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OK, so I’m trying to pull the heater core on a 94 Taurus GL (Gen 2?). Already have a pile of parts on the ground and have the dashboard pulled out. Last part is pulling the hear core/ A/C condenser “box” off of the firewall. The only thing stopping me is TWO A/C line connections. Yes, the A/C has no charge, it probably leaked out years ago – the last time the A/C worked (as per the previous owner).
So now I’m stuck, 6+ hours of work on hold over a couple of connections. Sigh. I bought a tool at Autozone, for helping break these connections and it no worky. Shoot I even tried on a fuel line where i could see and access things. Either that or the operator suffers from some ignorance that is stopping it from working.
So what is the secret, technique or trick I am missing? HELP! :unsure:
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Try pushing the line into the tool the same time you’re trying to push the tool into the fitting. You should be able to feel the internal spring being expanded once the tool slides in. It’s going to be a little tough considering how close they humped the firewall on that fitting. It also looks like you might possibly be trying to use a size too large on the release tool. Try a size down too.
Yes, I prefer the white plastic rings to that larger style. They look cheap and flimsy, but they work. The protrusion of the ring goes under what is called a garter spring (which is under that wedding ring looking thing) by wrapping itself tightly to the line . Ring Has to be the right size, and it takes no force..just a bit of steady pushing/sliding on the ring while pulling, gently on the tube/line outwark Its really easy when using the right tool, and right size. Conversley, you will never get it even with a BFH, or prybar, or whatever tool doesn’t belong there. These are quick disconnect types because they take no time to remove when handled right.. That scissor type looks like it doesn’t fit in there well. Get the white plastic ones and try it again.
http://acblockkits.com/ac-fuel-line-quick-disconnect-tool-set
If it does not take you straight to the pics, hit Instructions button.
Your lines are also likely caked inside from times not used and that tends to build up at connections.
BestThanks to all for the ideas and suggestions! Much appreciated!
So now I have done the following:
- Liberally sprayed the connections with PB Blaster. Several times over 24 hour period.
- Used two different sizes of the metal sizzor tool, using vice grips to hold it closed.
- – pried tool into quick connect.
- Used two different sizes of the plastic tools – White and black. No other sizes would go around this nearly 1-in tube. Got the white tool to insert in fitting.
- While tool(s) were inserted into “quick connect” I pushed toward the tool on the other side (other pipe)
- – shaking by pushing enough to shake and move the entire car.
So for something that is suppose to be a “quick connect” that takes no time or energy to disengage, I’m stumped. Sure looks like this is not a “normal” situation as things aren’t working as they should. Either that or I’m dumber than a “quick connect!” *&^%$# This is SO frustrating!
[color=#ff00ff][b]
So what to do?
Is there a technique for recalcitrant “quick connects?”[/b][/color]As the car guys would say the bottom of a river or lake is looking like a viable option…. :silly:
make sure the plastic tool is fully inserted — pushing the inner garter spring completely of the way. Don’t grab the wedding ring part, leave it, pull the line out of the fitting while pushing the collar under the large ring, or the part with the spring in it AT the same time. IF you don’t get that tool fully seated, the spring will not be pushed far enough of the way and the line wll go nowhere.
Thanks again for those good suggestions and that nice video!!!
Now I hope I don’t sound bad here…..I believe I have been doing all of what has been suggested.
Hey, I have gotten the plastic tool to go 3/16-in+ into the quick connect. There is no clicking sound, no sound or feel of anything moving at all. I have inserted and rotated the tool 360-degrees around the axis of the tubing. No clicking sound, no feel on any movement internal to the connector.
I keep trying to get these connectors to do things they way it “should” work, but they are not doing what they should.
Perhaps the connectors are damaged some how, corroded, stuck or have demons? 😆[color=#00ff00]So what does one do when the “other than normal” situation occurs?
What are the ‘outside the box” solutions when “business as usual” doesn’t work?[/color]My kingdom for a solution! :cheer:
No, it’s simply Ford. No demons.
From my unfortunate days of owning a Taurus, and that’s when I learned about them AC line tools, I recall them being very stubborn, just like you have. I think, I had to seriously cram that tool into the coupling. But then again, I am very strong guy.
Also, make sure you opening the proper side of it.LOL! OK, the Demon Ford then!
Well so much for the 98-lb weakling theory….
Here’s the plastic tool fully embedded into the the “quick connect.” And no clicking sound, no release of the “quick connect!”
What is the proper incantation to banish the Ford Demons? Does it involve a sawzall? :silly:
btw- here’s what the broken open fitting looks like from another car doing the same repair. Am I attacking the proper side of the quick connect?
it doesn’t click or clack those make no noise at all. All that white collar is supposed to be doing is pushing the smaller part of tool inside of the spring allowing the raised part of the line to slide out. and that collar has to be long enough to go ALL the way under the garter spring. That garter spring is inside of the large metal ring. You are getting spring off the tube by using the tool as a full round wedging device and pushing back into the high metal part of that line. There are, of course o rings on tube, and those are only slightly wider than the tube, but not as wide the bigger part of the tube which is why are pushing the spring bigger, round wise, making it, in theory a bigger diameter. Sorta like a gals arm scrunchy..they stretch and get bigger, the way your spring is supposed. Spray some silicon lube in there and try it again. If you put solvent there,and it make orings swell, that may be the problem. A hard tugging with the tool seated, and the garter spring in its larger position, it should work, Provided the smaller part of the tool is long enough, the orings see some type of lubrication that is not causing o ring swellinger, there is no other reason it wont come out.
