[2016 sr5] DIY r1234? Possible?

So I appear to have a small leak in the AC. I've only worked on ac in a classroom setting, so my experience is pretty limited. It was charged 2 months ago and has since lost cooling again.

I checked all the lines in the engine bay, from dash to compressor to condenser, i did not look behind the dash yet, I guess that's where the dryer and expansion valve is?


Pictured below shows where I found dye that appeared to have been sprayed from a pinhole leak in the line? I checked both lines around it and saw no dye on the line itself. Just on some electrical connectors


Here is some sticky gunk I noticed on the high side near the glowing electric connectors. Is this dried AC oil? There was no dye on it, nor was there any on that plastic sleeve that was pulled over it.


I checked the drain tube, there's no dye around it.

I also saw some dye inside the low pressure valve cap and around the schrader, I can't see why there would be any on the valve cap unless the schraders bad. Wouldn't explain the glowing electrical fitting though.

My big question, What's so special about it you can't just vac and recharge using a scale? Every indie mechanic near me won't touch it because they don't have "the machine".

 

You can pull a vacuum on it just like R12, R134, R22. The issue is finding someone with the machine with the R1234 fittings. I would try calling a body shop to see if they will drain/pull a vacuum for you. Then let you change whatever you see fit (most likely a bad schrader so will need to replace the guts or a new line) and then reservice the system when you are done. My local body shop charges $90 per hour to do this plus the freon/oil. I ended up paying $175 for a drain and service on my 2019 odyssey due to a faulty schrader. Had the same thing you saw…less the connector. That is weird. Hopefully someone didn’t just drop some dye there and it is totally fucking with your head!!

 

Yeah maybe the connector is just some spilled dye. I thought there could be a pinhole around there due to living off a dirt road and kicking up rocks for a half mile before I hit pavement.

Seeing the dye in the valve cap is pretty suspicious, so that's probably the culprit. Especially hearing you say you saw the same deal with a bad schrader.

But I have to use expensive recovery machines? I'm wondering what's keeping me from doing this in my driveway, because a $30 adapter fitting isn't gonna make several shops turn down all that business they need to send to stealerships

 

Do you have a stethoscope? If so, I would take the cap off and put the stethoscope right on the schrader. I was able to hear mine barely hissing. I could also tighten the cap down tight and then run the compressor and when I loosened the cap, it would make that beer can sound.
You can buy the adapter but the recovery machine would have to mix yours with the 134 already in the machine…tainting it. So you would have to use a 1234 machine only. Or drain it yourself. Pull a vacuum. And then service with cans and a manifold.

 

No stethoscope, but it's a really slow leak. I had 2 months before I lost cooling again. But maybe I'll pick one up and try it.

I decided to say screw it and stuck a cheap gauge on the low side and brought it up to ~40psi, she's cold again.

Cleaned up any dye I saw and I'll let it go for a bit. If I can for sure point at the spot, I'll drop a couple hundred for a dealership to hook it up and fix it. Unless I find a mechanic that works on r1234 locally or decide to buy a bunch of new tools and start a side gig