Leak from A/C dryer (1 Viewer)

[Spook50]

This morning I noticed my A/C dryer had sprung a leak from what looks like a pressure relief fitting. Tried to run my A/C and sure enough all the R12 had leaked out. I'm not going to crack open the system because as long as it's got positive pressure of some degree I can avoid any moisture getting in before I have to replace the dryer and re-service the system (damnit). What would've caused this? The dryer is not even 5 years old and the entire system was overhauled at the same time when the dryer was put in, re-serviced three years ago and has worked great since. Now all of a sudden this fitting on my dryer blows out and I have no clue what would've caused it. Be nice to know so I can avoid having it happen again in the future.

 

[pithicus]

Could be a blockage in the drier causing pressure build up, or just a faulty release valve. Definitely need a new one .
Hopefully not a clogged expansion valve, coz that can cause pressure build up, but you would notice the a/c not getting cold if that's the case.

 

[Spook50]

Could be a blockage in the drier causing pressure build up, or just a faulty release valve. Definitely need a new one .
Hopefully not a clogged expansion valve, coz that can cause pressure build up, but you would notice the a/c not getting cold if that's the case.

It was blowing cold as recently as early this morning and then I suspect the blowoff happened sometime between when I parked and when I went to to check the oil before heading back across the state (about 3 hours). Ugh I REALLY hope it's not a blocked expansion valve. There was some powdery buildup in the hard lines when I overhauled the system in 2015. Had hoped I had gotten it all out though.

 

[pithicus]

Once the drier is off, after you drain the oil out of it you should be able to blow air through it relatively easily, in the direction of the freon flow. [I just tested this on an old working drier], I would imagine if it's blocked it should be hard to blow through it. Hopefully that's the issue.

 

[Spook50]

Once the drier is off, after you drain the oil out of it you should be able to blow air through it relatively easily, in the direction of the freon flow. [I just tested this on an old working drier], I would imagine if it's blocked it should be hard to blow through it. Hopefully that's the issue.

Interesting. I'll give that a looksee when I replace it. Be nice if the dryer caught anything that would've been floating around in my A/C after the refurb so that it'd be gone with the current/old dryer.

 

[BlackCat]

Good news is dryers are cheap on rock auto.