I'm looking for a member somewhere within (say) 70 mile radius of Abingdon, Oxfordshire with the facilities and knowledge to legally empty an A/C system; then recharge it a little while later. (After I've had a little time to change a couple of O-rings).  I could've sworn someone up Birmingham(?) way mentioned reasonably recently that they'd acquired such a machine but I can't remember who it was, or which thread it was where it was mentioned.  Can anyone else remember or point me in the right direction?

 

System is in a 2005 Mk1 Fabia that has been recharged only twice in its lifetime to the best of my knowledge. Once about 8 years ago shortly after acquiring the vehicle, when the mobile fella said he thought it quite possible it had never been done before, then again approx. 18 months ago at a local tyre/exhaust place. Neither time was any comment made about leaks, and both times it performed very well afterwards.  The first time, dye was added.  

 

At the same time as a major engine refurb last month, the system stopped working to any significant degree; though I had noticed it getting noisy at switch on and switch off which tends to go with reduced pressures in my limited experience.  Hasn't been long enough since the last recharge for this to be simply 'normal' leakage.  I initially thought I'd spotted a candidate leak at the top connection to the condenser, as the pipework leading away from the joint looked a little damp/grubby. Last night I had a go with a UV torch and think I've seen a much more significant leak at the joint where the high pressure line meets the expansion valve.  I'm thinking the green tint is the dye.

 

 

 

I'm reluctant to go to a garage, as I think I'll end up getting stung for two aircon 'visits' once to discharge the system, then again to refill, on the basis that they won't be able to do it all in one go if I'm tinkering with O-rings part way through the process.  

 

 

 

Output connection of compressor also leaking a fair bit, I've just discovered, from below.  As luck would have it, the three points identified so far all use the same o-ring 8e0260749, of which I have four.