General Maintenance & Repairs Leaks | Squeaks | Clunks | Rattles | Grinds
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by: CARiD

How to flush an a/c system?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jun 19, 2009 | 05:52 PM
  #1  
fortmyerspolice's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Resident
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 908
Likes: 0
From: Fort Myers FL
Default How to flush an a/c system?

I just ordered a new line, accumulator/drier, and orifice tube for my a/c system. It's already been evacuated for a couple weeks now. What do I need to flush the system and how? Originally my line on the bottom of the car blew, so I finally bit the bullet and bought a new one.
Reply
Old Jun 19, 2009 | 05:59 PM
  #2  
LS6427's Avatar
Banned
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 11,289
Likes: 13
From: South Florida
Default

That brass thing didn't hold?
Reply
Old Jun 19, 2009 | 06:02 PM
  #3  
LS6427's Avatar
Banned
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 11,289
Likes: 13
From: South Florida
Default

I eneded up getting a pin hole in almost the exact same place, just closer to the coupler. So I had to take my dremel and cut half of that coupler off, razor knife the bad part of the hose off and slip it on and clamp it. Its been holding since yesterday so far.

My system was fully opened but just where these lines were off, I bought a 3 oz can of oil and put it in first, then 2 cans of 134a with oil in it. Its blowing ice cold.

You should definitely get the system vacuumed down because you have the entire system basically wide open. A place near me charges $15 to vacuum a system, so I'm assuming thats the general cost. Put everything together and go get it vacuumed and charged.
Reply
Old Jun 19, 2009 | 06:04 PM
  #4  
fortmyerspolice's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Resident
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 908
Likes: 0
From: Fort Myers FL
Default

Naw, nothing held. I wasted like 6 cans of refrigerant trying to fix it (ozone hates me). So I should put everything on first and then get it vacuumed and charged?
Reply
Old Jun 19, 2009 | 06:06 PM
  #5  
LS6427's Avatar
Banned
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 11,289
Likes: 13
From: South Florida
Default

Here's what I did yesterday: I just really don't want to change that line.

Cuts with the dremel:










Reply
Old Jun 19, 2009 | 06:08 PM
  #6  
LS6427's Avatar
Banned
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 11,289
Likes: 13
From: South Florida
Default

Originally Posted by fortmyerspolice
Naw, nothing held. I wasted like 6 cans of refrigerant trying to fix it (ozone hates me). So I should put everything on first and then get it vacuumed and charged?
Thats what I would do. put it together and let someone vacuum it and charge it. I know alot of places charge like $150 for that. I called around like 3-4 months ago and found a couple places that were $60 for the vacuum and the charge. I just ended up doing it myself with no vacuum and it was fine.
Reply
Old Jun 19, 2009 | 06:09 PM
  #7  
LS6427's Avatar
Banned
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 11,289
Likes: 13
From: South Florida
Default

Did one of the hose ends just blow off that brass fitting?
Reply
Old Jun 19, 2009 | 06:15 PM
  #8  
fortmyerspolice's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Resident
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 908
Likes: 0
From: Fort Myers FL
Default

I didn't use the brass fitting anymore, what I did was cut those big ends off the metal line, and stuck a 3/8 250psi hose on the metal tube and clamped the **** out of it. It keeps blowing off one end. Trust me dude, it's not gonna hold for much longer, just replace it and save a big headache down the road.
Reply
LS1 Tech Stories

The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time

story-0

Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-2

Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

 
story-5

Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

 
story-9

10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Jun 19, 2009 | 06:22 PM
  #9  
LS6427's Avatar
Banned
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 11,289
Likes: 13
From: South Florida
Default

Originally Posted by fortmyerspolice
I didn't use the brass fitting anymore, what I did was cut those big ends off the metal line, and stuck a 3/8 250psi hose on the metal tube and clamped the **** out of it. It keeps blowing off one end. Trust me dude, it's not gonna hold for much longer, just replace it and save a big headache down the road.
The reason it keeps sliding off is because the metal tube you put the hose over is smooth. See the pictures of the coupling I cut halfway off. Look at the grooves that the factory cut into the inner metal tube. Thats what keeps the hose from blowing off. As you clamp it down the rubber seats into those grooves and keeps it from sliding off.

If mine doesn;'t hold I'll go ahead and cut the rest of the coupler off and use a wider clamp and use all the grooves on that inner metal line.
Reply
Old Jun 19, 2009 | 07:25 PM
  #10  
samson_420's Avatar
TECH Addict
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,372
Likes: 0
From: Narnia
Default

Ha, ha. . . . WTF? You think that is a ATF line?

That might hold a week. . . . .
Reply
Old Jun 19, 2009 | 07:47 PM
  #11  
LS6427's Avatar
Banned
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 11,289
Likes: 13
From: South Florida
Default

Originally Posted by samson_420
Ha, ha. . . . WTF? You think that is a ATF line?

That might hold a week. . . . .
Might hold forever too. Ain't know way its gonna hold on a smooth line. If it doesn't hold though, all I have to do is cut the rest of that coupler off and use that entire metal line. There's more grooves to take advantage of. Also, my stepfather has clamps at his job that can be pressed on just as tight as the original coupler was. Which would make it good as new.

But I'm pretty confident this will hold for good, if not a long time.

I'll let ya know, keep an eye out for this thread re-emerging.
Reply




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:51 AM.

story-0
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

Slideshow: This heavily modified 1971 Camaro mixes classic muscle car styling with a fifth-generation Camaro interior and modern LS3 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:06:42


VIEW MORE
story-1
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

Slideshow: From wobbling harmonic balancers to failed EBCMs, these are the issues that define long-term C5 ownership and what repairs typically involve.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-07 18:44:57


VIEW MORE
story-2
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

Slideshow: A modern Camaro transformed into a retro icon, this limited-run "Bandit" build blends nostalgia with brute force in a way few revivals manage.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-21 13:57:02


VIEW MORE
story-3
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

Slideshow: Cadillac didn't just crash the high-performance luxury vehicle party, it showed up loud, supercharged, and occasionally a little unhinged...

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-16 10:05:15


VIEW MORE
story-4
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

Slideshow: Top ten most powerful Chevy trucks ever made

By | 2026-03-25 09:22:26


VIEW MORE
story-5
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

Slideshow: Hennessey has turned the Silverado ZR2 into a 700-hp off-road monster with supercharged V8 power and a limited production run.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-24 18:57:52


VIEW MORE
story-6
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

Slideshow: A one-off sports car that looks like a vintage Italian exotic-but hides a C6 Corvette underneath-just sold for the price of a new mid-engine Corvette.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-23 18:53:41


VIEW MORE
story-7
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

Slideshow: A heavily reworked 1972 K5 Blazer swaps its off-road roots for a low-slung street-focused build with modern V8 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-09 18:08:45


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There are thousands of used Camaros on the market but we think you should avoid these 10

By | 2026-02-17 17:09:30


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

Slideshows: Which one of these myths do you believe?

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-28 18:10:11


VIEW MORE