Interdynamics R-134a Can Tap Dispenser DV-134: Advance Auto Parts

Just did a search on the Interdynamics and show that Orileys (kragen), Autozone, Advance (discount) and Pep boys all have them

These are the ones you need. I think what you got is for the 30 lb jug of 134 to a r 12 line. I know our diesels are oil, but if you look around the fittings you may see a different oily residue. A good place to look is where that spring lock fitting is at on the evaporator core. They leak all the time. I did have evidence of a leak there and the discharge line I could turn the metal part where it goes into the rubber (two more leaks)

If you go back to my thread with the picture and look at discharge (high side) line you can the residue I am talking about.
Be glad to get mine fixed, already hit 89 here in Middle Ga

 

it is californication. they will squeeze every penny out of you any way they can.

 

I'm not certain those are the ones he needs. The freon cans in california are designed to reseal when the tap is removed. They require a special adapter to use them.
I stopped buying my freon in california when they went to this design and the $10 a can fee.

 

I did not know that about Califoria. That means we will all be forced to go that way sooner or later.

 

https://macsworldwide.wordpress.com/...frigerant-use/

This areticle tells alot

 

Chevy eater is right.
Not to detract you (hturner), but you are kind of off point. Maybe I'm not conveying myself well.... (i'm a bit frustrated because of the rube goldbergish series of events this PITA project has turned into.)

I already have the taps you mentioned in your links. (and I have the adapter from the can to the tap, that Chevyeater is mentioning) The problem is, the tap has a 1/2" acme mystery male-threaded output. My AC gauge inlet hose has a variant of 1/4" NPT air fitting female threads. So I ordered I mentioned to fit those together. The threads look very very very similar, so I didn't check their fitting until just before I was going to fill the AC system. Naturally, I had everything set up, and one little thing like the wrong threads delayed my plans another two days. No one at Autozoo or Oreillys or Pepboys or even Fastenal had that brass adapter, or a different tap that had the male 1/4" NPT air fitting threads. Nor did anyone at Autozoo, oreillys, or Pepboys even know how to use the f-ing tap or how to charge an AC system, so I'm just a bit frustrated.

One a-hole at Pepboys who was doing nothing asked me if I needed help, and when I did, he said, "Ok, I need to stop in the back and I'll be with you." Then he proceeded to sit within plain view of me on a stand of tires while yammering with some tween. He only got up, when I thought I figured it all out on my own, and I proceeded to the check out. He rushed to the counter and had the gall to ask, "Did you find everything ok?" I said, no and wanted to talk to the manager. He said he WAS the manager. I just sighed, and I didn't even ask him my questions and just bought what I know now is the wrong threaded tap.

So far, with the exception of the 134a and my dye kit and the tap, I've purchased everything on Amazon, which has educated questions, good answers, clear descriptions, and valid reviews on the efficacy and durability on tools and parts for this job. The parts stores are going to die off if they continue to employee pimply know-nothings that just aggrevate a moderate DIY'er like myself.

As for my leak search, I know about the blackish oily residue and currently my entire AC system is slathered in it. Some of these leaks could have been from decades ago. Perhaps the PO should have cleaned them up when he had the system fixed, but he didn't. Im hoping my UV dye will assist in finding the most recent offending leak. I should hit mine with some purple power and clean them up, but we are expecting bunch of rain any second, another reason why I wanted to pull the vac and charge the system before the moisture hit my climate.

 

[QUOTE=genscripter;15354319]Chevy eater is right.
Not to detract you (hturner), but you are kind of off point. Maybe I'm not conveying myself well.... (i'm a bit frustrated because of the rube goldbergish series of events this PITA project has turned into.)

I already have the taps you mentioned in your links. (and I have the adapter from the can to the tap, that Chevyeater is mentioning) The problem is, the tap has a 1/2" acme mystery male-threaded output. My AC gauge inlet hose has a variant of 1/4" NPT air fitting female threads. So I ordered I mentioned to fit those together. The threads look very very very similar, so I didn't check their fitting until just before I was going to fill the AC system. Naturally, I had everything set up, and one little thing like the wrong threads delayed my plans another two days. No one at Autozoo or Oreillys or Pepboys or even Fastenal had that brass adapter, or a different tap that had the male 1/4" NPT air fitting threads. Nor did anyone at Autozoo, oreillys, or Pepboys even know how to use the f-ing tap or how to charge an AC system, so I'm just a bit frustrated.

One a-hole at Pepboys who was doing nothing asked me if I needed help, and when I did, he said, "Ok, I need to stop in the back and I'll be with you." Then he proceeded to sit within plain view of me on a stand of tires while yammering with some tween. He only got up, when I thought I figured it all out on my own, and I proceeded to the check out. He rushed to the counter and had the gall to ask, "Did you find everything ok?" I said, no and wanted to talk to the manager. He said he WAS the manager. I just sighed, and I didn't even ask him my questions and just bought what I know now is the wrong threaded tap.

So far, with the exception of the 134a and my dye kit and the tap, I've purchased everything on Amazon, which has educated questions, good answers, clear descriptions, and valid reviews on the efficacy and durability on tools and parts for this job. The parts stores are going to die off if they continue to employee pimply know-nothings that just aggrevate a moderate DIY'er like myself.

