Auto air conditinoing hose replacement

[Richard]

Wife has 1992 Volvo. A/C not blowing cold air. Dealer says "High pressure and low pressure" hoses leaking. Also said there was a third leak, I THINK said at/near compressor but I do not recall. (he did NOT say compressor was bad)

$1,250 to fix these.

Is it me, or does that seem extra horrific?
Picked up car and told wife we'll figure something out (like I guess I'll end up with it /w3tcompact/icons/sad.gif )

Anway..I can't fathom that there is any rocket science or special tools to replace these hoses... Any issues with that? I'm certainly mechanical enough, seems that with proper wrench (if any special ones at all) I should be easlily able to replace hoses then have dealer "fill er up" with which ever version of freon it uses and be out WAY less than $1,250. If these two hoses are the most of what it needs, just how easy is it to do that?

Any special precautions?
Any easy way to ascertain which is high verses low pressure?
Any (typically) special tools?
Am I a fool for thinking this way? (yes opinions won't offend me)

Thanks
Richard

 

[MJB]

That price does sound awful high if it is just the hoses that are bad. First thing to check is which refrigerant is in it. There should be a tag on the compressor or on the suction line (bigger line going to compressor) near where it comes out of the firewall. If the refrigerant in R-134a, that is good. If it says R-12, not so good. To work on R-12, or any other CFC or HCFC refrigerant systems, legally you need to be an ASE certified refrigerant handling technician. R-12 is also way, way, way, WAY more expensive to buy than R-134a. You don't need any certification to buy or handle R-134a since it is not an ozone-depleting chemical. Lets assume it is R-134a. Next thing to check is how the hoses are connected. Many systems use standard O-ring, or possibly flare type fittings, that you can loosen or tighten with a wrench. I am not familiar with Volvos so they might have some other kind of oddball setup that requires special tools. Lets assume it has standard O-ring style fittings. Next you might want to go to your local auto parts store just to price out the hoses. If the price is reasonable, and you are sure that the hoses are the only leaking parts, you are in business. If there is any refrigerant still in the system you should take it to someone with a reclaimer to remove what is left. Next you can replace the hoses. You should just need a couple of fitting wrenches. Regular open-end wrenches, or even crescent wrenches, will normally work too, but you take a bigger chance at rounding off the corners of the nuts on the aluminum lines. The smaller diameter hose will always be the high-pressure hose. Once the hoses are replaced you will have to take it to someone who has the necessary tools to leak check, evacuate, and recharge the refrigerant. See... nothing to it./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif Hope this helps./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[bgott]

If you've never messed with A/C before you might be biting off more than you can chew. The dealer might be a little high, try an independent. www.iatn.net is a website for proffessionals but they have a customer site where you can find members in your area. A '92 model should still be R12 so you should have it converted to R134A due to cost. Some conversions don't cool worth a hoot due to the system design. There are dangers involved with opening an A/C system. The refrigerant will instantly freeze anything it comes in contact with as it escapes the system, that includes your skin and eyeballs. Get another estimate and if you still want to get into this, holler back. Maybe you can swap some tractor work for the repairs!

 

[chim]

Wifey's favorite car is her '86 Volvo wagon. It still looks like new, and has 70,000 miles on it. The one thing we have had problems with is the AC. It has been chronic, and for the last few years hasn't worked at all. I remember her saying that in the Consumer Reports info, the Volvo had a full black mark for the AC. Ours fits that profile. The heater will singe your nosehair though. I guess that's what happens when you get a car from a cold country. Wifey just can't bring herself to spend the money to get it fixed, and I don't ever drive the thing, so I don't care. I figure if the Volvo gets too uncomfy she can pull the Olds (with 956 miles on it) out of the garage.

I have to admit to not following proper procedures when installing AC. About 8 years ago I removed a complete system from one '90 Chevy P/U and transplanted it in another. I ripped it out of a wrecked truck starting around 9:00AM, and had it blowing cold by late afternoon. One connection looked like it was missing something, so a leftover bathroom faucet O-ring was placed into service. I filled it with a few of those DIY cans, and it worked trouble-free. The truck, with 215,000 miles on it was replaced in 2000. Finally about a year after that, the guy told me the engine lost compression in one of the cylinders, but the AC was still OK..............chim