Anybody Use Auto HVAC Leak Sealant?
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URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=29589
Printed Date: January-14-2025 at 5:40pm
Topic: Anybody Use Auto HVAC Leak Sealant?
Posted By: davidg
Subject: Anybody Use Auto HVAC Leak Sealant?
Date Posted: April-21-2013 at 11:52am
Thought I would throw this question out to you guys. Our 2003 Mercury Mountaineer has A/C problems. I sure wished we actually needed it right now, but still using the heater here in the Midwest. But, it will go from winter to summer overnight, and I am trying to decide what to do with this thing.
The Ford dealership wants $1800 to put in a new condenser coil, and line to solve some leaking issues. Not sure I really want to put that kind of money into a 10 year old car with 140K miles on it.
Has anybody used any of the A/C leak sealants on the market? Any suggestions as to which are the best?
I have been told you can use them with no issue, and I have also been told that they will cause problems.
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Replies:
Posted By: peter1234
Date Posted: April-21-2013 at 10:23pm
they seem to help some small o ring leaks as far as aluminum coils i wouldnt hold out much hope
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former skylark owner now a formula but I cant let this place go
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Posted By: davidg
Date Posted: April-22-2013 at 1:54am
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Thanks Peter! I have been doing some reading on this stuff, and some opinions are that can possibly gunk up your system. A part guys told me today it works primarily by swelling neoprene o-rings. So, that goes along with what you indicate.
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Posted By: Gary S
Date Posted: April-22-2013 at 2:27am
To add to that Dave, 2 years ago my 01 jeep needed a new coil in the dash it was over 1k. It just plain rotted out. Never sat out and even at work it was under cover.new one is no better quality than oem
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http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1711&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1966&yrend=1970" rel="nofollow - 69 Mustang HM SS
95 Nautique Super Sport
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Posted By: OverMyHead
Date Posted: April-22-2013 at 2:47am
We did The coil in our Dakota two summers ago. Had to remove three layers of dashboard to get it out. There has to be a better way they could put them in because they are only good for about 120,000 miles.
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For thousands of years men have felt the irresistible urge to go to sea, and many of them died. Things got better after they invented boats.
1987 Ski Nautique
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Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: April-22-2013 at 8:55am
Dave,
I feel you mean the evaporator coil under the dash and not the condenser coil you mentioned (condenser coil is next to the radiator). I have been through this exercise with removing the dash just to get to the coil and it wasn't fun. Go with the replacement and not the "snake oil stop leak". While they are in there, put a new heater coil in it as well.
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/diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow -
54 Atom
/diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique
64 X55 Dunphy
Keep it original, Pete
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Posted By: davidg
Date Posted: April-22-2013 at 11:23am
Guys....thanks for the input.
Pete....Yes, I meant the evaporator coil. I am in agreement to go with the real deal, instead of the snake oil.
I priced indivdual parts out. For the evap coil, Ford want's $575. My parts guy, "Fast Eddie", wants $140 for the same coil. But, he readily admits that his part is from China. I have to put another "Ford only" line in as well that will cost $230.
Parts are one thing, but, the majority of the price is obviuosly taking the dash apart to get to everything.
Did any of you guys take the dash apart yourselves to put the coil(s) in? Dave...It looks like maybe you did your own?!?
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Posted By: Gary S
Date Posted: April-22-2013 at 11:35am
That is a big job Dave,mine was apart 2 times for this repair.You would really need a copy of Fords work shop manual,Chiltons or Hayes would not go that deep on what exactly to do.
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http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1711&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1966&yrend=1970" rel="nofollow - 69 Mustang HM SS
95 Nautique Super Sport
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Posted By: OverMyHead
Date Posted: April-22-2013 at 11:35am
Dave, Definitely do the heater core at the same time, they have about the same lifespan, and you don't want to do the labor twice. My son and his friend did most of it. I helped with the AC connections (you need a specialty tool to disassemble, but it is inexpensive) and I did the trouble shooting of the vacuum connections when the climate controls only blew to defrost when they were "done" The work is not that hard, just labled and take photos. we had a few screws left in a bucket when it was done. we had about 24 boy hours (different from man hours) into the project.
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For thousands of years men have felt the irresistible urge to go to sea, and many of them died. Things got better after they invented boats.
1987 Ski Nautique
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Posted By: OverMyHead
Date Posted: April-22-2013 at 11:38am
Oh yeah, don't start the project the week before Green Lake. It adds too much stress, trust me.
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For thousands of years men have felt the irresistible urge to go to sea, and many of them died. Things got better after they invented boats.
1987 Ski Nautique
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