Best air conditioning leak detection tools according to redditors

What do you mean, they have plenty of options great for the whole family.

I've had success UV dye:

https://smile.amazon.com/Interdynamics-Certified-Fuel-Systems-ounce/dp/B002M4G24U/

Here's some cheap blacklights:

https://smile.amazon.com/Interdynamics-Certified-Detection-Glasses-438/dp/B003JOB594/

https://smile.amazon.com/POCKETMAN-UV-Ultraviolet-Blacklights-Flashlight-Detecting/dp/B01FS64GNC/

That being said, ih8mud is a much better place for these questions. It's much more active.

sorry, I don't know exact models but in some models the engine is higher than the radiator, trapping the bubble in the engine. you'll need one of these

I'm pretty sure battery water is distilled. Most super markets have distilled water.

Also most parts stores have pre mixed coolant that has distilled water.


You want coolant in your reservoir, that way when your coolant expands as it heats it will go in there, and when it cools down it will syphon back in. It's also kind of back up coolant, if you get a leak it get topped off by the stuff if the reservoir.


The way I do a coolant flush at work if it really needs it:


I drain the coolant, I remove both heater hoses, I hook a hose the the heater core and flush it one way, then the other, reinstall the heater hoses, I fill it back up with regular water and coolant flush, I run it until it gets hot, drain it, and fill it back up with coolant.


I use one of these when bleeding the cooling system:

https://www.amazon.com/Lisle-24680-Spill-Free-Funnel/dp/B00A6AS6LY


If you want to get really fancy you can vacuum fill, but that's more of a professional tool, really only worth buying if you work on cars a lot. Here's the one I have: https://www.amazon.com/UView-550000-Airlift-Cooling-Checker/dp/B0002SRH5G

You hook compressed air to the system and it sucks all the air out, then you close the valve and hook it to a hose that goes to a container full of coolant and it sucks it back in, gets rid of all the air pockets and checks for leaks at the same time, so it's really handy if you're in a hurry trying to make money.

No, I just used the regular housing gasket.

Oh yeah, I had a tough time bleeding my car for some reason. I ended up using this tool to bleed it. If you have access to an air compressor, this or this cheaper one would work better. With the funnel, there's no BMW adapter, so I had to make one out of an old cap by drilling a hole with step bit.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008I2VPC4/

Yeah it's a coolant leak allright then.

Techniques for coolant leaks:
Pressurize the system, listen and look. Maybe not this one, but you get the idea:
https://www.amazon.com/Mityvac-MV4560-Radiator-Cooling-Pressure/dp/B003V9L05G/ref=sr_1_2?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1504476535&sr=1-2&keywords=coolant+pressure+tester

UV dye. Same, not a recommendation, just a link to the concept.
https://www.amazon.com/FJC-4972-Fluorescent-Leak-Detection/dp/B008QEYTZ4/ref=sr_1_2?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1504476572&sr=1-2&keywords=coolant+UV+dye+kit

But with your rate of draining, you should be able to find it just by eyeballing. Bet that engine compartment is cramped. 'Course they make stuff for that too. Mirrors on sticks, borescopes.


Jags love to mark their territory.
Check the radiator, hoses, especially where they connect or have a junction. Check the water pump.

I would try and find a place that will rent you one of these Napa probably has them. If it is a newer car or has dual climate control, etc. refilling without a vacuum tool is a pain. Obviously you need access to a air compressor. Edit- have you found the slow leak? The overheating could be a result of that and/or the overheating made the leak much worse. (for example a head gasket)

These are a pretty slick way of filling the cooling system from scratch. Probably cheaper to fix the bleed plug, though.

If you do get the plug out, you can replace it with a bleed screw (eg Dorman 13915) that will make the bleed process a heck of a lot easier in the future.

My first idea would be something like this.

Ok. Here is what you need to do and it’s what a mechanic shop would also do. If you do not have the following then you can get them from amazon. I have included the links below.


Interdynamics Certified A/C Pro UV Leak Detection Kit, UV Light with Glasses, 438 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003JOB594/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_NWX7CbJHG1TTV

Tracer Spectronics Corp TP39000008 Dye-Lite Coolant/Auto Body Dye https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NPIYLO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_MZX7CbMADX2P3

It’s about $40 in detection parts but totally worth it. Fill your radiator and overflow tank with coolant (super cheap concentrate with water mix from Walmart is fine) and then add about .5- .75 ounces directly into the radiator. Keep track of your coolant levels and within a day (maybe more it depends on the size or location/locations of the leak) you can use the uv light and glasses to pinpoint the leak. If you have a garage you can do this in then great if not wait for nighttime and make sure you are not near any street lights.

This will pinpoint the leak and we can go from there. Hopefully it’s just something that was not tightened correctly/a hose.

Maybe I should buy those stop leak solutions . Or a detection kit that I seen on YouTube.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003JOB594/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=scottykilmerc-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B003JOB594&linkId=b25299640eda129853918177c12a11db

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0088NW14O/ref=sr_ph?ie=UTF8&qid=1420259242&sr=1&keywords=refrigerant+leak+detector

That's the one I bought.

Heres a video of me using it.

http://1drv.ms/1xhAkko

I got this beauty

Check the water that drips from your AC for Dye. If that's got dye, that'd def your evap core.

There are refrigerant detectors (see /u/Vistandsforvicious 's post). You turn the AC on, and it can detect very small refrigerant leaks. Most AC shops should have one. They look like this And basically sniff to find very small leaks. Beeping when stuck into your vents when the AC is running means your evap core is leaking, no beep... no leak. I'd suggest getting a professional to do it, not the crappy one I linked. Or you can roll the dice and use the el-cheap-o from amazon.

edit: But if it's a leak, you should be able to do it with 0 guesswork involved. It just takes a lot of persistance. Use a q-tip to clean up that spot of oil on the back of the compressor, and see if recharging it makes the oil spot come back.

PS: If you're adding refrigerant, do not use the crap with leakstop. Use something like this with the white cans of only-refrigerant to fill your AC. If you're refilling it yourself, I wrote a long post on how to do it mostly-correctly.