Here I show how to repair a rubbed and leaking air conditioner line which has got a pinhole in it. The process I'm using is aluminum brazing, with AL-3 brazing rod and a MAPP torch.
Good afternoon, I am really glad I found your video. Lots of great clever tips, tricks and techniques. This is the information that will save you money on a rebuildable vehicle. Thanks again.
One of the most useful videos I've ever come across! Perfectly filmed and flawlessly narrated! Besides, this is precisely what I'm about to do on my car! Many thanks for this, and I look forward to any future videos you decide to produce!
this is REALLY brilliant work....converting to a V5 compressor and CCOT system ( by eliminating the expansion valve ) ...you are the man ! ...super work do you remember if you had trouble mounting the compressor ? you have been my inspiration for a long time..... Jay : ) I converted a friends Olds Alero 3 years ago to 152a and you cannot even hear the compressor any more it is so quite at idle ! the difference is impressive....
I think the thing about tig welding on old r12 aluminum lines is a myth. I have had my coworker tig weld a few old aluminum r12 lines together and so far I haven't had one that has leaked. I am also impressed with your brazing skills. I have tried brazing aluminum ac lines a couple of times but it never went well lol
I think you're right about the TIG welding. One of the first TIG jobs I did was making a custom A/C fitting from junk parts. It didn't work the first time, but after cleaning everything well, it did work. I was and still am a novice with TIG, and was successful. It was not as thin of a material as the tube brazed in this video, however. Thanks for the complement, too.
I worked at Aaon for a while and played with brazing on my breaks I’m going to try this my local AC shop told me 750 to repair one line on my Escalade so I blocked off the rear for $30🤷🏾♂️ but I’m going to try this just because I’m sure I can do it....
Hi, I was attempting to do a retrofit of an air condition system as budget as I could.This afternoon I gave up and thought about just buying a package system. Your video gave me encouragement to try a little longer, before throwing in the towel.I have bought a Volvo 840 evaporator (as it was cheap and new) and was attempting to fit it to the original heater box under the dash (by modifying the heater box).The evaporator has the garter connections. I am hoping these are fairly common connections in A/C's?How difficult is it to redirect the tubes coming from the evaporator by brazing? Hopefully, it looks like I will not need to. I have a new condenser and drier on the way. All I need is a compressor and I hope to get one of them possibly from a wreckers of a late model car. I will hopefully manage to find an A/C company that will do the hoses for me. Thanks,
What if the hole is bigger? I have one that's maybe 1/2 the size of the line. A bad situation where the line was rubbing on another part for like 6mo. Dumb that I didn't notice to prevent
That's frustrating it got so bad before you noticed it. In that case, I would probably cut out the bad spot, and swage one end of the line, so it will "telescope" together. Then solder the pieces back together with Alumaloy. That is, of course, depending on your A/C line routing being able to tolerate the loss of length.
David I have a 84 cressida and the high pressure switch is attached to an aluminum tubing with a male end that goes to the expansion valve. the male end broke that goes into the expansion value it is a 5/16 tubing with a male extension that is about half that size that fits to the epansion valve. Do you know where I might be able to get this aluminum part
So much great information in this video. I got a question for you sir, is there a way to add a ball/shut off valve to a rear A/C lines?(instead of block off)If so how would you do it? Thanks in advance.
Cu to Al is a very difficult joint to make. There are specialist alloys such as Muggyweld Super Alloy 1 and Harris AlSolder for this type of joint. It requires utmost heat control and cleanliness and is not something which a person will be successful on at the first try. Get some scrap material to practice on and read the instructions carefully.
Thanks for taking the time to make a video. I like your work. When you it solder two aluminum tubes together do you fit one into the other for more strength or do you have good result with a butt joint?
Hi, thanks for the comment! To get a gas-tight joint between two separate segments of tube; it's important to slide one tube into the other. I would use a "swaging tool" to expand the end of one of the tubes so that they telescope together. For a rub hole as shown in this video, building up solder over the damaged point is usually sufficient.
