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  #1  
Old 06-29-2017, 05:36 AM
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Default 1998 Frontier - AC High Pressure Line

1998 Frontier, 4-cylinder, got a pinhole in the AC High Pressure Line last week. Apparently discontinued by Nissan, aftermarket is available, seems like same part available under names like 4 Seasons, Everco, Murray.

The issue is that I can't get the end fittings of the hose to fit into the recesses of the compressor and condenser 100% flush, there's like a 1/16-inch gap when I use a mirror and look, on the side opposite the bolt. So I think this will leak refrigerant again. The O-ring itself it NOT visible through this gap. I don't feel like trying to hammer on the fittings ends, plus access there is not so good.

Any thoughts? Thanks.

Last edited by Cusser; 06-29-2017 at 06:03 AM.
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  #2  
Old 06-29-2017, 07:42 AM
JRJoe JRJoe is offline
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Cusser,

Couple of option's that come to mind:

Take the old hose to a Professional AC Shop that's been in business for a long time. They might have a hose with the correct end fitting's. If no go, then they might be able to refer you to a Shop that can make up the Hose with the correct end fitting's. If no go,, then you might take the old hose to a Hydraulic Hose Shop, and they might have the correct end fitting's to make up a New Hose or they can cut out the section with the pin hole and splice the hose together with their fitting's. Hydraulic Hose is made to withstand Very High Pressure. If still no go,, then a salvage yard.

Afterthought: If the Threaded hose part is male and just too long, then it can be ground off to the correct length, then the end carefully camfered so that it will thread in to the connector. This might be the easiest to do at your shop or a machine shop.
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Last edited by JRJoe; 06-29-2017 at 07:57 AM.
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  #3  
Old 06-29-2017, 01:05 PM
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Thanks, Joe, might be best to get the old hose repaired; will try a fit without the O-rings and use the bolt, and compare to the original hose fitment. The original hose looked flush at both ends, but with the new hose I can see with a mirror a 1/16-inch gap at the fittings.

I'm afraid to tighten the bolts more like to draw the fitting in (it's toughing on the bolt side), don't want to snap the bolts or screw up threads in the condenser or compressor. I don't have a torque wrench here but can pick up up if necessary to check on the 14-18 ft lbs specified (the bolts are not loose).

I guess my other choice is to just try as it is, and if my 24 oz. R134a escapes (violently) again, then investigate further. If the refrigerant disappears again and I can't figure out, I'll schedule a visit to my mechanic July 10.
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  #4  
Old 06-29-2017, 02:35 PM
JRJoe JRJoe is offline
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Cusser,

I know that you have, but just in case,, be sure to check the thread pitch, as that might be a possibility. Probly the same, but thought I should mention.
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  #5  
Old 06-30-2017, 07:31 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JRJoe View Post
Cusser,
I know that you have, but just in case,, be sure to check the thread pitch, as that might be a possibility. Probly the same, but thought I should mention.
There is no thread pitch.

Lower part of the original hose is on the right in this picture, refrigeration oil flowed down by gravity.


The old hose and replacement hose both look like this, see the ends with the O-rings


The fittings on the replacement part just fit 1/16-inch away from being flush on the side away from the single attaching bolt, and I did have a leak at the compressor side after 350 miles of driving using the AC.
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  #6  
Old 06-30-2017, 09:55 AM
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I have a new theory: the fan clutch could be faulty, causing higher pressures than optimal, caused the first pinhole. After the initial hose replacement the AC ran fine for 350 miles - but highway miles. When it leaked after that, Mrs. Cusser was driving it around the arena at very slow speed, not enough to ram air over the condenser. So my theory is that the high pressure kept building up, and thus had to "find a place to leak out" eventually.

After start up, one can readily see that the fan blade is spinning slower than it should, and the blade failed the "rolled up newspaper stoppage test". It is a lifetime warranty fan clutch, and should be easy to replace using the special extra-long 10mm wrench I invented.

Anyway: fan clutch is bad, and I always say "fix first what you KNOW is bad".

Last edited by Cusser; 06-30-2017 at 11:07 AM.
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  #7  
Old 06-30-2017, 11:33 AM
JRJoe JRJoe is offline
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Thanks Cusser,

Well that tells you how much I know about AC unit's.

However once you get the Fan Clutch fixed, and if it still leaks, then I would think that it wouldn't be too hard, if necessary to shave a little bit off of the New Fitting if needed to fully seat the O-Ring. Might even be able to do it with a File,, if held in something like a vise, so that the fileing would be at a 90 Degree angle, as long as everything else on the fitting stay's the same in relation to the original Hose Fitting. I'd stick something up in there though, so that no metal fileing's will get into the Line.

I bet it is really Hot out there now,, so I know that you need to get it going asap. I was working out in the Garage last night and the humidity Plus the heat had my coverall's soaked.

This Heat is really hard for me to deal with, especially when it's time to work with the Weed Eater.

Sound's like you are on a Plan, so good luck.

Last edited by JRJoe; 06-30-2017 at 11:38 AM.
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  #8  
Old 06-30-2017, 07:02 PM
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Replacement fan clutch has been installed, the old one definitely was bad. I think this falls into line why the AC shut off a few times on Monday June 19th in the record heat - poor fan clutch caused high pressure safety to disengage the AC compressor. After that I discovered the pinhole, thought the pinhole was just due to trucks age/219K miles.

