Replies sorted oldest to newest
Yep.
Time to get a new hose. 
It is really long and goes all the way from the back engine compartment under the rocker and inside the car .. it will be no fun to do. 
I'm building an AC system for my IM. If you can't get the connection to seal using Teflon tape (unlikely, but cheap to try), you'll need to replace the hose and connections on the hose.
Ifound a local company to build the hoses for me. It wasn't cheap, but I had sold my AC hose crimping equipment and decided I didn't want to do it again. Ask around at car parts stores.
Ray, how bad is the leak? Mine does that a little too, I did have Henry look at it when the car was up there in 2015 . It is better but still leek a little. It's on Sandy's side, we don't run the air that much but she just throws a small towel down there. She doesn't care about the car, just her shoes getting wet 😂
It’s not that kind of leak, Marty. The leak he’s talking about is in the refrigeration system, not in the condensate removal.
He’s leaking R134a, not water. But depending on how bad it is, just adding a can of gas every summer doesn’t seem like a bad solution.
But depending on how bad it is, just adding a can of gas every summer doesn’t seem like a bad solution.
Oh, you have the tree huggers running in circles yelling "ozone layer depletion, the world ends in 10 years!" On my Toyota - where hard aluminum cable parts joint there was a silicone/rubber O-ring plus the tightening nut bit. I had to replace to get a good seal. If its the flexible hydraulic line where it's crimped on - suspect like Stan said it needs a new cable -- or the end replaced (might be able to do on the car).
R134a has no ozone depletion potential. We have not moved on to the new crisis, which is global warming potential.
Well if the dye can finally all come out I might test to see how long the coolant lasts before I go for the whole change up. Marty condensation happens on mine too 
thanks for the help.
I usually end up going every 1-2 summers for a top up. It seems these aftermarket systems sometimes have issues or is it just the length of the hose?
@Stan Galat I was wondering if a gear clamp, the good ones, with sometype of sealant could be done to completely encase the joint and seal it. Kind of like molding a rubber or sillicone encasement. Ear mold silicone the stuff is like unbelievable in keeping a shape.
J-Weld ?
The hose is the major hose coming from the engine and I am sure that I would have a lot of fun to change it. Just saying.
Ray, in my experience I've had very poor luck trying to get a long lasting reseal of a crimped AC connector. Another option is to just cut off the last foot or so of the big hose and have a short replacement end made up. You can connect two same sized hoses together with special screw clamps and a short piece of pipe. Exact length and location depends on where you have the best access to the hose and where it creates the least amount of stress on the connection.
Mike
It just struck me (I’m a bit slow sometimes) how odd it is for us to be having this conversation on a site about Speedsters. Let’s face it, they used to barely have tops, much less creature comforts like A/C. And here I am soon to be (at least I hope so) drinking the same Kool-Aid.
Thanks Mike, I might be able to get someone to do that I will investigate
IaM-Ray posted:@Stan Galat I was wondering if a gear clamp, the good ones, with sometype of sealant could be done to completely encase the joint and seal it. Kind of like molding a rubber or sillicone encasement. Ear mold silicone the stuff is like unbelievable in keeping a shape.
J-Weld ?
The hose is the major hose coming from the engine and I am sure that I would have a lot of fun to change it. Just saying.
So-- short answer is, "do you have any confidence of these various repairs holding 250 psi in a vibrating and hot condition?" I don't.
As you know, the crimped connection is leaking. If you can fit a hydraulic hose crimp set-up in there, you might be able to re-crimp it. Alternately, you can cut it off at the end of the collar, and try to cut the ferrule off of the fitting, get another ferrule, push the (shortened) hose onto the fitting, and re-crimp the new ferrule.
... or just bite the bullet and get a new hose.
The question isn't "why is it leaking". The question I have is why some of them don't.
Good question Stan it seems rather rudimentary as a crimp’ System..
I think the issue for me is that if I can save it and maybe add some coolant every year or so I can live with it
Stay tuned for further updates
I recall a leak on Vince's old Speedster "El Diablo" and I found this old picture.