@@davida1hiwaaynet Thanks. I did two joints yesterday as you described. Everything was super clean and sanded, but I kept chasing a pinhole. In the end I built up more AL3, and it looked good visually, but it leaks at both joints. Is the material that has been exposed to refrigerant impregnated with contaminants, therefore unbrazable?
@@electricamir248 Sorry you're having such trouble with this process! It can be frustrating if the heat isn't exactly right or the materials are contaminated. Refrigerants in and of themselves won't contaminate aluminum for this process, although they can contaminate it for TIG welding. It's a matter of getting a clean, unbroken layer of alloy in the joint. It helps to have a wider clearance at the "mouth" of the socket to allow for easier deposition of an unbroken film. In other words, coat both parts with a tinning layer of AL3; then re-heat it and run the end of the AL3 rod "around in one smooth motion" to put a single, unbroken film of alloy in the joint.
Do you think it would be a bad idea to do this repair without removing the section of the line that's damaged from the vehicle? My puncture is in a fairly accessible spot. Thanks!
I'm sure you could do it in-car if there was access. Just be mindful not to melt or ignite any of the other materials under the hood. Might want to put a fire blanket under the line if possible.
Hey just wanted to say thanks for your very informative video.. Probably the best how to video I have seen in along time, very well explained. I am about to try and repair a cracked high pressure line on the condenser in my 89 5.0 and I am hoping it will hold. my poa is to kind of file a notch around the tube where it is cracked and then fill it in. I think it will be stronger if I can get it to hold. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again.
Would you please tell me how you connect the tubing before soldering? Do you just butt the ends together are do you attach them some other way. Thank you.
Hi there. To join two tubes, I use a swage tool which "flares" the end of one tube. Then they will slide together one inside the other. After that, braze them. They need to be securely joined before brazing. If that can't be done, find a larger size tube that will fit over the smaller ones and make a coupling.
Great video! I like how you retrofitted that V5, did the high pressure switch and port come from the junkyard? I plan on running a newer V5 on an older car and haven't found a great solution for pressure switches yet.
+jetcitynorthstar Thank you! The V5 was from a newer 3800 engine, if I remember. I collect them when I see a "new or reman" one on a junkyard car. The older V5's had two high-side pressure switch ports on the rear housing. Those were just too convenient so GM deleted them. :) On the car in the video, the switch PORTS on the lines were from junkyard cars. I do a lot of a-body car work and had some old tubing laying around that I cut up for this job. The switches I'm not sure about. I think one of them is junkyard, and the other was a new one I ordered.
+jetcitynorthstar The pressure switch ports came from junkyard cars, and the HP safety switch I have found a source for new. The switch is a Four Seasons 36498; which is a high pressure cutout, normally closed and opens on rising pressure at 425 PSI. It will mount on the standard GM "small" high-side pressure ports, as used on the 70's through 90's cars and possibly into the 2000's. The connector I got from the junkyard, but it may be the same as the original V5 rear-mounted switches. Here is a link to the picture of the switch and its connector: i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo192/turbokinetic/IMG_0175%20Medium.jpg
An urgent reply I have the problem at my project Package AC Unit condensing coil and copper joint leakage, I need to braze the Aluminum condenser coil and copper joint area trying to weld but it's not getting joint. Please, any one can help, How to solve the problem.
Hi Syed. I am not familiar with joining copper to aluminum. I have seen a type of epoxy used on some small package AC units but I have no personal experience with it.
Yes; that is the way most countries around the world spell it. We in USA traditionally spell it with only one "i" in the word. However this product is sold in other countries as well. They used the international spelling on the package. As you're probably aware; there are a great many metallic and metal-like elements on the periodic table spelled ending in "ium." Think; magnesium, titanium, lithium, sodium, cadmium, palladium... the list goes on. In line with this; most of the world uses Aluminium instead of Aluminum.
Had some over educated libtards call me uneducated once because as an American who is an amatuer metalurgist/mechanical engineer/physisist,I spell it that way.😃
