Any Quick Help Out There? Ac Quick-disconnect Fittings

[mbsl98]

After reading everything I can find on doing the evap swap, I expected the AC quick-discponnect fittings to be potentially the biggest issue, and true enough, I am now stumped on getting the two lines to the evaporator disconnected at the firewall. I bought two diferent kinds of quick disconnect tools - one is a spring loaded cage type and the other is a simpler white plastic tool without the cage. When I insert the tool into the black fitting, from the firewall side, it is supposed to simply press in and release the internal spring so that the evap pipe and the black line going forward can be pulled apart. Mostly, the instructions say that not much pressure is required to release the spring, and that more force may be required to actually separate the parts due to years of internal corrosion. When I push on the tool, I cannot feel any sort of give or motion that suggests that the tools is pushing under the internal spring, and absolutely no motion when pulling apart the twp pieces with the tool in place. It really feels as if the tool is just hitting a solid blockage, with nothing releasing or freeing up or loosening in any way. I know you are not supposed to apply much presure with tools, etc for fear of damaging teh black fitting/line, but I have applied a fair amount of presssure anyway, still with no movement at all. Can anyone spell out just how these tools should work and feel? Any tricks or tips to get these apart? Last resort would be cutting the lines and ordering new, but they are pretty pricey and I am reluctant to do that considering that they are supposed to come apart easily. I have half the car apart now, so quick inputs would be much appreciated. Thanks

[prasamin]

After reading everything I can find on doing the evap swap, I expected the AC quick-discponnect fittings to be potentially the biggest issue, and true enough, I am now stumped on getting the two lines to the evaporator disconnected at the firewall. I bought two diferent kinds of quick disconnect tools - one is a spring loaded cage type and the other is a simpler white plastic tool without the cage. When I insert the tool into the black fitting, from the firewall side, it is supposed to simply press in and release the internal spring so that the evap pipe and the black line going forward can be pulled apart. Mostly, the instructions say that not much pressure is required to release the spring, and that more force may be required to actually separate the parts due to years of internal corrosion. When I push on the tool, I cannot feel any sort of give or motion that suggests that the tools is pushing under the internal spring, and absolutely no motion when pulling apart the twp pieces with the tool in place. It really feels as if the tool is just hitting a solid blockage, with nothing releasing or freeing up or loosening in any way. I know you are not supposed to apply much presure with tools, etc for fear of damaging teh black fitting/line, but I have applied a fair amount of presssure anyway, still with no movement at all. Can anyone spell out just how these tools should work and feel? Any tricks or tips to get these apart? Last resort would be cutting the lines and ordering new, but they are pretty pricey and I am reluctant to do that considering that they are supposed to come apart easily. I have half the car apart now, so quick inputs would be much appreciated. Thanks

yeah, we ran into this same problem...used all kinds of tools, and then ended up using the white plastic ones, but i used pliers to push the tool into and under the spring....one finger of the plier rests on the flare of the tool, while the other rests on the flare of the a/c pipe...push together to get the tool to slide in...it's going to get chewed up, but i couldn't figure out any other way to do it.

there is also a metal tool that works a bit better, but it's harder to maneuver because of it's larger size.

[mbsl98]

Thanks Pras, That was just the trick it needed. At least it worked like a champ on the two firewall fittings, but the one on the receiver is still stubborn - I'll add some more PB Blaster on that and try later. For now, I can take apart the rest of the inside an get the evap done at least. Sure glad i bought the two different styles of disconnect tools - I thought the other ones would be the better, but no way to get the same leverage. Mike