A/C Not Working in 2006, 2500, Mega Cab

[BakerV]

I bought a used 2006 2500 Dodge Mega Cab when I bought the truck I thought that A/C was working but it was winter so it was hard to tell if it was working. Springtime has come now so I can tell that the A/C doesn't work, I took it into a local shop there was no freon in the system and it wouldn't hold a vacuum. The shop charge it with freon and green dye at 5 pm and by 7 am the next morning the freon was out of the A/C system. Here is the kicker the green dye isn't leaking anywhere and there is no vacuum. I think is the A/C pump but at $770 to replace I want to make sure it. Is there another test other than a vacuum test on the A/C unit that can be run to see where the leak is? Could it be the evaporator in the dash? Has anyone else had the same problems and what fixed the problems.

 

[SVick]

I do air conditioning for a living, not automotive, but it's similar. I would use nitrogen to find the leak before adding anymore freon or dye. Any decent shop should be able to do this if you don't have the tools.

 

[SierraRam]

Look at the hoses/aluminum lines going to the condenser they have a tendency to rub together causing a hole. The only way the die is going to work is to run the AC system for some time, the dye gets carried throughout the system with the compressor oil.

 

[rscurtis]

Any competent shop with a halogen gas detector should be able to find a leak that big with their eyes closed. I suggest you find a real AC shop. If it is the evaporator, replace all the doors with HeaterTreater parts while you're in there.

 

[BakerV]

There was one piece of information I forgot to write about the shop charged it twice the first time I picked it up from them it ran a short time that day I had went into a meeting came back out of the meeting there was slight mist on the inside of the front window turned on the defrost and it went away.

I talked a few other shops today no one around here does nitrogen except Dodge dealer so I talked to the Dodge tech today he told me he could run another test at $125 to find where the leak is, a sniff test and some other test. I don't want to spend more money on a test that should be able to diagnose with the issues I have.

Here is what the Dodge tech told me that since no one can find the leak and since there was mist on the inside of the my front window that he would lean more towards the evaporator leaking. If it was the A/C pump it would be leaking the dye, since no dye can be found by the A/C pump it not the A/C pump and it is leaking that fast it has to be the evaporator. Replacing the evaporator through the dealer will cost about $1,300. I waiting to get another quote from another shop in town.

I emailed Geno's technical people to see if they have ever run into this. Waiting to here back from them.

 

[RikDavis]

For whatever it is worth I had the evaporator on my 99 fail after about 6 years. Several friends have also had that problem at about the same time frame so that seems to be a weak area in the system. The bill from my local shop was around $700 including a new heater core while they were in there. I am sure it would be a bit more now but a dealer would have been twice as much

 

[goodguys75]

the whole system of these trucks suck....and it is terrible here in vegas, does not keep up a damn...