Tim- do you sell a/c caps by the bag?

GM Tech on Fri June 08, 2012 6:44 AM

Seems I always need caps- most common issue- cars come to me misisng high and low side caps-- saw high side cap on ebay-- but for $12 a cap -- wth? So here's your chance to win one!

Thanks

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The number one A/C diagnostic tool there is- is to know how much refrigerant is in the system- this can only be done by recovering and weighing the refrigerant!!
Just a thought.... 65% of A/C failures in my 3200 car diagnostic database (GM vehicles) are due to loss of refrigerant due to a leak......

NickD on Fri June 08, 2012 6:52 AM

See if you can get some good old fashion metal ones with a good neoprene seal.

Second group that should be shot with these cheapa$$ plastic ones.

GM Tech on Fri June 08, 2012 6:59 AM

Never seen a metal cap for 134a --- metal caps as I knew them where for pre-1993 model cars-- NickD- you seem to be living about 20 years behind the times LOL!

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The number one A/C diagnostic tool there is- is to know how much refrigerant is in the system- this can only be done by recovering and weighing the refrigerant!!
Just a thought.... 65% of A/C failures in my 3200 car diagnostic database (GM vehicles) are due to loss of refrigerant due to a leak......

Metal Man on Fri June 08, 2012 8:03 AM

GM TECH, If you cant find any let me know. I work at a salvage yard. I'll could send you a hand full if you want. They will be used,but free.

TRB on Fri June 08, 2012 9:15 AM

Bottom of this page has the R134a caps. We also should have some R12 caps at the office.

http://www.ackits.com/c/Miscellaneous/Miscellaneous+Products.html

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When considering your next auto A/C purchase, please consider the site that supports you: ACkits.com
Contact: ACKits.com

buickwagon on Fri June 08, 2012 9:49 AM

Oddly enough, while the outside dimensions of the R134a service ports are standardized, the inside thread dimensions are not. As near as I have been able to determine, there are 5 different sizes:

High side:
M10 x 1.25
M10 x .75
M8 x 1

Low side:
M8 x 1
M9 x 1

So you can't just get a bag of low-side caps and a bag of high-side caps and be sure of fitting all vehicles. FWIW both my GMs used 8mm threads on both high and low pressure ports. I found them for about 60ÃÂ¢ each or $35 for a bag of 100. $12 per cap seems just a little bit steep.

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I've saved hundreds on service by spending thousands on tools.

NickD on Fri June 08, 2012 12:39 PM

Quote
Originally posted by: GM Tech
Never seen a metal cap for 134a --- metal caps as I knew them where for pre-1993 model cars-- NickD- you seem to be living about 20 years behind the times LOL!

More like in a time when people had common sense and more interested in conserving refrigerant than losing it due to a cheapass plastic cap that gets brittle and breaks in half.

Even remember you saying the cap is the only good seal.

Don't know why I didn't think of this before, thread sizes are common enough, have a machine tool lathe, maybe I will make my own. And since I am an idiot and can't tell the high from the low side, will put a dab of green or red paint on the top.

buickwagon on Fri June 08, 2012 5:46 PM

Well this could prove interesting. I too have a lathe and will love to see how you accomplish this. I think it would have to be two-piece, since the cap surrounds the male thread. However, I suppose if you ground a tiny threading tool, similar to an internal threading tool in that you would feed from the end instead of the side but oriented to cut a male thread, you might sneak it between the shroud and the threaded portion.

If you tackle this, please let me know how you made out. Preferably with pictures!

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I've saved hundreds on service by spending thousands on tools.

chris142 on Sun June 17, 2012 11:12 AM

Ya I'm always getting a Ford in and it's missing it's high side cap. The Ford ones are different than most others. Another one I have a hard time finding are the smaller r12 caps.

buickwagon on Mon June 18, 2012 10:57 AM

Quote
Originally posted by: TRB
Bottom of this page has the R134a caps. We also should have some R12 caps at the office.

http://www.ackits.com/c/Miscellaneous/Miscellaneous+Products.html

I just noticed that you list an M10x1 high side cap. Is that a misprint or is there a sixth size out there too that I didn't know about?

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I've saved hundreds on service by spending thousands on tools.

TRB on Mon June 18, 2012 11:25 AM

We have available a complete R12 & R134a Cap Kit. Runs about $19.00. Working on getting some images for you all.

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