1995 Fleetwood Brougham ports won't seal on gage manifold hoses

[Willie]

I did a compressor case seal on a HD-6 compressor on a '95 Fleetwood Brougham and when I hooked up my gage manifold, I could not get the high side to latch and the low side would not seal against the hose. The vacuum pump wouldn't draw down but when I closed the valve on the hose by the port, it went down to 28" of vacuum.

I tried the hose on my 2005 Deville and it sealed just fine. Upon further inspection the ports are totally different between the two cars. Is there some kind of adapters that are needed to use the gage set?

[Tom Greenleaf]

Not all connectors will cooperate so you need ends that do. Right angle ones or what works a reason to have more than one set of gauges - bummer that stops the show over just that,

[Willie]

I have no idea what to buy. I thought all R-134a service ports were supposed to be standardized? I've used the same gage manifold and hoses on multiple vehicles over the years and never had an issue until last night.

[Tom Greenleaf]

The ports are a standard size just some at angles or too tight where placed to get at others a slight difference in manufacture. Thought it was just me but ended up with more hoses for some reason others work right away others never work/seal but do on the next. IDK - I've also ended up making up just the ends literally with retrofit fittings and a 1/4 NPT union to connect those in frustration once 3 sets now just two at the moment do something so the show doesn't get held up over such things - you aren't alone. Snap-On - AKA- Robinaire (complete with outrageous price) almost always works just a note,

[Cornbinder89]

I find the cheaper aluminum retro-fit adaptors to be the worse, but a '95 should be 134a from the get-go so that shouldn't be the problem. On the manifold side, go with quality hose/ connectors and see if that solves it.

[Tom Greenleaf]

High side? Is the fitting new now too if so which type ball valve or Schrader aftermarket maybe? I found many of those need the Schrader adjusted or nothing works 99% the aluminum ones as Cornbinder said - the worst,

[Cusser]

We used to have a 1994 GMC Suburban factory R134a, and to get the high side to push down the valve to get it open/get a reading, I had to press straight down on the connected fitting. For some reason some of those were set deep.

[Willie]

The car is all original - only 20,000 miles and has the factory accumulator and lines. The high side would not latch - the locking ring on the hose was 3/32" away from the position where it would have locked. The low side connected but would not seal against the o-ring in the hose.

[Cornbinder89]

One thought, some caps have a rubber doughnut or O ring to seal dirt out when the cap is on, sometimes these stick to the metal and don't come off with the cap like they are supposed to. That would hold your connector too far out to latch. Like I say just a thought, may not be the problem.

[Willie]

Update: The cause of not drawing vacuum was the refrigerant line manifold wasn't seated properly on the back of the compressor. I was able to remove it from the top side and noticed a burr on the portion of the line that goes into the compressor. I plugged the tubes, then carefully filed away the burr and reconnected it. It now seals on the low side but the high side gage line won't connect to the high side port.

I then decided to draw a vacuum on it and charge it up. It held vacuum for 10 minutes do I let the vacuum pump run for another hour. At the 40 minute mark, it was still pumping down. When I went to charge it, only the vacuum pump motor was running - the pump was not pumping.

I noticed a rubber piece laying on the garage floor and it turned out to be the coupling between the motor and vacuum pump... Essentra Components has the art in stock so I should be able to complete this project next week. This thing has fought me every step of the way but I think it's just about done.

[Tom Greenleaf]

High side? Is the fitting new now too if so which type ball valve or Schrader aftermarket maybe? I found many of those need the Schrader adjusted or nothing works 99% the aluminum ones as Cornbinder said - the worst,

[Tom Greenleaf]

? I didn't post the prior post was in wait for something so let it go and came out with my name on it? Valid question still,

[Willie]

Everything on this car is 100% original. The high side hose never would connect to the high side fitting on the car. It connects to my '05 Deville as well as other cars I've had without a problem. Once I fix my vacuum pump, I am just going to vacuum it down from the low side, charge it up and be done with it.

[Tom Greenleaf]

Some OE one I think were cheap aluminum subject to trouble. Point was made is it a ball valve shouldn't matter if it fit on tight just those leak like crazy easily so count on the cap in perfect condition especially those. Just look - it's ball or the A/C Schrader neither stop you from connecting alone a Schrader might if wildly wrong in some way? If that take it out when it's empty if only to check the thing the project can't fail because of something so silly. Whole units look welded but are not. Don't mess with that it's thread locked pretty well and if not available did replace one with a used took me ages at a pick your own parts to get one out without totally busting up things.

Other is if it tight just with enough equipment can do without high side totally many vehicles don't have them at all from new - higher end vehicles included.

The alternative way to know pressure is to know EXACT temp right there when it has a charge will post chart again if needed. It speaks volumes on what's going on where to know best with touchless infrared thermos well tested so you know it's not junk too.

Said somewhere or more than once can't touch anything without two sets of everything and be messed up like you are and it sure could be the gauges!

Side note: My trusty vacuum pump busted that plastic/rubber thing first try this year! Didn't know there was a thing in there and fixed it for now maybe forever with a fat worm gear hose clamp was plenty strong enough untested on a car has vacuumed out gauges no problem? Totally seasonal for me to touch A/C anything is naturally slow nobody would know it isn't working unless making a noise or worse the DeVilles in the early 90s couldn't do without a clutch for the belt system do just that fine or more if whole compressor needed pump it down near 100% please let me deal with it when warmer so I know it works properly all ways near impossible to duplicate 80-90F temps when it's ZERO car and all,