Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting AC Lines has Leaking Gauge Valve-1995 4 cylinder

Needing professional help please.
(HorseyDug Maybe?)


My high pressure gauge valve is leaking.....The Gauge fitting / valve on the passenger side just behind the grill.

Can I just replace that valve and fitting or do I have to get a whole new line? = Big $ I'm sure. I got two new valves /fittings, one has female threads (that's the one the high school kid at auto parts found in their computer) and I got one that has male threads as that appears to be the only thread that would fit in the tubing. (the male thd fitting he had to look up in a book)

Since I still have a little freon in it, is it ok after replacing the valve quickly or do I HAVE to vacuum the system regardless?

Please offer some insights guys. Today is the day I have time to o it.

Thanks

Mine is leaking in the same spot. You can try soem of that freeon stuff at autozone with the stop leak stuff in it or you can put one of thsoe little platic caps that go over it if you dont already have that on their. Mine had one on it the low so i put it on the high end and well now i have ac. Sorry but thats the only thing i can suggest at the moment.

As soon as you remove the valve core, all your existing refrigerant will escape.

Take necessary precautions to avoid freeze-dried eyeballs, fingers, or anything else you plan on keeping by evacuating the system first.

Once opened and repaired, the system should be put under a hard vacuum, then recharged with refrigerant to spec.

Steve

i have a 96 contour, V-6, the underhood wiring must have started to give me troubles as the wires to the high pressure cut off switch were frayed and must have crossed over and it was bypassing the switch so the pressure was just going up, up and away.. one afternoon my daughter came home with the car and told me the AC does not cool any more.. sure enough i go out there and see the high pressure service valve leaking some oil.... (not much, but you could see what looked like enough oil to grease your thumb with...
i also did not know how to take the high pressure valve off or was it also a part of the line(its not part of the line).. went to alot of auto parts places, had to go to the dealer and they had to order it..... i tried just about every wrench and socket i have(i got alot of tools, 30 yrs. of buying them, and could not find anything to fit the high pressure valve without messing it up.. i finally gave up and used a small plumbers pipe wrench as i finally got the valve from the dealer($20) and it came with an O-ring on the end)... i then went to auto zone and bought two cans of
R-134-A for about $6.00 a can and a $19.95 hose with one gauge on it to service the cans of refrigerant as i had only the old R-12 gagues and they dont fit... When i took the hight pressure valve off the R-134 already leaked out.. so there was no high pressure coming out and no more oil leaking out... so i figured i dont have to add any oil...
i put my little finger onto the oily assembly when taking the old valve off and oiled the new valve in the O-ring area. I then used an adjustable open end wrench(crescent wrench) to install the new service valve)..... i then attached the can of refrigerant to the hose and attached the hose... i then started to put some refrigerant into the system via the Low pressure valve side(it by the battery side of the car)... i then pushed on the high pressure valve to relase some refrigerant out so it could blow any air/moisture out of the system. it worked(i have no vacuum pump for a R-134 system, just an old R-12 system that i made from an old refrigerator compressor many years ago...
I put 2 cans of R-134 in the a/c system and that was about 3 months ago and its still cold and no problems...
i seperated the wires that were hitting on the high pressure cut off switch and used some Liquid Tape to coat them.... I had to hold the hose/pipe on the high pressure side with one had and use the pipe wrench with the other hand as i was afraid that it looked like it would take the pipe with it and ruin the rest of the assembly, If you have a friend with you have them hold the pipe area with two hands so it does not move and then you can put some pressure on the valve to get it undone....i think i took about 10 lbs of pressure(Torque to get it to move at the very most).. i was afraid i was gonna have to replace the whole hose at first, just take your time and think it out..
the New valve you got might not be the correct one... the corner parts places are selling the add on valves that you put on an old R 12 system and it screws right on the old R-12 valve... if this is what you have bring it back.. the one i got from the dealer had male threads(it goes into the fitting on the hose).......
if you need any more help.. give me your email and i will see if i can find the old valve and take a pic. with the dig. camera and send it to you...
hope this helps.

also forgot to say, dont use the stop leak stuff.. it will not work on the valve.. the high pressure valve is suppose to blow so the system does not blow.. i read this either in the ford CD or some place, but i checked the old valve and you could see where the metal piece inside it moved to allow the freon to come out.. i guess its alot cheaper to replace a valve than the replace either a hose or coil. so it was a good design.....

After talking to my friend that is a mechanic and AC certified out the WAZOO for advice. I put the new fitting / valve on yesterday that I got at Hi/Lo O'Reilley Auto Parts for $9.xx. It took less than 60 seconds to remove the old one and replace it. My friend said it is not neccessary to vacuum the system (available vacuum pump is about 50 miles from my house)since it has not absorbed any moisture as it was still holding pressure / freon prior to valve / fitting removal. 2 cans of R134 and I have 41(F) degree vent output with ambient temp @apporximately 90 degrees(F). Could be a little colder yet but see below.

It was an absolute sinch job but I do have about 25 yrs experience back yard wrenching ACs, Auto and Home.

Now to replace my compressor soon as it has a bearing failing for about 5,000 miles now.