PILOT REPORTS ABOUT THE DIFFICULTIES TRYING TO GET ADEQUATE MAINT TROUBLESHOOTING TO ADDRESS A CONTINUING LEAK OF THE YELLOW HYD SYSTEM OF AN A320. FLUID CONTINUED TO APPEAR ON LOWER FUSELAGE.

Narrative

ON WALKAROUND PRIOR TO DEP; I NOTICED HYD FLUID UNDERNEATH ACFT. I SUSPECTED A POSSIBLE LEAK. I CONTACTED MAINT CTL AND THEY DISPATCHED LCL MAINT. I INFORMED HIM WHAT I OBSERVED AND HE SAID HE WOULD CHK IT OUT. I LEFT AND THEN RETURNED IN ABOUT 10 MINS. I OBSERVED WHAT APPEARED TO BE A GATE AGENT OPERATING THE COCKPIT CTLS AND SITTING IN THE CAPT'S SEAT; WORKING WITH THE CONTRACT MAINT. I ASKED THE CONTRACT MAINT IF THIS WAS LEGAL PER FAR'S AND PROPER PROC. HE STATED HE WAS ALONE AND IT WAS HIS AND THE STATION'S DECISION. I LEFT CONTACTING MY MGMNT PERSONNEL TO DETERMINE IF I COULD ACCEPT THIS ACFT. THE ACFT WAS GNDED AND I RETURNED THE NEXT DAY TO FERRY THE SAME ACFT TO ZZZ1 AFTER ACR MAINT CAME TO ZZZ2 AND PERFORMED THE MAINT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 804095: INCIDENT FROM ZZZ2 MECHANICAL HYD LEAK. NOTICED YELLOW SYS GETTING LOWER (NOT QUICKLY). ARRIVED LATE ZZZ2; ACFT APPEARED TO STILL HAVE HYD LEAKING; FLUID UNDER BELLY; YELLOW SYS AT BOTTOM REFILL LINE. CONTRACT MAINT SHOWED UP; APU RUNNING; INFORMED HIM OF PROB. HE ASKED ME TO RUN CTLS -- REFUSED FOR SAFETY. STATION CUSTOMER SERVICE REP SUPVR SHOWED UP IN COCKPIT IN THREATENING MANNER AND YELLING 'TURN OFF APU' (DID NOT IDENT HIMSELF). I INFORMED HIM OF QUICK TURNAROUND TIME AND MIGHT NEED FOR MAINT AND THEN TOLD HIM HE NEED TO LEAVE; INTERFERING WITH CREW. FOUND WHAT I BELIEVE WAS GATE AGENT SITTING IN MY SEAT WORKING WITH MAINT. ASKED; 'ARE YOU QUALIFIED TO DO THIS?' HE STATED; 'NO.' I LEFT AND STARTED CALLING CHIEF PLT AND FLT DUTY MGR AND INFORMED HIM OF WHAT WAS TAKING PLACE. I REFUSED THE ACFT FEELING IMPROPER MAINT PERFORMED; PLUS MECH SAID HE FOUND NOTHING WRONG; POSSIBLY NUT LOOSE; AND HE WAS SIGNING IT OFF. 20 MINS LATER THE SAME MECH; ALONG WITH A RAMP PERSONNEL THIS TIME; WAS REDOING ALL THE CHKS AND PROCS. BUT IN MY OPINION; MAINT WAS NOT PERFORMED PROPERLY. I INFORMED THE MECH I'M REFUSING THE ACFT UNDER THE FARS. A LITTLE WHILE LATER I WENT TO ACFT TO RETRIEVE MY GEAR AND SAW A MESSAGE ON ACARS STATING FOR THE CAPT TO REMOVE HIMSELF FROM ACFT THAT THEY WERE NO LONGER GOING TO WORK PROB UNTIL I WAS REMOVED. THE FLT DUTY MGR THEN CALLED ME IN ABOUT 45 MINS AND STATED THAT ACFT WAS SIGNED OFF AND GOOD; BUT JUST FOR SAFETY THEY (MAINT ZZZ) WERE GOING TO PULL IT OTS WHEN I FLEW IT BACK TO ZZZ1. I TOLD THE FLT DUTY MGR I STILL REFUSE ACFT. HAD CALL FINALLY FROM THE PLT IN ZZZ1. WE TALKED; HE STATED MAINT FROM ZZZ3 WAS COMING DOWN TO FIX THE ACFT. THE FLT DUTY MGR SHOWED UP NEXT DAY TO FERRY ACFT TO ZZZ1. ACFT STILL APPEARED LEAKING. WORKED WITH ZZZ3 MECHS (WHO WERE PUZZLED BY LEAK) FOR APPROX 3 HRS. I TOOK THE ACFT AND FERRIED IT TO ZZZ1. UPON LNDG; YELLOW SYS WAS LOW AGAIN AND YELLOW LEAKING HYD FLUID FRESH UNDER BELLY. CONFIRMED ADDITIONAL LEAK BY MAINT MGR WHO SHOWED UP AND TALKED WITH ME ABOUT MAINT PROCS. THIS ACFT WAS RELEASED BY MAINT IN ZZZ3 INFORMING ME IT WAS RESIDUAL HYD FLUID FROM EARLIER MAINT PERFORMED THE DAY BEFORE.