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I am repairing the AC in my 1969 Hurst. The oil return line is broken near the POA valve. It looks like someone tried to repair it with JB weld. Any suggestions on how to repair it? I am considering getting a tube of the same size and putting a new fitting on the POA end of the tube. Connect the new tube and old tube with appropriate fittings under the POA. Much easier than pulling out and replacing the evaporator. What type of fittings are used on the POA end of the tube?? What fitting would be best to join the tubes? What is the specific tube size? I have not measured it yet.
Sorry, I tried to make the pics smaller, but can't figure that out.
If you can remove the damaged line. Take it to an A/C shop and see if they can TIG weld it back together. I have done this on several cars I have owned.
Jay:
The oil return line is 3/16" aluminum tubing, I wonder if you could use a standard plumbing compression union? According to the chassis service manual, the oil return line carries high pressure liquid so I'm not sure a compression fitting could handle the pressure; high side pressure is around 230psi at 90-degree ambient temp. Because the tubing is aluminum, Gary's suggestion is plausible, but you would need to remove the evaporator from the car to make the repair and at that point you may as well just replace it with a new part. Here's a pic of the plumbing compression union, it's rather large and clunky looking but may work.
I'm not sure a compression fitting could handle the pressure; high side pressure is around 230psi at 90-degree ambient temp.
My first real job was at an industrial plant and one vendor demonstrated their compression fittings. They installed the fitting on the two ends of a hydraulic line, then pressurized a line until a failure occurred. I thinkit was over 1,000 psi. The steel hydraulic line burst, and they said that was always the failure point, and never the compression union. I should point out these were not hardware store unions, though.
Last edited by Fun71; September 28th, 2022 at 07:19 PM.
I have used unions like that in the past. I am hoping. I have enough tube on the short end by the POA to make a union work. It is a very award angle to get a connection n the other end. I may just bite the bullet and get a new condenser.
Thanks.
Jay:
Maybe someone has an old evaporator and would send you the oil line so you could splice it in a better location. Check with John (2blu442) he sells parts here all the time. Maybe he can send you tube and the fitting with a little more meat left on the other end to make the splice.
Rodney
Rodney,
No, I did not do the repair. Decided to take the car to a specialty shop and let them repair it. Most likely I will get a new evaporator. I thought about the compression fitting, but decided that if it leaked, I would be back to where I started.
Thanks,
September 27th, 2022, 03:39 PM
