A/C doesn't go on at all

[vintshave]

Update for the folks that are following this thread.

Added 5 of the 8 oz of oil into the compressor and the rest into the accumulator (hope that was right), put the whole shebang back together again with new O rings. Did I do it right? No clue yet - never done it before. Used Ester oil because I heard that PAG and old mineral oil systems don't mix. Tomorrow I'm donating more to the cause and spending $115 on a vacuum pump. Yeah I could get the cheap HF thing, but it would take too long to get here and I'm getting tired of being greasy. I'm going to evacuate the system and see if it holds a vacuum. If it does, I load 'er up!

Any advice before I dive in would be welcome.

[Tech II]

did you not read how much oil I said to put in the compressor?

[silicon212]

Less oil in the compressor would have been ideal, but it will live. You made the right choice in your oil selection. Good luck and Godspeed.

[vintshave]

Well, I think I have less oil in the system overall now. I found a leak in the system. It is leaking from the threaded fitting which is (I believe) coming from the condenser and continues to the firewall (I don't know what to call this line). It is next to the battery and is the bottom-most steel line. I loosened and retightened this a few times and it just didn't feel right - like it wasn't screwing all the way in. I had changed the O ring on this fitting but I don't think it is tight enough to compress it and so it is leaking. It appears that replacement would involve a new evaporator and a new line running to the firewall. This is getting very expensive and I would like to just get that fitting to stop leaking.

I am VERY open to suggestion here.

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by vintshave

Well, I think I have less oil in the system overall now. I found a leak in the system. It is leaking from the threaded fitting which is (I believe) coming from the condenser and continues to the firewall (I don't know what to call this line). It is next to the battery and is the bottom-most steel line. I loosened and retightened this a few times and it just didn't feel right - like it wasn't screwing all the way in. I had changed the O ring on this fitting but I don't think it is tight enough to compress it and so it is leaking. It appears that replacement would involve a new evaporator and a new line running to the firewall. This is getting very expensive and I would like to just get that fitting to stop leaking.

I am VERY open to suggestion here.

the line from the condenser to the evaporator would be the line which has the orifice tube[screen] in it . did you replace the screen. did you connect the correct line to it. normally you screw the nut and hold the line firmly from rotating .

[vintshave]

Originally Posted by j cAT

the line from the condenser to the evaporator would be the line which has the orifice tube[screen] in it . did you replace the screen. did you connect the correct line to it. normally you screw the nut and hold the line firmly from rotating .

This is the line directly below it. It goes from the condenser to the firewall. It is not the line with the orifice tube in it. I believe it is the "cold" line.

Yes, I tightened it as you suggested above. Maybe the threads are messed up, but I can get it really tight and it still leaks - mostly out of the side of the line with the O ring. I just don't think that it is compressing the O ring sufficiently.

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by vintshave

This is the line directly below it. It goes from the condenser to the firewall. It is not the line with the orifice tube in it. I believe it is the "cold" line.

Yes, I tightened it as you suggested above. Maybe the threads are messed up, but I can get it really tight and it still leaks - mostly out of the side of the line with the O ring. I just don't think that it is compressing the O ring sufficiently.

you did buy the O ring kit ? you cannot reuse these parts. replace the line O ring .

[vintshave]

Originally Posted by j cAT

you did buy the O ring kit ? you cannot reuse these parts. replace the line O ring .

I did replace it. It just isn't screwing down tight enough.

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by vintshave

I did replace it. It just isn't screwing down tight enough.

what can occur is if you used a tool that will crush the threaded nut you will have this effect. only use open end wrench NO PIPE OR VICE GRIPS ETC...

also you could have cross threaded the fitting which is hard to do but I guess possible if not careful.

[vintshave]

Originally Posted by j cAT

what can occur is if you used a tool that will crush the threaded nut you will have this effect. only use open end wrench NO PIPE OR VICE GRIPS ETC...

also you could have cross threaded the fitting which is hard to do but I guess possible if not careful.

Finally got it tight and it is not longer leaking. Vacuumed the system and charged it. Ahhh....cool air :-)