Hi I recently had a coolant leak. Is the AC compressor what sits in front of the radiator and also has fins? Does coolant pass through the AC Compressor and if so, is there any way to bypass it because I'm not using the AC at all. Thanks.

 

The AC compressor is belt driven by the accessory belt. It compresses freon which super cools it and sends the freon inside the truck to the AC Condenser that has the fan blowing though it to cool you truck. The freon then travels from the condenser to the drier and goes on to the expansion valve. That is the high pressure side. Once it goes through the expansion valve it becomes low pressure side then travels to the evaporator core that is in front of you radiator.

If you have a leak and have lost the AC it will also affect you defroster. It will be cheaper to fix it sooner rather than latter.

 

Okay, thank you but I don't care about using the AC at all. I'm just wondering if that system and the cooling system for the engine are interlinked at all?

 

Small correction the evap core is in your dash the condenser is what is in front of the radiator. There is refrigerant in the ac system try not to open the ac system unless you have no choice. First of all if you get caught letting refrigerant in to the atmosphere the fine is astronomical. But the more noticeable issue is that moisture greatly reduces ac performance if it is in the system so if you want really cold ac you need special vacuum pumps to evacuate all the air and moisture from the system before you change it.