How to Find a Leak in an Air Conditioning System on a 2001 Chevy Prizm
- 1). Pull the hood latch. Raise the hood and secure it with the hood prop.
- 2). Screw the basic end of the air conditioning system recharge hose onto the low end pressure port. The port is located next to the washer fluid bottle on a metal air conditioning line, covered by a black cap.
- 3). Screw the valve end of the recharge hose onto the end of the can of leak detector. Turn the valve on the hose clockwise, piercing the top of the can of detector. Turn the valve end counterclockwise to open the valve.
- 4). Turn the vehicle on and place the air conditioning to its highest settings.
- 5). Turn the can of leak detector upside down. Slowly shake the can to drain the leak detector from the can, through the hose and into the air conditioning system. Unscrew the hose from the low side pressure port. Unscrew the can of leak detector from the valve end of the recharge hose.
- 6). Run the air conditioning on its maximum setting for 30 minutes. Alternatively, run the system while traveling in the vehicle at a later time if you don't want to let the vehicle idle.
- 7). Inspect the air conditioning lines and components with a UV lamp. The leak detector refrigerant will appear in a bright color, as specified on the bottle.
- 8). Remove the hood prop and close the hood.
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