Poobah Posted April 25, 2004 Report Share Posted April 25, 2004 I know my air conditioner has a slow leak so I bought a service kit and tried to check the refrigerant (R134a). This is the first time I've done this and I wonder if I'm not doing something right. The kit has a hose, a valve, a guage, a can of R134a, and instructions. It says to connect the hose to the low side service port. I am trying to connect the hose to the port that projects from a vertical cylindrical object located in a recess in the cooling system surge tank above the right front wheel. The port has a black plastic dust cap and it points toward the right front corner of the car. The tubes leading to and from the cylinder are about 3/4" o.d. and get cold when the air conditioner is running. Is this the low side service port? I've removed the dust cap. I pull the outer sleeve on the hose fitting back so the little locking balls are free to move then then slip the fitting over the port. I cannot push it on far enough to get the balls past the locking ridge on the port so the outer sleeve will slip back to its locked position. I've pushed so hard so many times my fingers hurt. I've checked both the port and the hose fitting and don't see any damage or any reason why the hose fitting shouldn't snap into place. I don't want to force it to the point I break something. Maybe I'm trying to connect to the wrong place. I just don't know. I'm hoping someone who has done this before can help me out. Thanks in advance. Happiness is owning a Cadillac with no codes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarrenJ Posted April 25, 2004 Report Share Posted April 25, 2004 Poobah, My '95 service manual identifies the fitting on the accumulator (vertical cylinder) as the "low side service port." So I think you're in the right area. Are you sure you have an R134a system and not an R12 one? R12 and R134a fittings will NOT mate. R12 and R134a must NEVER be mixed unless you enjoy catastrophic results. Search the archives for posts on air conditioning by bbobynski . . . you will learn far more than you need to know! Regards, Warren There is no means of avoiding the final collapse of a boom brought about by credit expansion. The alternative is only whether the crisis should come sooner as the result of a voluntary abandonment of further credit expansion, or later as a final and total catastrophe of the currency system involved. - Ludwig von Mises Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillip Posted April 25, 2004 Report Share Posted April 25, 2004 I know that Canadian cars were all converted to R134a by 1994, but I am not sure about the US. It is possible that you have one of the last R12 cars. There should be a sticker under the hood that identifies the refrigerant type. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted April 25, 2004 Report Share Posted April 25, 2004 The 1994 cars had R-134a from the factory. Sometimes the schrader valve sticks and makes it difficult to attach the service hose. The low pressure side is on the accumulator (it sounds like you are on the proper fitting from your description). Keep working it and it should go on. Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted April 25, 2004 Report Share Posted April 25, 2004 Sounds like your in the right place. Perhaps you have a defective coupler on the hose. OR Is it possible you are trying to connect the wrong end of the hose. I only mention that as a "wag" as I have not had to service R134a yet so I am not familiar with the setup other than I know it is a quick disconnect type rather than the R12 screw on type. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STYES Posted April 27, 2004 Report Share Posted April 27, 2004 Are you using a manifold gauge set? Are you hooking up to the correct side? In any car, the "low" side means low pressure, and can be identified by the larger diameter line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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