What would you do IF you had to replace your A/C evaporator-core?

Tom is a Priuschat member and uses a Prius c as a work vehicle (until recently when the head gasket blew). When a leak is so slow that a pressure or vacuum test passes, he would vacuum and add 16 oz of pure r134a which will last a season. Next year top off with perhaps 8 to 12 oz ($15 can at Walmart for diy) using the sight glass. A couple of years later the car is likely to be gone but the customer had ac until the engine blew.

When the leak is bigger, Tom's $1000 refrigerant leak detector will pick it up at the vents or at the drain. A pressure or vacuum test on isolated refrigerant lines going to the evap will also fail which is positive. At that point some will pay the $2k if the rest of the 20 year old Prius is still viable.

 

Tom is a Priuschat member and uses a Prius c as a work vehicle (until recently when the head gasket blew). When a leak is so slow that a pressure or vacuum test passes, he would vacuum and add 16 oz of pure r134a which will last a season. Next year top off with perhaps 8 to 12 oz ($15 can at Walmart for diy) using the sight glass. A couple of years later the car is likely to be gone but the customer had ac until the engine blew.

When the leak is bigger, Tom's $1000 refrigerant leak detector will pick it up at the vents or at the drain. A pressure or vacuum test on isolated refrigerant lines going to the evap will also fail which is positive. At that point some will pay the $2k if the rest of the 20 year old Prius is still viable.