1993 1500 Blazer, retrofit condenser wrong threads for my hoses?

[hamlet]

I bought a Spectra 74443 condenser for my R134a retrofit, (designed for just this retrofit), but the threads are M20 x 1.5 (METRIC! WTF?? Really, metric?! Why?)

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sgt-7-4443

My o-ring/tube ends on my hoses fit into the condenser nicely, but the nuts on the hoses won't screw on to the male fittings on the condenser.
I'm junking the old hoses, and got myself new ones, which are just like my old ones for size,
like this:

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/fss-55852

However, nobody (O'Reilly auto, Auto Zone, Summit, Amazon, etc.) will tell me what threads are on their hoses!

I'm stuck.
...

Okay, this is my second edit, (1st was for spelling & clarity.) I would like to add that I think my hose fittings are 3/4". I don't know if there are adapters for my situation or not. I might have to junk my condenser and buy this one, part # 7-4295:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000C7TPYI..._t1_B000CKN244

Everybody with an older truck like mine had success with it. I don't know if it is R134A ready, "parallel" or whatever,, because manufacturers don't seem to give up all their product data easily. I'm scratching my head here.

[Tom Greenleaf]

Welcome. Oh the joy of on line parts. IDK, M20-1.5? I should know and don't but may be a Metric plumbing thread shouldn't be necessary as the seal is the "O" ring.

They sold you these parts to fit will take IMO plain calling them till you get so someone who knows a dang thing about parts, vehicles at all or who knows? The number was posted at your links = 1-800-230-3030

Good luck with that if you have all day.

Back to the problem at hand: What was the problem with the original parts and can you fix or get those may need to go thru dealer or I have better luck with NAPA in person match stuff up at the counter. The OE parts if available should be much more fixable than the high efficiency ones you get in post R-12 is lighter, exchanges heat faster but will use the lightest aluminums they can that is weak usually and can't be fixed or worked with well.

You may need to weld on your OE connections if possible at all or fix the OE or buy OE and put up with less efficiency for 134a or re-think retrofitting it at all and just stick with the R-12 now technically illegal to go back and also find someone and or a place that still deals with it. Local to me nobody does, nobody fixes recovery equipment for R-12.

I know you are in a tough spot. Model year 1993 was the switch year vehicles were made new with either refrigerant most were just factory retrofitted new just used the 134a in the R-12 system with proper service ports and oil for 134a.

Very tricky - look at door jam see where this was made and if sticker with VIN# is still there and matches the one seen thru the windshield is full of information on the specifications of it new, where made will probably matter? Could be Mexico, US or Canada I'm pretty sure,

[Cornbinder89]

Simple fix would be to have someone make up hoses with the correct fittings, you could cut the crimpshell off the new hoses for the condenser end and crimp on metric O ring fittings, they are made and available. Another option is to return the condenser and go with a generic condenser as all I ever have come across are std thread.
It is hard to do A/C work without a hose crimper. it always seams that there is some reason you need to make a special hose, either the orignal is shot, the replacement is too short or too long or angled wrong. or something has been changed (like the type of compressor) and the "stock hoses" will not work.
I bought mine a long time ago, about the same time I bought a vac pump, and gauge manifold. I remember have one or two hoses made at the parts house, than decided it was a must have tool. Cost more than everything else but gets a lot of use. Mastercool crimper is cheaper than the ATCO I bought and many have reported it does a good job.
If this project is a "one and done" with A/C than you will be money ahead to take it to some shop, if you are going to do a lot of A/C than plan on buying the crimper.

[Cornbinder89]

If you wanted to take a gamble, Summit's 56155 hose is for a 1994 application that has 134a fittings. It doesn't say if they are metric or not. The hose that you bought clearly says inch fittings.
The question would be what the low side fitting is? If it is inch on yours but metric on the '94 that wouldn't work.
Best would be to have someone make up a hose with what you need.
I never saw the reason for mixing metric and inch stuff on one piece of equipment. If you are going to use metric, then use it everywhere, if not don't use it at all. Mixing is just bad policy, and is dictated by bean counters that don't have to work with their choices.
If I was in your place, I would cut the ends off, use a cramp hose splice and a piece of hose with the correct metric fitting on the end and be done. A few bucks in hose and fittings.
I work on big trucks, where there is often plenty of room, so I go with generic condensers and make my own brackets and hoses. I realize on cars and light trucks, stuff is crammed in and my method may not work as there isn't enough room to work with.

