Failed AC Condenser

About a month ago my AC got warm, and I juiced it back up. Yesterday in traffic it started blowing warm again, and when I arrived home, it was nearly empty. It took 2 12 oz cans to fill it.

This morning, I took a short drive, and its empty again!

I noticed oil on the grill, so I pulled it, and heard hissing from the passenger side of the condenser, just behind the AC fan. The connections are on the other side, so it had to be the core leaking.

Well, its not so easy to remove. You gotta pull the whole nose off, the hood latch and support, safari bar, all that. I did get it out, and the bottom row of fins are gone, rotted away.

Does anyone know if I should replace the dryer too when I replace the condenser?

John C.

I'm by no means an expert but I was told that the dryer should be replaced any time the system is opened up. Some one correct me if I'm wrong.

If it lost all charge, yes, and the system should be evacuated also.

Since you can't really replace the cond. without purging the system, ask your a/c guy if you should replace the filter/ dryer.

Also let him know that you lost some oil.