Special-t-auto AC hoses

[jcrubin]

No doubt my hoses are leaking. The Dye said so.......


That being said, Im looking at the two piece ones from Hervey. I was wondering if anyone has any comments on the hoses and the approximate installation time. I know how fun the one piece hoses are.

Normally I don't care about the time, however when you are borrowing a lift from a business pro bono, they like to know these things.

[vwdmc16]

Ive installed three sets in three different cars all fit great and were easy to do. No leaks over the years either. Its a good product!

[kings1527]

I just redid my AC last April and I used Hervey's two piece hoses and they were great. The high-side is an easy one to get in place but the larger diameter low-side was a little tough. All I did was use a regular jack to lift up the tub right near the AC accumulator by no more than a 1/4". I didn't have to remove any body bolts or anything. After that, it went right into place very easily.

If I had to do it again, I could get the old hoses out and the new ones installed in about 30 minutes. I did an entry on the installation on my blog.

[Chris4099]

When I did mine, I used a lift too and it took about an hour or so taking my sweet time with just the two hoses. If you disconnect them in advance (high side to condenser can be tricky) and connect the new ones later, it shouldn't take too long. Just remember to spray plenty of PB Blaster or equivalent at least 24 hours in advance on the condenser and accumulator ends and reapply regularly before attempting to remove them. Also, are you using a 4 or 2 post lift? If two post, then it's no problem since it will lift the car by the body. This makes the frame hang and create just enough of a gap to run the low pressure side. If 4 post, then you may need to jack part of the body while running that hose.

I can't say enough good things about John's AC parts. All new components and with the R134a, I still don't leak one bit. I haven't had to recharge it since installation 5 years ago!

[David T]

When I did mine, I used a lift too and it took about an hour or so taking my sweet time with just the two hoses. If you disconnect them in advance (high side to condenser can be tricky) and connect the new ones later, it shouldn't take too long. Just remember to spray plenty of PB Blaster or equivalent at least 24 hours in advance on the condenser and accumulator ends and reapply regularly before attempting to remove them. Also, are you using a 4 or 2 post lift? If two post, then it's no problem since it will lift the car by the body. This makes the frame hang and create just enough of a gap to run the low pressure side. If 4 post, then you may need to jack part of the body while running that hose.

I can't say enough good things about John's AC parts. All new components and with the R134a, I still don't leak one bit. I haven't had to recharge it since installation 5 years ago!

Lift the car by the body NOT the frame. It will gain you just enough room to make slipping in the new hoses easier. I also like the 2 piece hose set. Replace the one from the condenser coil to the evap too. Make sure you hold back when undoing the connections. If you twist the aluminum coil end you will break it off. Do not overtighten the connections. The "O" ring does the sealing so it doesn't have to be very tight. Use some refrigerant oil on the "O" rings and the threads. Screw it all together by hand so you don't cross the threads. Dump the old oil out of the compressor and measure. Refill with fresh and measure again. You should also be replacing the accumulator/dryer. Leave all of the connections loose till you have everything in and lined up. Be sure to strap-tie the hose securely away from the steering U-Joints. There should be no stress (tight or twisted hoses) to the connections of the coils.

[jcrubin]

Thanks for the responses.


The area previously suspect was not the dye but a glue reacting to the UV light. Ive cleaned all of the fittings and will be checking again... I noticed a possible leak at the service port low side and will replace them both with an extra set of 12 to 134 fittings that I have.

Obviously I want to be sure before I proceed. We'll see what the dye says tomorrow

[jawn101]

Ive installed three sets in three different cars all fit great and were easy to do. No leaks over the years either. Its a good product!

Mine was one of them, David's was another. Definitely a good product. Easy enough to install if you're patient.