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Is o ring need for Evaporator inlet tube to accumulator

1998-gmc-jimmy71 on Sat June 02, 2012 12:17 AM User is offline

Year: 1998
Make: GMC
Model: Jimmy
Engine Size: 4.3
Refrigerant Type: r134a

Hello, I just replaced components of my A/C system except evaporator. When took vehicle in for evacuate and recharge. He told me I had a leak on compressor hose assembly;(which there after i put o ring on fittings). There was also a leak around evaporator to accumulator. I still think I have a problem here. There was not a o ring on side of accumulator from evaporator when original accumulator was removed. When I put in some can Freon. I can hear air for few seconds after i take off can like it is coming out. The screw nut that is on tube off inlet of evaporator that goes into accumulator did not have o ring. It took awhile to get off and I had to lubricate it with WD40. Now is slides a little back and forth. Is this normal for a evaporator inlet screw nut on tube that goes into accumulator? Thanks in advance.






Edited: Sat June 02, 2012 at 12:23 AM by 1998-gmc-jimmy71

GM Tech on Sat June 02, 2012 8:07 AM User is offline

Aways, always there is an o-ring - never is there a metal to metal seal in mobile a/c. Your old o-ring (OEM) was there- it just got sucked in to accumulator after system was evacuated-- been there, done that! Oh BTW your hose assembly uses sealing washers at compressors-- if you put o-rings in there, get them out! That Jimmy (S/T -vehicle uses slimline sealing washers- not the standard ones.

A snug fitg is usual- no wiggle or wobble-- you're lucky to get that apart-- galvanic corrosion has shown its ugly head-- That is why I don't change accumulators- if system has not been opened.

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The number one A/C diagnostic tool there is- is to know how much refrigerant is in the system- this can only be done by recovering and weighing the refrigerant!!
Just a thought.... 65% of A/C failures in my 3200 car diagnostic database (GM vehicles) are due to loss of refrigerant due to a leak......

1998-gmc-jimmy71 on Sat June 02, 2012 9:38 AM User is offline

The compressor, accumulator, and hose assembly are new. Hose assembly have black o rings on them already so i used them along with metal rubber o rings on compressor because it cost of $150 before without use them. Firestone told me I have a leak in that area and at evaporator to accumulator area. Thanks. The metal rubber o rings in pic I have included is what was used for compressor along with rubber green o ring on evaporator to accumulator. I appreciate if you let me know if they work or can you send me in right direction for right o rings seals. Thanks.


P.S. picture of silver evaporator is goggled picture and not minds. I used it to illustrate screw area movement when i took off accumulator and want to find out if that was normal since minds does same thing.

Edited: Sat June 02, 2012 at 9:52 AM by 1998-gmc-jimmy71

GM Tech on Sat June 02, 2012 9:49 AM User is offline

The compressor ports use ONLY the two sealing washers (metal o-rings as you call them) in the photo- the green and red sealing washers are not used- they are for retrofitting from R-12- you are already using 134a from the factory. The large green o-ring goes in the accumulator connection- you are missing another large green o-ring for the accum to evap connection

-------------------------
The number one A/C diagnostic tool there is- is to know how much refrigerant is in the system- this can only be done by recovering and weighing the refrigerant!!
Just a thought.... 65% of A/C failures in my 3200 car diagnostic database (GM vehicles) are due to loss of refrigerant due to a leak......

1998-gmc-jimmy71 on Sat June 02, 2012 10:18 AM User is offline

So the metal washers with rubber in middle in picture is what is used for compressor. If so, that is what i put on there. As for evaporator, I put green o ring on tube of evaporator but not in accumulator opening or does that matter?

GM Tech on Sat June 02, 2012 11:02 AM User is offline

One green o-ring on accum to compressor hose and one green o-ring on accum to evap - both mount on male ends- use mineral oil when assembling...

-------------------------
The number one A/C diagnostic tool there is- is to know how much refrigerant is in the system- this can only be done by recovering and weighing the refrigerant!!
Just a thought.... 65% of A/C failures in my 3200 car diagnostic database (GM vehicles) are due to loss of refrigerant due to a leak......

1998-gmc-jimmy71 on Sat June 02, 2012 11:08 AM User is offline

I believe i still have a leak around evaporate into accumulator. I did not use mineral oil. Is there a certain type of mineral oil or just mineral oil. Thus compressor hose assembly had black o rings already on them am I suppose to add green ones too?

GM Tech on Sat June 02, 2012 1:32 PM User is offline

never use two o-rings

-------------------------
The number one A/C diagnostic tool there is- is to know how much refrigerant is in the system- this can only be done by recovering and weighing the refrigerant!!
Just a thought.... 65% of A/C failures in my 3200 car diagnostic database (GM vehicles) are due to loss of refrigerant due to a leak......

1998-gmc-jimmy71 on Sat June 02, 2012 2:03 PM User is offline

There is no refrigerant now. I had just recently put on gauge and vacuum to take out moisture. I notice that low port rose slightly above zero after the vac. So likely that is a leak right?

mk378 on Sat June 02, 2012 3:17 PM User is offline

Vacuum should hold steady at -29 after you close both manifold wheels and (optionally) turn the pump off. If the gauge moves up toward zero there is a leak. What GM Tech said above is that if the nut is not all the way tight, the o-ring can get sucked off the end of the tube and into the accumulator, so it then appears there was no o-ring when you take it apart.

Edited: Sat June 02, 2012 at 3:19 PM by mk378

1998-gmc-jimmy71 on Sat June 02, 2012 5:21 PM User is offline

I will go back and check my connection and put mineral oil on o ring. Is mineral oil compatible with pag oil that may be on o ring?

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