Diagnosing A/C issues (2003)

My '03 has stopped blowing cold. I've had it since 2009 with zero A/C issues; could it just have a verrrrry slow leak and need a topping off? When this occurred in my Gallardo, of course the compressor itself was bad, and getting to the point of figuring that out required three visits, multiple refills / die tests, etc., so wasted a bunch of money.

 

I'm wondering if anyone has an opinion on whether there would be any value for me to have my local mechanic refill it and try to determine if there's a leak? Or perhaps just refill and see how long it lasts as a first step before going to dealer?

 

Are there any common points of failure, such as connections anywhere along the way, the evaporator, etc? I think I found the refill port while changing the battery; located "conveniently" behind the same rear wheel. :-)

A couple of easy things to check first before you conclude the refrigerant is leaking out.

 

Is the radiator fan on the left side coming on when you have the A/C on? Is the clutch engaging for the compressor? You should hear it clicking on an off.

 

I have heard of wires getting damaged that route to the compressor and causing it not to come on. I have seen corrosion build up in the connectors for the fans cause a fan not to turn on, and I have seen a fan fail and need replacing.

 

If the refrigerant leaked out, a good AC mechanic won't just refill it to see what happens, he would pull a vacuum to see if it holds. If it doesn't hold, then you know there is a leak, and he would find and fix the leak. There are lots of YouTube videos on how to find the leaks using UV dye:

 

You need to make sure the right weight for refrigerant is put in the system, so if you take it to a non-Lambo mechanic, make sure you have that info so they don't have to guess.

 

The other AC port is on the right side underneath the mesh grill near the muffler.