Handling Refrigerant Lines & Fittings

Important

^ When opening the refrigeration system, the work area should be well ventilated. Welding or steam cleaning operations should not be done on or near refrigeration system pipes/hoses or other air conditioning parts on the vehicle.
^ All metal tubing pipes should be free of dents or kinks to prevent loss of system capacity due to pipe restriction.
^ The flexible hoses should never be bent to a radius of less than four times the diameter of the hose.
^ The flexible hoses should never be allowed to come within a distance of 6.5 mm (2.5 inch) of the exhaust manifold.
^ Flexible hoses should be inspected regularly for leaks or brittleness and replaced with new hoses if deterioration or leaking is found.
^ When disconnecting any fitting in the refrigerant system, the system must be discharged of all refrigerant-134a. However, proceed very cautiously, regardless of the gage reading. Open very slowly, keeping your face and hands away so that no injury can occur. If pressure is noticed when a fitting is loosened, allow it to bleed off very slowly.

NOTICE: Alcohol should never be used in the refrigeration system in an attempt to remove moisture. Damage to system components could occur.

^ If any refrigerant pipe/hose is opened to the atmosphere, it should be immediately capped to prevent the entrance of moisture and dirt. This can cause internal compressor wear or plugged pipes in the condenser and evaporator core and expansion valve.
^ Sealing caps should be removed from subassemblies just before making connections for final assembly. A small amount of clean polyalkaline glycol (PAG) refrigerant oil should be used on all tube and hose joints. The oil will aid in assembly and help to provide a leakproof joint. O-rings and seats must be in perfect condition because a burr or a piece of dirt can cause a refrigerant leak.
^ The use of the proper wrenches when making connections on O-ring fittings is important. The use of improper wrenches may damage the connection. The opposing fitting should always be backed up with a wrench to prevent distortion of connection pipes/hoses or components. When connecting the flexible hose connections, it is important that the swaged fitting and the flare nut, as well as the coupling to which it is attached, be held at the same time using three different wrenches to prevent turning the fitting and damaging the seat.
^ Tighten all connections to the specified torque. Refer to Specifications.