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Need HELP Identifying this part..

shaunkite

Active Member
Messages
28
Location
Las Vegas
I have been having an ongoing issue with a small Freon leak since I bought my truck. The leak was coming from the aluminum tube coming off the A/C expansion valve under the front right tire. When I ordered a new part to change it, a completely different looking hose showed up. While the new hose would attach, the external fittings going to the compressor, air dryer, etc...were all different. After checking numerous times, the part number was correct. After looking over my truck closely, it appears as if my A/C setup is either a one-off/prototype system, or something else is going on. Dave @ Blue Hummer said he went through every parts manual available and could not locate a hose that looked like mine.

After bringing the original hose around to numerous fabrication shops in town, nobody would fix it. If it needed to be TIG'd then it wouldn't be an issue..but it was brazed which nobody wanted to mess with. Soooo.. I JB welded around the entire tube, which worked for about a month. Alas, it started leaking again from the same area a few days ago. I can't tell if the JB weld failed, or if something else is going on with the hose.


Before I take the new/different one that I ordered down to a hose shop and bastardize it to maybe work, I would like your guys' help. One of the big differences with the hose that I ordered is that it has a 90' fitting on the end that goes to the compressor manifold. From what I've seen online, this is consistent with traditional compressor manifolds.


For reference, I've attached three pictures below to show what I'm talking about. The first shows the manifold on 96'99 models, the second picture showing the manifold on a 2000 truck, and the 3rd showing whats on my truck..(a 97') You can see that mine is a straight fitting and the manifold looks very different from the other two. This would explain the major difference in expansion valves.


Can everyone PLEASE take a second to look at yours, and see if you have the same setup as me? If so, please let me know your truck's year and model. Also, please take a picture of the expansion valve itself. I am trying to determine if my setup is some one-off prototype thing that was made, or what the deal is? It should be noted the folks at Tustin did work to the A/C prior to me buying the truck.


Thanks in advance!
 

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3Hummers

Super Moderator
Staff member
Messages
10,398
Location
Central Texas
Call Mike Saberrese at Tustin GMC. He is the most knowledgable Hummer mechanic in the country and has worked on that truck for about 10 years.
 

shaunkite

Active Member
Messages
28
Location
Las Vegas
Call Mike Saberrese at Tustin GMC. He is the most knowledgable Hummer mechanic in the country and has worked on that truck for about 10 years.

I left a message on his voicemail, and am waiting for him to call me back. Considering Tustin was the one who installed all these parts, they have been less than helpful so far.
 

Mb30sdl

Hamster that pokes Bears
Messages
1,586
Location
Irvine,ca
3 completely different pics.
first one is low side(suction) hose ( bigger) = blue cap
second is a high side (pressure) hose (smaller) = red cap
third is a low side again

basically u need low (suction or gas) side hose or high side (pressure/liquid)
 

shaunkite

Active Member
Messages
28
Location
Las Vegas
3 completely different pics.
first one is low side(suction) hose ( bigger) = blue cap
second is a high side (pressure) hose (smaller) = red cap
third is a low side again

basically u need low (suction or gas) side hose or high side (pressure/liquid)

I'm aware they are three different pictures, as I noted in the original post. I was showing the difference between the manifold styles, but yes, they are taken at different angles. Either way, I learned that my truck was equipped with a discontinued AM General retrofit kit. In other words; I'm screwed.
 

JPaul

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,400
Location
Way up north, UT
It kind of looks to me like the pump itself is basically the same between those three pics. If that is true then could you simply replace the entire hose assembly? Both the high and low pressure hoses and the part the bolts onto the top of the pump? It might be pricey but at least then you'd have a semi-stock setup in case you need to replace another hose way down the road. I just have no idea if the connections at the condenser and evaporator will be different as well, but maybe you'll get lucky.

Alternatively, have you checked with any HVAC places, particularly commercial/industrial shops? They might be up for re-brazing the hose for you or could help you find someone that can do it. Or they might be able to rebuild the hose. You mentioned fab shops but not sure if they were specifically HVAC/industrial hose shops or auto fabricators.
 

shaunkite

Active Member
Messages
28
Location
Las Vegas
It kind of looks to me like the pump itself is basically the same between those three pics. If that is true then could you simply replace the entire hose assembly? Both the high and low pressure hoses and the part the bolts onto the top of the pump? It might be pricey but at least then you'd have a semi-stock setup in case you need to replace another hose way down the road. I just have no idea if the connections at the condenser and evaporator will be different as well, but maybe you'll get lucky.

Alternatively, have you checked with any HVAC places, particularly commercial/industrial shops? They might be up for re-brazing the hose for you or could help you find someone that can do it. Or they might be able to rebuild the hose. You mentioned fab shops but not sure if they were specifically HVAC/industrial hose shops or auto fabricators.

Replacing the manifold on top of the compressor would only solve one problem, which is the line from the expansion valve to the compressor. The other lines off the block would still all be different. I took it to multiple HVAC, radiator repair, and industrial shops. Nobody wanted to mess with it. There is a hose company that I haven't tried yet which everyone says can make some magic happen, but going back to a factory setup almost seems like a better idea. Ideally, I can find someone that still has this retrofit kit in stock. I'm still waiting on a call back from Tustin..if they installed it a year and a half ago, they might still have more kits on their shelves.
 

Mb30sdl

Hamster that pokes Bears
Messages
1,586
Location
Irvine,ca
I fail to see a problem, any hydrolic hose shop can make this connection or any adapter connection in couple of hours.
 

4speedfunk

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,212
Location
Tardville
Sorry but I don't get it. Take it off and go get a new one made just like it. There are at least six shops within an hour of me that can do this.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

shaunkite

Active Member
Messages
28
Location
Las Vegas
Again, it's not about this connection. Swapping hoses is not the issue. It's the aluminum block difference that this hose attaches to is very different. In the picture here, you can see the current block thats on my truck on the right. The long hose coming off it goes to the air dryer. The only other attachment on my block is the large threaded piece on the side (pictured) which screws to a T-fitting, that goes to the compressor, condenser, etc..if you look at the new block I ordered from Dave@Blue Hummer, the attached hoses that comes off it goes to the compressor and air dryer (air dryer hose isn't even long enough to reach it). The other two hard lines are different fittings than what's on my truck. I hope that makes sense, it's hard to describe over the web.

Either way, I put in the new gasket between the expansion valve and the block, JB Welded the tube, and filled it back up. Started slow leaking from between the blocks almost immediately (you can see the refrigerant bubbling out of the bottom).

Doesn't look like it's coming from the tube, which makes me begin to question if it ever actually was. I've replaced the gasket every time the blocks have been removed.. sooo... I have no idea what is going on now. Both surfaces of each block is clean and without debris. Bad expansion valve?


I like to think of myself as a resilient person, but I am painfully close to to giving up here.

EDIT: Website isn't letting me upload photos. I'll try again later.
 
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