Exploding Air Conditioning Hose

[lnirenberg]

What could be better--80 degrees TTs off back window out just having come from the dyno tuner who found me 40hp and 60 ft/lbs. Got my son at school so he wouldn't have to take the bus and cruising in the passing lane of the Massachusetts Turnpike going with traffic. A loud POOM! from the engine compartment and then the smell of anti-freeze. I pulled over into the break down lane faster than a road raged Mass driver in a rice rocket and shut down. The car oozed green fluid like it was shot with an elephant gun. It was so hot I didn't even try to figure out where it was coming from but did notice a large hole in the AC hose from the compressor to the condensor, hmmm puzzling. 2 hours and 3 calls to the State police barracks (they couldn't believe I was still waiting) later the sun (and son) is setting and people are weaving dangerous close as their eyes adjust to dusk and the flat bed shows up--only 1 company is licensed to tow off this area of the Pike evidently. This AM I surveyed the damage and finally notice that the heater hose is off the bottom of the overflow tank and the outside end of the tank is collapsed in.

My theory is the AC hose exploded and the heater hose ran very close by and was ripped off the bottom of the tank, no clamp in sight. I can't imagine that the force was strong enough to crush one side of the overflow tank but can't figure out another possibility. I can fix the hose easily enough and refill the antifreeze, but before I recharge the AC system I want to make sure it was a fluke and not something that will repeat itself after I change the hose and recharge the system. Any thoughts gentlepeople? Also, I am now a bit paranoid feeling lucky that I was only 15 miles from home and want to change all the hoses. Where can I find the strongest radiator/heater hoses money can buy?

 

[Ripp 73]

Scary story but I am glad to hear that no one got hurt or injured in the event. These Corvettes are fun to drive, but with age things do tend to break down. I hope you figure out the problem, when you do let us know what it is so we can check our own cars.

 

[photovette]

I had an a/c hose burst like that in my '81. The overpressure plug (on the back of the compressor) should have blown out first, but it didn't.

Did the condenser overheat? Fan/clutch working right?

How about 304 stainless?
http://www.stylinconcepts.com/parts.cfm/partfamilyid/636/BrandID/190/Brand/Radd%20Hoz










.

 

[lnirenberg]

I had an a/c hose burst like that in my '81. The overpressure plug (on the back of the compressor) should have blown out first, but it didn't.

Did the condenser overheat? Fan/clutch working right?

Thanks for the link as this is the event that drives me towards indestructible. As to the questions, I don't know if the condensor overheated as there was steaming liquid everywhere and my 1st priority at the time was to get the car home before it, myself and more importantly my son were squished like grapes by the lunatic drivers flying by--this has been known to happen in these parts. I know the fan clutch is working and I have a double electric fan setup in front of the condensor that is manual, was functional and I had turned on. I have a feeling you're on to the right path with the overpressure plug (its an aftermarket system that has been operating for a couple of years now and I fixed some leaks and had it refilled this winter) and I will check this out.

 

[wishuwerehere82]

I had the A/C hose blow off my 3 year old '77 Regal after I started it and turned on the A/C to cool off the car before I got in it. I was standing next to the drivers door talking to a lady that I worked with and BOOM. A cloud of oil and freon comes out from the wheel wells like a bomb had gone off.

I had a new hose swaged onto the proper fittings at a local rubber supply company, and recharged the system. Good to go.

 

[George Black]

Well, I nearly had that happen once. While working on my 1973 I noticed my main AC hose was ruptured/split on the outside rubber portion. It was just about to completely blow apart. It was the section of the hose directly adjacent---and in very close proximity-- to the passenger side exhaust manifold.

I suspect the high radiant heat from the exhaust manifold coupled with the age of the hose was the reason for it splitting.

I replaced the AC hose and then wrapped it with Thermo Shield high heat protective hose tape made by Thermo Tec. The tape comes on a roll, is adhesive backed, and protects hoses from up to 2000 degrees of radiant heat. I spray painted the Thermo Shield tape with satin black high heat paint. You can not tell the AC hose is wrapped unless you look very closely. It looks OEM.

Never had a problem since.

 

[Jack]

You may well be ontrack with the busted AC hose theory. Understand your fan clutch and auxilliary pushers are OK. Have you also checked for a missing fan blade?
JACK:gap

 

[lnirenberg]

You may well be ontrack with the busted AC hose theory. Understand your fan clutch and auxilliary pushers are OK. Have you also checked for a missing fan blade?
JACK:gap

Gotta love that war bonnet yellow brother. Ran to the garage to count fan blades and all hands are on deck with the OEM. The 2 auxilary are a little harder to see given there location so I turned them on and while they didn't exactly blow me out of the garage they were moving a good bit of air. I am also going with gmjunkie's input and will change out parts as stated. I am also thinking of wiring in a high pressure cutout switch which is available from the manufacturer of the system. I figure no AC is better than getting stranded on my way to Carlisle. Anybody had any experience good or bad with these?