As for my leak search, I know about the blackish oily residue and currently my entire AC system is slathered in it. Some of these leaks could have been from decades ago. Perhaps the PO should have cleaned them up when he had the system fixed, but he didn't. Im hoping my UV dye will assist in finding the most recent offending leak. I should hit mine with some purple power and clean them up, but we are expecting bunch of rain any second, another reason why I wanted to pull the vac and charge the system before the moisture hit my climate.

No problem we all are here to share and learn together.I am sorry if I caused you any more confusion. I used some spray brake clean to take some of the crud of some of my fittings , but then again you are on the west coast and I do not know what they allow or do not allow. Good luck

 

Maybe all the runaround from the parts stores was a blessing in disguise, because I went out after two days, and the vac had decreased. If I had charged it, it probably would have leaked out over a few weeks.

I tried to find the leak. I started in the oiliest AC part, which occurred near the high-side 134a conversion nozzle. I cleaned it up, and I noticed the bottom seal was loose.

I used a wrench and unscrewed it. It came apart fine, but now it won't reconnect tight. I see some sort of thread locker on it.

My question is: Can I use standard thread locker, or do I need some sort of silly AC thread locker to seat that fitting? I noticed if I tighten it down all the way, it just leaks, so it appears the conversion fitting must sit in the middle of the threads to work. But without new thread locker, it just spins easy, even putting on the plastic dust cap.

 

Are you talking about the fitting where you hook up the gague? If so I think those are one time use. It sounds like something is stripped check you threads.

 

i can't help you on that, because i do not do 134A conversions.
all my old vehicles have R-12 in them.

 

Any threadlock you like will work, nothing special for A/C. Doubt if it's even needed, I've never bothered.

But you do need to seat that fitting all the way onto the R12 threads. Look inside the female part of the fitting and you'll see an o-ring at the top of the threads, that needs to rest on the top of the R12 fitting to seal.

The fitting is not a one time use, it's a install and leave it there forever.

Here's a possibility to look at, it's something I ran into a long time back. (The early days of the retrofit.) Most of those R12 to R134a adapters you just screw on and you're done. But I ran into an odd one once where the schrader valves from the the original fitting and the adapter interfered with each other and caused leakage. Upon close inspection it looked like the manufacture of this particular adapter intended for the original shcrader to be removed before installing the adapter and the adapter becoming the sole seal. Which I tried and it did work, but it would be more logical to toss the ******* fittings and install the properly made ones since the adapters themselves are not all that expensive.
Just a FWIW.

 

The fitting is not a one time use, it's a install and leave it there forever.


That what I meant

Here's a possibility to look at, it's something I ran into a long time back. (The early days of the retrofit.) Most of those R12 to R134a adapters you just screw on and you're done. But I ran into an odd one once where the schrader valves from the the original fitting and the adapter interfered with each other and caused leakage. Upon close inspection it looked like the manufacture of this particular adapter intended for the original shcrader to be removed before installing the adapter and the adapter becoming the sole seal. Which I tried and it did work, but it would be more logical to toss the ******* fittings and install the properly made ones since the adapters themselves are not all that expensive.
Just a FWIW.[/QUOTE]

 

If I tighten it all the way down, it begins to leak. Maybe I ruined the seal on the inside of the adapter. If i tighten it halfway, it holds pressure. I don't think it was tightened all the way when I removed it, but it was resisting when I turned it, so it must have used some sort of threadlocker.

The seal that was used was on the "outside" of the adapter. Meaning the PO put the seal at the base of the male R12 valve threads, then threaded the adapter on. I don't understand how that would help seal anything, and maybe that was the mistake: The seal should have been put on the inside of the female socket of the adapter, then when the adapter was threaded on, the tip of the male R12 threads seated the o-ring seal. The reason why it hadn't failed until now, was his threadlocker effectively sealed everything up.

I'm just surprised it leaks when it's tight. I suspect the adapter has some sort of central shaft that needs to be positioned in a way that opens the R12 valve but not too far. Or maybe I messed up my adapter. It looks fine to me and threads on without any stripping.

NOTE, the PO used red threadlocker, so that confirms to me that he used a standard threadlocker.

 

After reinspecting my conversion fitting, I think I might have found the leak. The inner o-ring on the high side was pretty deteriorated on one side. I tried to find a replacement seal (still looking if anyone knows where to find one), but I ordered a whole new fitting conversion set (12-to-134a).

 

What kind of conversion fittings are you using/buying?
I just bought a set of "AutoCraft Complete R134a Retrofit Parts Kit" from Advance.
Part AC995/VA-LH11
Of the 4 fittings, only two work for our trucks and the other two are for others as it's made for 'all makes/all models.'
I'm waiting on my accumulator/dryer, o-tube, and o-rings for delivery later this week and then converting over.

ETA: For clarity's sake, these fittings go directly on the high-side (driver side) and low side (passenger side on a/d can) lines. I don't know how airtight they will be so after I charge, I'll take them off and put the original caps back on the vehicle-mounted fittings.