2000 Silverado Hi side port leaking

[Mark86]

2000 Chevy Silver-Rattle, w/5.3

Hi side service port leaking, not a small bubble type leak you seal with the cap. It’s enough that the system would empty in 20 minutes without the cap.

Tried removing the port, and it will not budge. The high side line has a nut welded on, and the service port screws into that, sealed via O-Ring.
Both the welded nut, and the port are 16MM.

Any tricks? Tried gently heating the nut, but it appears to be aluminum pipe and didn’t want to damage the weld.

[tbirdtbird]

Use no heat.

This comes up all the time if it is what I think it is. Look closely at where the port screws onto that nut. There is a thin dividing line. You put one wrench on the nut, and another on the port.
Post a pic for clarity

[Mark86]

Thanks, I was looking at the two hex bolt parting line. It’s out!

[GM Tech]

I use vice grips to grip up high- who cares if the sealing area gets marred- I'm replacing that part....

[Mark86]

I used a Knipex. I have a few of those valves, and both have a hex nut base, which this does not.

[Mark86]

2000 Silverado 1500, 5.3L LS ext cab, no rear evap.

The data tag is old and hard to read, so looking for charge weight. I can barely make out 0.6 or 0.8 Kg which converts to 21.12 oz or 28.16oz

This shows 32oz 8oz pag150 w OE compressor.
https://www.4s.com/media/3656/four-seas ... -guide.pdf

Just want to get a confirmation.

[Mark86]

Serviced today, unsure of what the actual charge should be, I started with 24 oz liquid, then walked it up to 28oz by gas.

When it was discharged, I pulled the O/T and it was clean/clear. Sprayed it of with brake cleaner, lubed and shoved it back in. New Accumulate. 2oz of oil came out of the old accumulator, and i put 2oz in the new accumulator.

After about 3 min it was clear there was an airflow issue over the condenser. Pressure slowly climbed to 350, water mist dropped it to 220. Pulled the top shroud, and top half of fan shroud and loosened radiator mount. There was about an inch gap along both sides of the radiator to condenser mount. Remnants of some type of foam seal present, but most long gone. The plastic “shroud” that covers the top gap between the radiator support and grill forces the air through the radiator, but there is a 2” gap above the condenser/radiator support that air can go around the condenser. Blew both rad and cond out with air, then took the foam cleaner to them, and hosed them off. They weren’t bad, but now was the time. Sealed all sides and packaged it up. That brought the high side down to 260-270. Fan clutch is stock, 22 yrs old. It spins the same cold or hot, so ordered a new GM fan clutch.

1000 RPM
100* OAT
Low 37 high 265
Vent temp 43*

[JohnHere]

The data tag is old and hard to read, so looking for charge weight. I can barely make out 0.6 or 0.8 Kg which converts to 21.12 oz or 28.16oz
This shows 32oz 8oz pag150 w OE compressor.
https://www.4s.com/media/3656/four-seas ... -guide.pdf

The under-hood decal, which always takes precedence, probably reads 0.8 Kg, which is my educated guess.

Serviced today, unsure of what the actual charge should be, I started with 24 oz liquid, then walked it up to 28oz by gas.

Fan clutch is stock, 22 yrs old. It spins the same cold or hot, so ordered a new GM fan clutch.
1000 RPM
100* OAT
Low 37 high 265
Vent temp 43*

Your readings look pretty good, so it appears that your charge amount is accurate. Those viscous-drive fan clutches last only a few years. You sure got your money's worth out of the old one.

Replace the fan clutch and bump-up the engine speed to 1,500-1,800 RPM, and the pressures and vent temperature should drop a bit more.

[Mark86]

The ambient would dictate a higher LP then 37. But it’s blowing cold so I stopped. I’m going to get the fan clutch in and see what that does to pressures, and adjust from there.

[tbirdtbird]

Actually,
100* OAT
Low 37 high 265
Vent temp 43*

Look like excellent pressures and a vent temp to be envied. If you are trying to read pressures off some table someplace, throw it away. We do not use them. If your lo goes up, so won't your vent temp.

Please refer to John's comment just before your last one

Always a good idea to replace a fan clutch, tho