On the pic above you can barely see behind the compression nut another tube coming up with a fitting......im uploading another pic.(guessing it will be below) of a picture from bernards website the piece im speaking of looks to have a black cap on it. In my circumstance its not capped...ill have to dig more to see where it goes.





My leak is coming from the bottom of the petruding piece with the cap, but like i say mines not capped it continues...but to where i have ti investigate more.

 

Maybe that #9 piece is the piece that screws into the tube....that also has the male end for ac hose to attach to.....i really need to get in there and clean it up, all the tar insulation......remove some items to get pictures and get a better assessment. I just was hoping that any break if its on this side of the firewall thier may be a possible fix without removing entire dash to replace what "I" broke........

 

And i quit drinking 50 year old Mccallen 13 years ago.....a shot about now would be soothing though.

 

That black cap in the pic is indeed where the expansion tube (#9 per Dougs figure) would screw into. In your pic the copper tube coils up and then the other end past the coil would plug in there.

May be a little hard to diagnose with bubbles, I'd suggest refrigerant premixed with UV dye. If there's enough of a leak it will show where it's seeping from.

 

Gregg,


I replaced completely the ac system in my 1988 XJS, I have everything that was in the car, if you need the evaporator sent me a pm. I used a vintage air evaporator.

 

Thanks bro......ill let you know if it comes to that.....

 

At least the 88 doesn't have airbags, that makes pulling the dash easier. I've taken the dash out of my 94 and it's actually easier to remove than the dashes I've taken out of other cars ( Crown Victoria begin a prime example).

As far as dash removals go, the XJS isn't bad at all.

 

I going to try 2 things before the dash deinstall. 1. Ive ordered a 2 part copper repair called alum bond.......its like a jb weld type product that bonds and holds pressure on AC Lines....i'll try this first.....if no luck there is about a inch of perfectly good tubing going into the fire wall and into evaporator behind where the leak is. I removed enough stuff to be able to make a straight cut with my oscillating tool behind the nut and use a product called hvac pro to put a coupling on and then new plumbing.....this gives me two chances to Not have to remove dash.......i'll keep you guys informed.......cheers

 

It is so nice to see the mood-change after some days.
There is nothing I can add to this problem, but I am following it with amazement.
Good luck, you will get to it!

E.

 

Thanks E. Seems like my head always goes to the worst first. Bad hardwiring i guess....just nice to have a great bunch of guys pulling for ya.....

 

Thanks E. Seems like my head always goes to the worst first. Bad hardwiring i guess....just nice to have a great bunch of guys pulling for ya.....

 

That is the best way to treat the XJS; always expect the worst and you will rarely be disappointed!

 

Well its been a few days of watching the alum bond dry coat after coat and no go. Helped lessen the leak but just wouldnt hold. So i cut all the bad off leaving me with 3/8 inch nipple sticking out of firewall. Figured id solder on a 1/2 coupler because it looks 1/2 tubing..AND OF COURSE ITS NOT!!!!! British standard i suppose ? Now im clueless of what fittings i need....thats the update any ideas thanks and again CHEERS

 

Plumbing fittings and AC fittings are different sizes. I believe a plumbing fitting uses inside diameter and AC uses outside diameter. A "1/2 inch" plumbing pipe is actually 5/8" OD. AC pipe is 1/2" OD.

Even if you did get the right size fitting I would think it would be very difficult to get a good joint in that location? It does need to be able to take 300 psi.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I think an evaporator replacement is in your future.