A/C Main Hose

[Red Dogs]

Just in case anyone needs a new main hose for a 78-82 Vette, do yourself a favor and don't bother with the G.M. replacements that you will get at your local G.M. dealer. They are junk, look like a cheap aftermarket Chinese garbage. I got one thinking I was doing the right thing by going with G.M. and got stung.
The hose is o.k. as far as lenght etc. but the wall thickness is so thin that you can't make the bend where it goes through the rad. support up to the condensor without it kinking in 2 or 3 places.
The guys at Corvette Central say that they have the one that works, made by a different vendor than G.M. uses, I'll find out as soon as it gets here. I feel confident that they know what they're talking about because as soon as I called them they knew what the problem was and said they stopped getting them too because of a lot of complaints.
Anyone else here had the same problem ???

 

[Bill75]

Yes I have, a 75 but the same issue. I found out the reason is that some people are using R134a in systems designed for R12. The R134a is a smaller molecule and will penitrate the original material after some time (maybe 200 years or so I'm not sure) so they switched to the type of hose you are describing for everything. I can almost guarantee you'll get the same thing if you order it from someone else.

Mine had a slight crease in it from the way they packaged it in the box. I went ballistic when I saw it but the A/C guys "cooled me down" mentally and said it will disappear as soon as we pressurize the system. They were right, you can't even see it.

Bill

 

[Artsvette73]

It is true, once the system is pressurized it will go away