So much scattered info on this subject and a lot of good info, but my head is starting to hurt from searching and I still feel woefully uninformed on the subject. You don't want to hurt my head, do you?

Summed up: AC is low. 40 psi on the gauges. No frosty goodness.

Can I directly add Freeze-12 or ES-12 to the system with out trying to find someone with an evac pump to remove the remaining R-12? I have a source for R-12, however, obviously there is a leak somewhere and I'd rather not top it off at the price the stuff goes for if I don't have to. Both Freeze-12 and ES-12 have "leak" stopper type compounds. I can only assume at this point, but I think the leak is small enough that these would effectively seal the problem given the years it has taken for it to be depleted.

I'm looking for a quick fix for the time being that will tide me over for a few months till I have some time to have the A/C properly checked out by someone that knows something about A/Cs and that I would actually allow to touch my car...that's no one around this area for sure.

Is there a "stop leak" type add for R-12? I know an evac and o-ring replacements is the proper way to go about this, but right now I don't see it being an option. Just trying to find a quick fix for the time being.

It's Texas. I'm ******* hot.

 

I suggest that you do not use a sealer. Lots of sealers work by hardening when they touch air. Guess what happens when you open the system up to do a repair after putting sealer in? That's right! The sealer that's all over the inside of the system hardens because the system is now open and exposed to air. What does sealer hardened all over the inside of the system mean? ALL NEW SYSTEM.

If you have a slow leak and put in an HC refrigerant it may not leak at all. If you want to be cheap about this, you can either top it off with R-12 or have the system evacuated then recharged with an HC refrigerant. I wouldn't mix R-12 with an HC refrigerant....might be fine, might cause problems. Who knows.