[Tom Greenleaf]

Good suggestion Cornbinder. Knew 1993 would be troubles plus as said the "trucks" were made as listed if still there and original on driver's door jam sticker. Underhood should say whether the vehicle is in compliance with California later I think just said Federal or 49 state. Silly differences required to meet those specs plus if by chance sold to Mexico for Mexico could have other total differences. Lots against you for first time right parts.

So at least all NATO complying countries had swapped "Model Year" 1994. Door jam again would list month and year this truck was made could be as old as late August 1992 I'd make the strong guess companies quickly dumping all the R-12 parts and vehicles as long as they could so much already made up.

Metric on so called American engines up to even much newer stuff if it bolted to the engine it was SAE and if to body or something else but not all be Metric.

I like the idea of taking the old hoses and the new to a shop that can make them up so this works and be done with it. You'd go broke buying all the stuff to custom make up stuff vs the right shop totally equipped that does this stuff. Also said was it's hard to be sure what you have in front of you was already altered long ago the truck is old enough there's that question too. Stuff like this is a pest the tools to get out of it I also think for a one time deal aren't worth it so find the right place,

[hamlet]

I might be able to return the condenser, still have receipt. It might be easier to get the R12 condenser than make hoses, but it isn't going to be as efficient, and my Blazer is black!
I have a new compressor rated for either R12 or R134a, and 8 cans of R12, but I would rather switch over, as I anticipate swapping engines, and don't have a way to recover my precious R12. Thank you cornbinder89 for the '94 hoses suggestion. 1994 is the last year for the full size Blazer ('92, '93, '94). I have more than one car I'm working on, and am contemplating A/C repair as a retirement side occupation. (used to be a parts guy, but not much a/c experience here in the chilly NW).

[Cornbinder89]

If you are thinking that you'll be doing a few vehicles, You might want to spring for a crimper and make your own hose. You have many more options when you have the tools.
My concern with the '94 hose is that the low side might also might be metric, and not mate to your accumulator.

[Tom Greenleaf]

What is broken now that you need anything - it matters. Just me and older car/vehicle fan my own or for others if a nice rust free one can be found they are plain better vehicles IMO. You can recover R-12 with some hassle without obsolete machines nobody in Massachusetts I know of has! If you have an empty 30lb bottle, vacuumed out setting in dry ice or as cold as you can get it then it should (famous last words) exchange the Freon from high to lower pressure or most of it for reuse. Yup - takes a lot of hose, tricks and do this when victim vehicle is as hot as you can reasonable get it so static pressures are as high as possible. I haven't done that it's archived that it works at the old site if you can search for that thread click above.

R-12 is still made new how you acquire it and know it's real I question. You can look for if nearby old air horns that were pure R-12 were required for a "Coast Guard Kit" to have a horn lots still possible if you ask around or offer a new kit or horn for the old one untapped can side tap those it's the real stuff.

Reason I still drive an OE R-12 car just good weather now a neat classic/antique is that it still lasts and is all OE parts from known new purchase. It needs a boost now but no time to do that so unhooked the compressor which would come on for a few seconds with defrost request don't allow it to till warmer out. They leak thru shaft seals without evidence if left in sub-zero weather which I stopped doing the shafts and seals don't expand and contract at the same rate they leak below about 15-20F if left outside cold alone doesn't harm superior kept vehicles and it is. Have tons of R-12 new left also not a place or thing that uses it.

Other vehicles like it when retrofitting as price was the issue or real damage the new parts sucked so bad if used in snow/ice here where roads are heavily sanded and salted just a small stone busted the condensers of HE ones almost every season! Junk but exchanges heat for inferior refrigerants like 134a is only about 80% as able as R-12 but takes less of it too, harder to tweak out for max performance.

If you want this as a biz beware. The costs are nasty high to have all the stuff needed for seasonal work usually. I don't heat shop hot enough nor store off season stuff to be usable off season without a day's notice to haul it all out and warm it all up and shop so hot you can verify A/C is working properly or the best guess.

Really - it was 14.8 BELOW zero not that long ago where I am how on earth do you think you could even know if A/C worked at all. By -28F or so refrigerants don't evaporate at all without pressure they stay a liquid! Know that.

80% is what you can expect with all OE R-12 components using 134a was plenty for the vintage is also personal and how many passengers, color of vehicle too when parked is enough too cook inside a black one as you know takes forever to cool down is more to think about.

Never did it but using R-12 in vehicles meant for 134a as a test back when did NOT produce more BTU of cooling ability.