Thanks to all who contributed here and tried to help me out! The info here has become a very good resource for these connectors. I hope others, in the future, will be able to find this information.
OK, so I’m an idiot! I got frustrated by some car parts and let that get the best of me. My apologies.
So my story… I decided to give the quick connects (QCs) one more try and if that didn’t work, cut them off. (Hey, I planned on replacing the evaporator anyway and the accumulator/drier apparently is a required replacement once it has been opened.)
So I head out to do battle. I am laying on the engine in order to reach the lower quick connect. (The one I haven’t yet tried.) Slip the blue tool in place, do the push pull thing, and all of a sudden I’m looking at a green O-ring! WOW! Now it takes quite a bit of pulling and wiggling to see the second o-ring and eventually the pipe is apart. Then the light bulb goes on!
I realized that the whole fitting I was trying to take apart needed to move more than 2-inches! The other fitting, the one I have pictures in this thread above, is attached the the accumulator/drier and that firmly bolted to the firewall. DUH! So out with the wrench and take things loose. Once I did that I shoved the metal tool into the QC and tried the old push-pull routine. Now it was not easy, no not easy at all. I had the whole car rocking from the tugging, but the QC yielded and then eventually the o-rings gave up the fight.
So yeah, if I had unbolted the accumulator/drier it might have worked the first time. I didn’t note any solvent inside the tubes near or on the o-rings, but they did not yield without a darn good fight.
So THANK YOU to all who contributed here in my time of need and frustration. I appreciate the kindness and help. I apologize for my ignorance and frustration!
Khool.
Hey, I’m really tempted to quote Q’Ran
If you see something beautiful
Praise the God
If you see something bad
Look at yourself.
Glad you got it. I had 2 Fords, a Taurus and Sable and know your pain. That’s why I still have 2 of those scissor like tools.
Now word of warning. You WILL have to replace O-rings. Do NOT use aftermarket ones. They have to be original Ford O-rings, as Ford made them with some taper that you do not have in regular store O-rings. How do I know? As I set engine on fire, that’s how I know.[quote=”college man” post=126658]Glad you got the connections off. 🙂 keep us posted on your progress.[/quote]
My apologies again – it took me a while to get it together and report my scr3w up with the connectors.
Once I got the connectors free, the rest of the job fell into place and went fairly smoothly.
Connectors off
Black boxes with heater core & evaporator out
Switched out the heater core
Cut out and replaced the evaporator
Reinstalled black boxes
Reinstalled dashboard
Switched out the ignition lock cylinder (had been problematic)
Buttoned everything up – done!
Everything works and
Oh, and no left over parts!!!!er, actually I have yet to connect the new HC to the system for a couple of reasons:
1) While the HC was leaking several years ago I used several of those “leak fixer” fluids. Yeah, they worked – for a time. So now all of that stuff is still laying around somewhere in the cooling system. I’m not interested in running that “stuff’ into the new HC. So I need to do a high level system flush. I propose to use Zerex Super Cleaner. However, that requires me to drain the antifreeze, fill the system with tap water AND the Zerex and run the car for 3 to 6 hours at operating temperature. Because the forecast here is for nights in the teens I wasn’t real thrilled with leaving a cooling system sitting with just water in it during those temperatures. I did that once… with a Pinto years ago and a cracked block! It was an important “lessons learned.”
2) One other thing I remembered from the initial HC leak was a leak in one of the hoses from the Thermostat to the pipe that leads to the HC. Oh yeah, that got “fixed” by the “leak fixer” too. So if I am going to do a flush/cleaning of the system, I suspect that leak will reappear. Therefore, I have ordered a set of hoses to replace the existing ones. Now I wait for the hoses to be delivered and the weather to be favorable. While I haven’t seen any leaks or other problems, as long as I am cleaning up the cooling system, might as well change the thermostat. I bought a NOS Ford OEM thermostat and new upper and lower radiator hoses. It is dangerous doing a repair on one car as the knowledge leads to similar things on another car!
I will say that in replacing the heater core (and evaporator) I took over 250 pictures and made careful notes. I used as a guide several posts over on the TCA site. One of the most detailed write-ups there however was scribed weeks after the repair and many of the notes say, “I’m not sure” or “I have forgotten” or other things that left me hanging at critical points. Also the dude was pulling the entire dash to replace it and I found a partial removal or displacement was all that was needed.
Bottom line –
There are 7 bolts that hold the Gen 2 Taurus dashboards to the car.
For the heater/blower ducts (black boxes), 3 bolts in the engine compartment and 5 in the passenger compartment including two “hidden” bolts.
The steering column could be moved but is easily removed and reinstalled
The dash doesn’t have to come all of the way out, just pivot on connections on the driver’s side.
One doesn’t need to remove ALL of the electrical connections behind the dash:
[ul]- just 4 at the blower,
- 5 at the stereo/lighter area,
- 4 on the steering column,
- 4 on the curved instrument panel trim and
- 3 on the actual gauges panel.
It is pretty straightforward with only a few “crux” issues – like the above discussed connectors, special stereo removal tool, a couple of “odd” sized bolts (metric and 7/32-in small) and knowing where to limit the tear apart.
If one works smart, gets the right tools up front and is patient, it is a doable project – just very time consuming for an amateur!
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