I'll say what everyone is thinking:
Ray, get a new hose you hoser! LOL!
Good one baaaa
Troy Sloan posted:I recall a leak on Vince's old Speedster "El Diablo" and I found this old picture.
BWAAAAAA HAAAAAAAA! 
Ray, the picture on Troy's response is not inserted into his response but in the attachment box below. I'm not sure, but that attachment box may not be showing on smart phone.
Makes your phone a "Not-so-smart" phone then, huh?
Gordon Nichols posted:Makes your phone a "Not-so-smart" phone then, huh?
We have mandatory yellow alerts etc on our phone I actually want to go back to a plain phone and use a smart tablet . They call or alert in the wee hours of the morning.
The left wingers here don’t believe in giving you choice or allow you to use your phone as a. Alarm clock.
Some phones have a “Do not disturb” setting that you can program to go silent at night. I needed that last winter to ignore everything at night when I had pneumonia. Check to see if your phone supports it!
You can ALWAYS turn the damned thing off, but that makes the alarm clock function a bit of a problem.
Anyone use this product ? Red Angel @Stan Galat
IaM-Ray posted:Anyone use this product ? Red Angel @Stan Galat
Stop leak solutions for refrigeration systems are a last-gasp effort for when a leak is buried in a cold wall or some place where the entire thing would need replaced to fix it.
You know where your leak is, and it's on a hose. I would never recommend putting something into the system that could (and in all likelihood, would) restrict or plug the metering device (TXV). I know you don't want to, but just replace the hose, or add gas as needed to top it A/C system off. R134a is about $3/lb wholesale, and I'll bet your system holds less than 3 lbs.
You may do as you wish, but quick fixes almost never work.
IaM-Ray posted:Anyone use this product ? Red Angel @Stan Galat
What Stan said.
You might consider putting the top down.
Lol, I tried top down this weekend. AC is really a cool thing. I found a company that makes specialized fittings for in field repairs, and hose replacement, I am waiting for their info on the dual clip they sell. Will update the list when I get the info it might be an easier fix.
If you go with an “in field repair” fitting, you’ll still have to evacuate the system and recharge it, right?
So, if you’re gonna do all that anyway, why not just get a new hose installed? Any competent A/C shop can make one and snake it through and you’ll be done with it.
Well it goes from the engine, under the rocker panel with other hoses and coolant hoses, then via the wheelwell, then under the dash and it is tied at every point. So while it can be done if I can make a small patch hose, if there is not enough hosing left after I cut the end off, it could be much easier. Then again, your right in that I need to evacuate it and after it is done recharge it. Just a lot of fun, like carbs
“AC is really a cool thing.”
Hah! I see whatcha did there. 🤣
Update on the AC fix.
I was able to find a supplier near Bob who carried this new line so I bought enough to change the hose from under the dash to the engine compartment. This hose was a #10 but I bought the straight connectors like below. 
@David Stroud IM Roadster D Thanks for the recommendation of your mechanic in Stittsville who recommended Vern Hinton nearby who was able to get me a Male end and cut the old hose end and weld the male fitting unto my compressor metal aluminum hose.
Here is his really neat weld and after I reattached it to the AC compressor. You can see the plastic bag to seal it till I get at it.
Next a complete hose change and run it to the AC underdash unit.
Looks like great work, Ray. I'm glad the end of the AC problem is in sight!
My issue was the #10 hose with the normal crimped fittings was being torqued continually and eventually leaked so it seemed fruitless to just repeat it and leave the stress on the new fitting.
So this fitting below was cut and welded to the compressor end. Now I can use the new flexible hose which will have no stress on the end connectors. BTW the new DIY connectors are pretty neat and the bonus is I can fix it myself.
Well done, Ray!
Who is my mechanic in Stittsville ? Do you mean North Gower ? Glad it worked out for you.
Yes I meant North Gower... Sorry.
