A/C Help Please

[WeGoSHOp]

I have a '94, 3.2 ATX. For about the past month my check engine light would come on intermitently while I ran my A/C, and on occassions it would stop blowing cold air for a few minutes and then start again. I figured I was getting low on freon so I took it in to a shop to have my system checked out.

First, the guy found that I only had about 1 lb of R134 A in the system and he couldnt get my system to power his machine to get readings (all mumbo jumbo to me) "1 lb should be enough for it to get measures", so I had to tell him, to "fill it up to what it should be at, since that is what I came in for anyway, maybe 1 lb isnt enough for this car" because if I know anything, I know that this car is not typical.

So he did and everything is checking out fine. He got a center vent reading at 40 degrees for 10 minutes, found no leaks. All I just needed was a charge. Great!

He starts to button everything up and he comes to the High Side Service Port (up by the battery) to disconnect his machine from it and then we hear hissssssss. It appears that in his disconnecting he has knocked my schrader valve out of the port somehow. He cant get it to seat back in properly, so he has to evacuate the system before we lose it all.

After HIS further research the schrader valve itself is not "replaceable", the entire hose along with the port that the schrader valve sits in all has to be replaced. And this is verified by Ford, he says and he can only get the part from Ford, for $289.00.

Has anyone heard of this??

He is now claiming that he didnt break it, although I was over his shoulder watching, that it must have been corroded or frozen closed and that when he hooked up his machine hoses to it, it loosened it open, so it was already broke, he just didnt know it until he disconnected. I suppose thats plausible. But now he cant corrode or freeze it closed again with my original 1 lb of freon, and I just dont believe that the entire hose and fittings (which are apparently all one piece) have to be replaced to the tune of $289.00, because of a 2.00 schrader valve.
Anyone have a solution?

 

[1993MTXSHO]

Id just buy a used one if you can get it off a car, meanign its not rusted on. Shouldnt cost much becasue I dought people even know there worth that much. Its not like an engine used engine has wear, that valve used if it works it works and you can probably buy 5 used ones before you paid the price of a new one.

 

[SHOtimer]

Anyone have a solution?

Place a WTB ad, or contact the SHO parts guys. You can get a used one that fuctions just fine for not nearly as much as a new one costs. Which will work just fine.

FYI - your CE light has no connection to the AC. I would get that code checked.

Doug

 

[projectSHO89]

The line with the high pressure fitting is available aftermarket. Made by 4 Seasons, part number 55613. Available from RockAuto for $22. You may find this elsewhere with a different name brand but the same part number.

Do not use a used line for this. The line contains the orifice tube that, in a used line, will be in unknown condition. Of course, for about $22 bucks from RockAuto again, you can get a replacement orifice tube and repair kit. That means the battery and tray gets pulled, the AC line gets disconnected at the condensor, cut the aluminum section out of the old lines and reinstall everything with the repair kit in the middle as a splice and use the junkyard line with it's high pressure service connection to the condensor. You'd still better hope the service port on that one is good.

Replacement of this line is not easy. Labor won't be cheap....


Steve

 

[WeGoSHOp]

I guess I just didnt want to believe that the entire highside a/c hose and assembly needed to be replaced just because of a $2.00 shrader valve. I am looking for confirmtion on this. Is this true?