Service hose and connector questions

[penright]

I learned about HVAC systems while working at a service station in the late '70s and early '80s, and I've collected service equipment over the years, including gauges for R12 and R134a refrigerants.

Recently, while checking my friend's 2003 S10, I noticed a slight leak at the high-side connection on my gauges. I remember my former boss kept spare seals and brass valve actuators, which I believe is the correct term. I’m looking to purchase replacements and want to confirm the specifications.

I think the size I need is 1/4", but I could not find any on ACKits.com. If I've overlooked any options, I would appreciate any guidance. My online search revealed various styles of seals. When I disconnected my gauges, the manifold side had the "valve actuators," which doesn’t seem right to me.

Since my DIY experience, I have only dealt with R134a systems, so I have only used the R134a adapters. This might mean it doesn't matter which end had the "valve actuators." I’ve seen different types of seals and "valve actuators"—are they interchangeable? Additionally, I’ve noticed green and black seals; do these colors indicate size or just the type of rubber?

Summary of Questions

1. What size seals and "valve actuators" do I need?
2. Are the different types and shapes of seals interchangeable?
3. Are the "valve actuators" interchangeable?
4. Do the green and black seals indicate size or just the type of rubber?
5. If I missed any options for replacement parts on ACKits.com, could someone point me in the right direction?


For reference, what I have matches the middle row in the picture below.

Example of my questions

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[JohnHere]

I'll try answering your questions, but it depends on whether you're talking 1/4" R-12 hose seals and Schrader valve actuators (core depressors), ACME R-134a seals, or R-1234yf seals.

The hoses having core depressors on one end for 1/4" R-12 fittings attach onto the service port (vehicle) side, not onto the Manifold Gauge Set (MGS) side. I have an Imperial MGS and hoses from the 1960's, and that's the way it's configured to work.

Imperial lists in their current catalog replacement seals and core depressors for these hoses as follows: P/N S7958301 (hose seal gasket), and P/N S8921626 (brass core depressor). You'll need two seals and one core depressor for each hose. I'm unsure whether the Imperial parts will fit R-12 hoses made by other manufacturers, though.

I would contact the manufacturers of your R-12, R-134a, and/or R-1234yf hoses for replacement parts. Note that the latter two hose sets don't have core depressors because of the thumb-wheel adapters that attach directly onto the service ports of the vehicles.

1. What size seals and "valve actuators" do I need?
2. Are the different types and shapes of seals interchangeable?
3. Are the "valve actuators" interchangeable?
4. Do the green and black seals indicate size or just the type of rubber?
5. If I missed any options for replacement parts on ACKits.com, could someone point me in the right direction?

1. See above.
2. Not usually.
3. No, not that I'm aware of.
4. Just the type of rubber: Black indicates rubber (older style), green indicates HNBR (newer style).
5. You might be able to purchase suitable seals and core depressors to fit your hoses from companies such as Santech, Mastercool, Robinair, CPS, JB Industries, Yellow Jacket/Ritchie, Century Tool & Equipment, etc.