A/C pressure leak (update)

[Gordy_Schesel at allianzlife.com]

This is an update on 2 years of a/c work (appearing to be shoddy auto
repair in my opinion); performed by Auto Edge , Ltd. of 900 Wildwood Rd,
Mahtomedi MN 55115-1848, telephone 651-777-6927, at www.auto-edge.com.

The a/c recharge lasted two days!  My heretofore, trusted auto service
garage charged me $119 for 1.6 ounces of R134a Freon and 1 hour of labor to
do the recharge, and will not stand behind the job.  I complained, the
owner said take it some place else and get it fixed.  Long story
short...this appears to be the new scam of auto repair shops; if it is not
R12 and therefore not endangering the environment, they do not legally have
to look for and fix leaks when doing a recharge.  This means they can
provide the same service to the same customer year after year...
I've since discovered the shop is not a member of the BBB, for whatever
that is worth.  I plan to register a complaint with them (the BBB) anyway.
It could help others from getting fleeced.



                    Gordy Schesel
                                         To:     200q20v
                    06/23/2003           cc:     Gordy Schesel/allianzlife at AZLIFE
                    02:52 PM             Subject:     A/C pressure leak





One of my two '91s, the 100,  had a bad A/C compressor two summers ago.  I
had it replaced with a rebuilt Audi compressor and then had the conversion
to R134a done at the same time.  Two things I am unhappy about.

One, the compressor has a loud annoying howl when under load (the vehicle
is in motion, the temp is 80ish or more, and the compressor kicks in).  The
howl lasts until the clutch deactivates the compressor, or whatever makes
the compressor stop working.  I'm telling my local  mechanic, who is not
Audi affiliated,  that this is not normal.  He contends that it is.

The second thing, is that the system won't hold pressure from summer to
summer.  This week, it is back in his shop getting recharged.  The system
has had green dye in it since the conversion.  I have a hard time believing
a pressure leak is so hard to detect, especially with green dye.  And I
have a hard time believing the compressor howl is an acceptable system
noise.

Am I expecting too much of my shop mechanics?  Are they being straight with
me?

Thanks for any similar anecdotes.

gordy in saint paul
'91 200 20v tqa, 106k miles (still R12 and OK)
'91 100 quattro, 196k miles (R134a)