Dissected my old AC lines

[ronman]

These are the factory hoses/lines off my early '01 3500, with 240K on the clock. 

 

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Side by side of the valves; field-replaceable low-side on the left, non-serviceable high-side on the right.

 

 

 

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High-side valve in detail. Note the seam where the valve assembly is pressed into the bung on the line.

 

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High-side part number. I assume the AA revision has something to do with the integral orifice valve, but I have nothing to substantiate that. 

 

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The aluminum tube section containing the orifice valve (behind the pass. side battery) is wrapped in a thick rubbery mastic and then covered in aluminum tape. There are three deep dimples in the hose to retain the orifice in place. 

 

 

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The orifice is not serviceable; the line must be cut to remove it. It is installed at the factory before the individual sections of the line are soldered together.

 

The retention dimples are clearly visible here. 

 

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My factory orifice was a pretty decent shape, considering its age. The nylon screen was worn at the outlet. 

 

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"T&L" stamped into the lower part of the high-side valve. 

 

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The amount of thickness in the valve body itself is quite substantial.

Edited July 14, 2015 by ronman

[ronman]

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Another detail showing the Acme fitting and the seam where the valve is pressed into the bung.

 

 

 

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This is the bottom of the high-side valve in the closed position. The star-shaped clip positions the end of the needle inside the barrel.

 

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The high side valve exposed.

 

 

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The valve depressed; you can partly make out the the bonded o-ring that seals the top of the valve against the body. 

 

 

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The green HNBR o-ring seals the valve body to the bung.

 

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Cutaway of the high-pressure valve.

 

Edited July 14, 2015 by ronman

[ronman]

 

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The high-pressure valve with damaged bonded o-ring clearly visible. 

 

 

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The low-side Schrader valve with some contaminants and UV dye visible

 

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Low-side valve removed. Note that this is not the OEM valve, I replaced the valve core with one from Autozone in 2011.

 

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Low-side valve closed.

 

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Low-side valve open.

 

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Detail showing the conical shape of the low-side valve.

 

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Valves side by side.

 

Edited July 14, 2015 by ronman

[ronman]

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The very much non-removable high-pressure valve and the field-replaceable low-pressure valve with removal tool.

 

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The low and high pressure hoses are 1/2" OD aluminum tube. The ends (that the spring-lock connectors engage) are extruded from this material.

 

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~.055 wall thickness

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 14, 2015 by ronman

[ronman]

 

 

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The thread on the Schrader valve appears to be M5x0.5

 

 

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Springlock connector disassembled.

 

Edited July 14, 2015 by ronman

[Mopar1973Man]

LOL... You had fun.

[ronman]

The angle grinder is good stress relief. 

[flagmanruss]

My orifice is plugged...  My AC orifice is plugged...  I had it in, the AC guy said it was fully charged but plugged.  He evacuated it & put it back several times...  Had me behind the wheel to run it...  It lasted a day.  He wasn't equipped to replace it.

I want to get it fixed but don't know how to find the best shop for this job.  (I've found a couple who declined it.)     

[Mopar1973Man]

OMG?!?! Not equipped to handle it? All you do is change the high side pipe. It would take me less than 1/2 hour to do.

 

http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx/A-C-Orifice-Tube/_/R-TEM282530_0191915605

[flagmanruss]

I'll be right over, LOL!

[Mopar1973Man]

I'll be right over, LOL!

 

I wish I could magically beam over there and do it. I would even go the extra step stop at a Home Depot grab foam pipe insulation and cover the hi side pipe with foam to guard it from the BHAF too. Not to mention the clips for the high side pipe tend to be flaky so you end up using zip ties to hold it in place again.

 

@Ronman I should get the replacement spring for the locking collar and show you replacement ones.

 

Here is a hi side fitting for R12 to R134a conversions.

 

Then my little bag of tricks...

 

[ronman]

I have a similar bag (actually an old brake pad box) of tricks... Bunch of replacement caps, bonded orings, regular orings, valve cores, and I'm not sure what else is in there. Probably a small refrigeration thermometer, unless somebody has moved it.

Last 134a conversion I did was on my dad's 85 Ramcharger, that's gotta be 10 years ago now.

[flagmanruss]

I just figured to levitate the truck to Idaho...