[DeTomaso] Flare fitting question

[Larry - Ohio Time]

Tom,

The vacuum test is a good one, but pulling a leak and pushing a leak, under
pressure, are two different things.

Larry (cool) - Cleveland


-----Original Message-----
From: DeTomaso [mailto:detomaso-bounces at poca.com] On Behalf Of Tom Shinrock
via DeTomaso
Sent: Friday, July 11, 2014 9:57 AM
To: detomaso at poca.com
Subject: [DeTomaso] Flare fitting question



Well my A/C condenser was delivered on Wednesday (thanks again to Ken Green)
and I hooked it up that afternoon.  I had the system charged up with R-12
yesterday.


The shop said the car held vacuum for half a day.   It was 84 deg and sunny
when they charged it and they said they were seeing 29 deg air at the vents.
When I made the short drive home, I was seeing 19 deg air at the vents.  I
was in hog heaven thinking that I've finally cracked the nut on my A/C.

I parked the car and proceeded to wipe off all the dust that had accumulated
on it over the last six weeks I've been waiting to get the condenser.  After
I finished the outside of the car I went to wipe down the engine bay (it's
painted).  I saw some very small droplets of something on the edge of the
fan shroud next to the condenser fitting and when I went to wipe them off I
could hear a faint hissing sound.  I called the shop and informed them of
the sound and they said bring the car back.  

Side note.....My car had an aftermarket condenser on it when I bought it
which had the top fitting coming straight out of the condenser (pointing to
the right side of car).  The prior owner had routed the A/C hoses through
the wheel wells so the hose fitting was made to mate up with the top fitting
coming straight out of the condenser.  

The "OEM" condenser that Classic Condenser Specialists sells has the top
fitting of the condenser turned down.  I didn't have enough hose length to
get to this down turned fitting, so when I had the original condenser (that
leaked) installed, the shop purchased a 90 degree AN connector to get from
the down turned fitting on the condenser to my straight shot hose.

When I got back to the shop (about a ten minute drive) we opened the deck
lid and there was oil all over the AN connector where it connects to the
condenser.  They quickly sucked out the remaining R-12 and proceeded to look
at the AN connector.  At first they thought the connector failed put when
they unscrewed if from the condenser they saw the the condenser fitting had
a flare that was not what they expected to see.  At the end of the flare
there is a shoulder at the end with an O ring behind it.  They wondered why
it wasn't a straight flare.  By the way, the bottom condenser fitting was a
straight flare.

I attached a picture of the flare in question.  Can anybody tell me what
type of connector I need to match this fitting?   I'm going to try and get
CCS to answer the phone and tell me what type of connector I need but they
haven't been answering my calls lately.

I'm still mystified why the system would hold vacuum and not show the leak.
If I can solve my leaking connector problem, I think I'm home free.

Thanks 

Tom
5186