Lots to think about on your part costs and how a given vehicle will be used what to do. A case of "measure twice, cut once" to decide to take this on as a biz. For me plain unstoppable interest was the motivation not the money would show as a loss!

IDK - there WAS talk and right new do make vehicles that use 1234yf which can't be retrofitted at least yet will also be older some day need yet another $10,000 bucks worth of stuff and learn how that "condensable gas" behaves.

Your call for this or what you want to do to try to make a buck at this game which isn't - there's LOT to understand or the mistakes will set you back worse off then doing nothing in many cases - more and more things are like that it's disappointing to me, an old phart doesn't like obsolescence built in and it's everywhere,

[hamlet]

My concern with the '94 hose is that the low side might also might be metric, and not mate to your accumulator.

Good point, I just now checked, and see that it does fit, so this is good. However, I am concerned about the one hard line going from the condenser to the
evaporator.... Can I get a crimp for that one? (I want to keep this R134a condenser, as it is purported to be more efficient.)

[Cornbinder89]

Tom, all new 30lb kegs now have a check-valve in the tap, You can't use them to store refrigerant anymore. What you can use, is an old barbeque LP tank, if it is clean and vacuumed. but keep in mind that LP is flammable, and their might be a little cross contamination. It does require making an adaptor for the fittings. The check valve have been in the kegs for 20 some odd years. You need a real old keg to be able to use it.
I bought a surplus 110 volt compressor that I use to draw out the refrigerant and store in the LP tank when I need too..
I have found that 134a does very well if you over size the condenser 20% or so over what R 12 required. My trucks that were built with R 12 do very well, on 134a with bigger condensers.
I hope never to have to deal with 1234yf.

[Cornbinder89]

Good point, I just now checked, and see that it does fit, so this is good. However, I am concerned about the one hard line going from the condenser to the
evaporator.... Can I get a crimp for that one? (I want to keep this R134a condenser, as it is purported to be more efficient.)

If it is a hard line all the way from the condenser to the orifice tube, you can buy a metric fitting for the nut only, cut the fitting to get the nut off, find a straight section of aluminum tube, cut the tube and use a 45 deg flare union with refrigeration nuts on the line to re join it. Slide the metric nut in place of the std nut, and the refrigeration nut before flaring the aluminum line .They make "compression unions" but I find they don't last long term. I prefer double flares.
Another option would be to replace the hard line with hose, if room allows.
edit:
I assumed the '93 hose you have now, the low side would be std inch fitting on the low side, what I was concerned that the '94 hose may have metric on the low side as well as the high side.

[hamlet]

Alright, thank you. I might be able to find a hard line from a '94 silverado that has the correct metric nut for the condenser side. Where can I get a refrigeration flare union?

[Cornbinder89]

A good hardware store or McMaster Carr?

[Tom Greenleaf]

OMG, I have an adaptor you screw on the tanks that defeat any one-way check valve! Ones I see are just a large Schrader just unscrew it? It was sold by I.D. = Interdynamics I think. Sorry for any confusion just I have a warehouse of tools and crap to do almost anything even a one gauge manifold reads both high and low pressures just only one at a time - road services was part of the game can't bring everything with you! That was for limousines nobody would take 40 foot cars in and mess up their whole day!

Other - plain air cans sold dirt cheap too just unscrew the whatever and find out what to adapt to. As far as propane tanks if vacuumed out reading a vacuum there's nothing left.

IDK again as if you wanted just compressed portable air I could do that with an expired propane tank in no time.

Another "other": Wire wheel the rubber of tire valve stems and you have usually a barbed fitting, brass to work with just take Schrader out and put back if using heat to seal, solder or what you might dream up.

Yes - I've done that to read A/C pressures in assorted things with a flipping tire gauge.

All this stuff was just available some probably technically not legal. I can't fight everything being illegal and get anything done as in the limo service nobody anywhere near me would touch the owner's cars for goofy (it's deadly in those without A/C) crap like A/C unique on most rear evaps behind front seat just ducts to the whole rear had to do something!

[Cornbinder89]

The keg's I've got have the check down below the tap. You could knock the tap off and weld a new spud on, but can't get at the check valve without destroying the shut off valve... They are trying to idiot proof everything, so if hooked to the high-side you can't blow the keg. I had two of the old style LP tanks, after they changed to the new LP tanks a decade or so ago. I use one for refrigerant storage.
There can be a little oil in LP that will not be removed via vacuum,
Just to be clear, the LP tanks I am talking about are the 30 lb tanks.