So the bad fan clutch may have accelerated the pinhole to happen. Anyway, new fan clutch spins much better, we'll need to try out that AC system in real life now, see if that O-ring holds; if not, then I'll go to that next step. I'll keep this thread updated as I find out more.
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  #9  
Old 07-04-2017, 03:45 PM
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OK - finally GOT TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS !!!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cusser View Post
Leaked refrigerant through the O-ring seal at the compressor !!! It seems like this high pressure hose is only from one manufacturer, in China, sold at both Autozone and O'Reilly and others as different brand names like Murray or Four Seasons or Everco, all with same sticker with Texas address and stating made in China. This part has been discontinued through Nissan.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cusser View Post
The issue is that I can't get the end fittings of the hose to fit into the recesses of the compressor and condenser 100% flush, there's like a 1/16-inch gap when I use a mirror and look, on the side opposite the bolt. So I think this will leak refrigerant again. The O-ring itself it NOT visible through this gap. I don't feel like trying to hammer on the fittings ends, plus access there is not so good.
Today, had to return to Phoenix to investigate an electric water heater leak discovered by my youngest daughter (it's at the top, may be a connection, but may need a new WH). Once there, I located my original AC line and matched it up to the 2nd AC line (one Murray from O'Reilly, one 4 Seasons/Everco from Autozone, same exact hose, same sticker with Texas address on the hose, even though made in China). The cylindrical fitting on the aftermarket fittings extends 14mm, yet the cylindrical fitting on the original Nissan unit extends just 9.5mm. My math skills tell me that's 4.5mm difference, a TON !!! I had already ground off about 2.5mm of the 1st aftermarket hose/fittings, but it looks like I was at least a full 2mm shy, no wonder these ends did not fit flush in the condenser or compressor !!! The O-ring looks to be in the same position on both, but I cannot believe that everyone is grinding these shorter. See photo:


I don't know if the computer listing is wrong (hose is correct length and metal parts the same shape as the original Nissan) just the cylindrical metal protrudes too far, or if someone botched it during set-up in China. Anyways, I cannot be the first person to have this issue, I'll be calling 4 Seasons/Murray tomorrow.

The 4 Seasons web site does list #56134 as the correct discharge hose assembly for the 1998 Frontier...

I don't know whether to let it just run fine (like on the 225 mile trip today) until it "might" spew out someday through the O-ring, or be proactive and remove the hose assembly and grind both ends down even further to match the original assembly so it will fit flush and re-evacuate and re-fill.....

Last edited by Cusser; 07-04-2017 at 03:57 PM.
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  #10  
Old 07-05-2017, 03:12 AM
JRJoe JRJoe is offline
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Quote:
The cylindrical fitting on the aftermarket fittings extends 14mm, yet the cylindrical fitting on the original Nissan unit extends just 9.5mm. My math skills tell me that's 4.5mm difference, a TON !!! I had already ground off about 2.5mm of the 1st aftermarket hose/fittings, but it looks like I was at least a full 2mm shy, no wonder these ends did not fit flush in the condenser or compressor !!! The O-ring looks to be in the same position on both, but I cannot believe that everyone is grinding these shorter.
Cusser,

That's good that the Oring is at the same location, so it sound's like the new one only need's to be shortened to be the same as the OE in length.

Could have been a miscommunication between US Inch measuring in Fraction's/Tenth's to Metric. It's a messup that you shouldn't have to deal with, but as you know, We the end user have been dealing with this for a long time, ie, 2 set's of Tool's, Inch and Metric to work on the thing's that we buy. As Manufactureing become's more Global, I expect this to continue, until something give's. I expect eventually it may be all Metric, but we still have a way's to go.

Several Year's ago, Our State put Metric Mile Marker's on the Interstate. Cost several million $'s. That caused a lot of confusion for Emergency Responder's. So they spent several million $'s more to remove the Metric Marker's. 1 step forward, and 1 step back.
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  #11  
Old 07-05-2017, 08:00 AM
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All three reviews on Amazon for this part were positive, no comments about the ends not fitting. I called Murray/4 Seasons this morning and talked to their technical rep, he said that I was the FIRST person to bring this to their attention (I wonder if there was some early-year change by Nissan?). I asked if grinding down the ends shorter would be a decent idea, and he said Murray/4 Seasons could not "recommend" grinding down, but probably what he would do if there was no correct fitting hose available, or get the original hose repaired by a specialty shop. When I asked if Murray/4 Seasons also is the supplier to NAPA and CarQuest, he was unable to state specifically due to business reasons, but said that likely Murray supplies everybody.

AC blew nice and cold in 112F yesterday, well over 200 miles driving. I realize that if it blows through that O-ring someday I risk the unknown of how much oil gets lost, but I've already had one such "blow out", and I added back about 3.5 oz. of PAG 100.


So I "win", I'm the very first to have this issue apparently !!! So goes my life !!!
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Old 09-03-2017, 07:18 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cusser View Post
AC blew nice and cold in 112F yesterday, well over 200 miles driving. I realize that if it blows through that O-ring someday I risk the unknown of how much oil gets lost, but I've already had one such "blow out", and I added back about 3.5 oz. of PAG 100.
Update, Sept. 2017

AC still working fine, and no residue at either of those fittings. So no plans to "shorten" those ends unless that AC line needs to come off for some reason.
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