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Broken A/C port

This isn't necessarily a Mercecedes question, but I did break this on my 300D while "fixing" the air conditioning. Well, I was working on my A/C and checking for leaks, loose connections, replacing O-rings, etc., and I took the high side service port off (a retrofit port) and looked at it, cleaned it, and put it back on.

However, I put it on too tight. I sheared the port off of the pipe. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I should do? Current recommendations to me are to replace the hose (with one that has the fitting on it), and I have found a replacement at buymbparts and at autohausaz, but I don't have the $250-$300 in the parts budget to get a new one right now. Ideally, one off of a junk yard car would be the cheaper option.

So, three big questions. What should I do in the meantime? (until its fixed to avoid damage to the system) Is there any downside to one from a used car? Can this be reattached? welded, epoxy, solder, duct tape??? My guess is no, since its the high side line and is under pretty high pressures (200-300 psi).

Okay, that first question up there makes it four questions technically.

Thanks for any help.

Reply to
DougS
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You have to get a new hose... or get a used hose off part car. No other way around this.

Reply to
Tiger

Yep, thats what I thought. I'm heading by the Pull-A-Part near me in a minute to see if I can get one for cheap. So far, the lowest price is at autohaus for $253. I will also try Ebay if I can't get one today.

Anybody got a parts car and want to help me out?

Reply to
DougS

I'm not familiar with this particular hose, but from HVAC experience, if the retrofit was mechanically attached, as it sounds in the post, a new unit can be refit inexpensively. If it was silver soldered to the pipe, a new fitting of that type can be attached by any heating/air conditioning service man. If I haven't a clue as to how it was retrofitted to the pipe, well duhhh, don't pay any attention to me :)

Alan

Reply to
Alan Biby

Let me clarify a bit, and then you can tell me if this is a good idea or not on what I am planning to do to fix this.

The part that broke was not the retrofit, but the original R-12 stud machined into the high pressure hose. It's an aluminum stud with a valve stem in it, on an aluminum hose (pipe). My current plan of attack to fix this is to use a patch and completely cover the hole and seal it off, leaving me with no hole, and no high pressure port. I've talked to a couple of mechanical engineers about the best way to do this, and a good welder seems to be the best solution. However, no one knows of someone good enough to weld this thin tubing. So, my solution is to use some JB weld, and attach a patch over the hole with the JB weld, and hold it on with some type of clamp (hose clamp or similar), to prevent blow-off.

Anyone have any other suggestions for this kind of patch? I'm still planning on getting a new hose, but I haven't found a used one yet, and I haven't made the trek to the other side of Atlanta to the Pull-A- Part lot either.

Reply to
DougS

Look up in phone book for hydraulic hose repair shop... or any kind of AC hose repair shop in your local area and let them figure it out for you. The problem you are facing is that there is high pressure of up to 300PSI (normal is 160 to 200 PSI range) So the hose pipe must be barbed and crimped.

Don't you have any Pick A Part salvage yard near you?.

Reply to
Tiger

There are a couple of salvage yards very nearby to me, but none have any of these year model mercedes. The closest one I could find that definitely had some cars in this year range and model are on the other side of Atlanta, a good hour or hour and a half away depending on traffic. I haven't been able to leave and get over there in time before they close yet.

I'll take some pictures of what everything looks like right now, and probably some of what the repair looks like too. If the patch doesn't work, then I'm only out a few bucks, otherwise, its the cost of a new (or used part) plus the drive time to find a salvage yard that has the right part.

If the system doesn't hold a vacuum with the patch then I'm not even going to try and charge the system. I also need to do a good leak inspection and replace O-rings as I'm going as well.

I'll look for another shop nearby, but the people I have talked to so far were the closest things to that kind of repair. Of course, I've survived this long without A/C, what's another month or two without it, right?

Reply to
DougS

You are wasting your time with things like epoxy putty on the high side of your AC. The pressures involved are much greater than anywhere else on your vehicle and the only good solution is to get a new hose. Unfortunately that is the most expensive hose in the system. For my 300 TDT it is $374.

But if you try any gyppo solution you will be throwing your money away on the refrigerant and labor cost to get the system recharged to discover that the only way to have the system hold pressure and refrigerant is to replace the hose.

I have spent $2000 on my 300 TDT's AC in the past couple of years, and at least $700 was learning about how the pressures involved and why homemade solutions just don't work with AC by paying for recharges that stayed in the system only a day or two. I have replaced my entire system now except for the manifold hose, as mine has tested still good. That is the hose you damaged. Replace it. It's the only sensible solution.

Reply to
heav

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