I bought the truck two years ago with 85,000 miles on it. (No other problems noted). The a/c ran out of freon, I had the Ford dealer install freon and add bright green dye to the freon ($115). Bingo...I found the leak, it was along the right side (passenger side) of the condenser which is right as you open the hood. I cleaned the dye off with brake cleaning fluid (can spray for $4), and then applied as much J B Weld ($5) to it as I could, around the many connectors that were leaking. The leak spanned a row of about 7 rows of fins. Getting it to the backside/inside connectors is the hard part. These are the connectors where the unit is "pieced together" when it is made. I was careful not to get it on the steel mounting bracket, the rubber mount bottom (covered it with paper towel), or the connector lines. Don't put it on the connector lines, (inlet/outlet lines) or you won't get the condenser off, ever. I figured I would try this before I pay for a new condenser. If it doesn't work, the condenser has to be thrown out anyway. I can go back and apply more J B Weld, since the dye may continue to leak and show me if I sealed all the leaks. I know that I at least cut it by 75%. J B Weld is super strong stuff.
I bought the truck two years ago with 85,000 miles on it. (No other problems noted). The a/c ran out of freon, I had the Ford dealer install freon and add bright green dye to the freon ($115). Bingo...I found the leak, it was along the right side (passenger side) of the condenser which is right as you open the hood. I cleaned the dye off with brake cleaning fluid (can spray for $4), and then applied as much J B Weld ($5) to it as I could, around the many connectors that were leaking. The leak spanned a row of about 7 rows of fins. Getting it to the backside/inside connectors is the hard part. These are the connectors where the unit is "pieced together" when it is made. I was careful not to get it on the steel mounting bracket, the rubber mount bottom (covered it with paper towel), or the connector lines. Don't put it on the connector lines, (inlet/outlet lines) or you won't get the condenser off, ever. I figured I would try this before I pay for a new condenser. If it doesn't work, the condenser has to be thrown out anyway. I can go back and apply more J B Weld, since the dye may continue to leak and show me if I sealed all the leaks. I know that I at least cut it by 75%. J B Weld is super strong stuff.
- William P., Thomasville, GA, US