Broken A/C port

You have to get a new hose... or get a used hose off part car. No other way
around this.
 >> Stay informed about: Broken A/C port 

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

"DougS" <wdsims63 RemoveThis @gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1ce281c5-4d46-48ed-972d-8928d2be92e4@f36g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
> 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.
 >> Stay informed about: Broken A/C port 

On Jul 4, 11:37 am, "Alan Biby" <ab....DeleteThis@comcast.net> wrote:
> 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
>
> "DougS" <wdsim....DeleteThis@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:1ce281c5-4d46-48ed-972d-8928d2be92e4@f36g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
>
> > 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.

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.
 >> Stay informed about: Broken A/C port 

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?.
 >> Stay informed about: Broken A/C port 

On Jul 6, 7:48 pm, "Tiger" <tiger0... DeleteThis @hotmail.com> wrote:
> 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?.

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?
 >> Stay informed about: Broken A/C port 

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.
 >> Stay informed about: Broken A/C port