I'm having some service done here in Tucson (oil and filter change) and asked them to check my dash air. We had it charged last year, but it is again blowing only slightly cooled air. They called to say that both lines to the front had to be removed, fabricated and replaced ($$$$ I'm sure). Question, is there a way to replace just part of the line at hopefully lesser cost?
George
George, Why do they want to change the lines ? Do they leak at the end fittings ? Do they have leaks down their length ?
I SUSPECT that this may be an easy way ( and expensive ) of fixing something that may not be broke.
If they have leaks at the end fittings new ones can be added after cutting off leaking fittings and installing new ones with a portable crimping tool.
Gary B
That depends what the problem is. There are portable crimpers that can be used to install new fittings onto the hose unless there is something wrong with the hoses. Also they may be afraid if they attempt this type of repair it mightr fail and then they would have to replace the hoses on them, so likely trying to cover their behinds.
After not having years of dash air leaks, we finally found a leaking fitting. It took a repair shop that knew about hydraulic hose fitting. They had the correct fittings AND a portable hydraulic tool to attach fittings that don't leak. We are now running 38 degree cold about 5 years with same R134A. I know of no reason to replace the whole length of hose. We had several repairs that did not find the problem and this may be another on attempt to try to fix it.
The thing that found our leaks was florescent green dye added to R134A and at night we took an inexpensive black light and we looked around the engine area and dash area. The dye lasted for years and after replacing short hoses, high & low pressure switches and finally a hose fitting in the engine compartment.
A leaking hose can be spliced with the compressed fittings I mentioned above.
During the years of leaking fittings we added a can or two of R134A ourselves, when cooling did not do the job.
Thanks guys! I suspected it could be fixed without replacing the lines so I told them not to do anything. I'll check into the problem and let you know what I find. The guy that put in the Freon last year added a vial or two of dye so it should be easy to find any leaks.
George
My leak was in the hose to the condenser fan.
Our line from the compressor to the condensor coil was also leaking. I did not have access to the portable tool as I had retired from where I worked, so removed the line and took it to an ac shop and had a new line made up, and after 1 year still good
Yup I had a whole new line installed too.
I ordered a UV blacklight and yellow glasses to assess any dye leaking from the Freon. Should be interesting.
George
George, you can use that black light to go Scorpion hunting at night.
Also useful to check carpeting for pet "on purposes". The black light is a true multitasker!
We all expect photos of you with your glasses and UV light! I probably would not want to look at the hotel bedspread with those! Ugh! And i live in a hotel every week! Yuck!
Someday I will be finished with the gorilla that worked on this coach before we bought it. The dash air has not worked well since we have had the coach. That was one of the things I thought I would get remedied here in Mecca. Seems some dummy installed what was a new air conditioning compressor on this rig did not bother installing the O ring at the compressor and hose connection, just yanked down on the fitting until the leak was very small. In doing this the idiot broke the threads on the compressor such that the fitting and compressor are unusable. SO instead of just having a new O ring installed I need a new compressor. >:D The vacuum here in Mecca is really sucking the $$$$$ out of my wallet. :-[
Roland
You
definitely don't want to take that black light to the hotel... and probably don't want to watch "Hotel Impossible" (Robert J. Elisberg: Hotel Impossible Does the Possible (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-j-elisberg/hotel-impossible-does-the_b_2566904.html)) either! :o Although, that program is a bit like watching a train wreck... you just can't look away! :P
I too had dash a/c problems for years. I finally took the coach to a real repair shop here in Cincinnati (RJR Radiator). Replaced the expansion valve. Runs great now. I suggest running the a/c every 30 days for an hour at the same time the coach gets its monthly workout.
I ordered and received my black light and yellow glasses. I've checked out the dash AC connections near the engine and have found no leaks. One of the Freon port caps had some of the florescent dye on it and it glows brightly in the UV from the black light. But everything else looks good. Question... how do I get to the front AC connections so I can check there? Thanks in advance.
George
Glad to see your coach is working as designed. :))
George, we see the dash evaporator connections on our coach by looking in from front large circuit breaker panel area. Our connections are near the floor looking in toward the center of dash.
R124a test gauge connections near the compressor have a valve stem core similar to tire valves and they could leak and are replaceable, but gas will leak out. Also the two switches on the air lines also have the same valve core stems, so unscrewing the switches will not lose gas, but any of these cores could leak.
Roland, I hope you get lucky like I did. My 93 had a $340 compressor rather than the $800 one that many of the newer coaches have.
Nope, no luck here. Mecca had a compressor for a bit over $300, and one for a bit over $600. I give ya three guesses which one fit my configuration....and the first two guesses don't count. And it took them entire day to get the system working correctly. But the dash air is working and we are happy.
Roland