperatures haven't been great for testing.
I think to switch off with computer the A/C-defrost-link and the A/C-auto link. Pressing auto or defrost would not turn A/c on when link is off.
I have contacted local A/C-workshop and I plan to show the car to them next week if having time.
They said many workshops here tend to add Uv-dye as standard in the system for future leaks so they will check straight with the lamp.

I would be happy of leak in seal or even leak in condenser unit, they would cost much less than that high-pressure-side pipe.
The pipe is oily above connector to condenser and condenser is not oily. There are no connectors in that pipe, solid pipe all the way to A/C core unit in cabin area.
Evacuating and recharging costs here around 50-80 euros (54-86USD).

If the leak is in that pipe, I have no other idea to cause it than the engine has vibrated the pipe through radiator to condenser via it's supports in the front frame.
(with the knowledge what happens in Rx400's radiators as the crack from vibration, I did replace mine)
The pipe goes straight up from the connector and makes turns under right headlight. In that area shouldn't appear any damage from outside, stone etc.

Clutchless

Let us know what they find.

rns

The A/C refrigerant pressure is lower than normal but the A/C system works.
The pressure is not zero so the workshop said it really can't be the pipe as hole in aluminum pipe would let all pressure out instantly.
The compressor oil according to them can travel upwards by airflow during driving.
As conclusion the cause of leak is the connector itself.

The system didn't have dye and they couldn't add dye or make recharge as they didn't have ND-11 compressor oil, and as so zero cost so far.
For next week they will receive that oil and new seal so they can replace the connector seal.

rns

The shop replaced the seal (1.5 EUR=1.6USD), added compressor oil and dye and recharged it (totally 115EUR=122USD).
Now I've driven about 1000 miles (1600km) since that and now no visual oil leak seen in the connector.


So simple job after all but new things to me, I have been lucky so far with vehicles as not having any A/C issues before.