Your AC recharge hose won’t fit due to a non-functioning compressor, or cheap quality connector, and you may forget to pull back the locking ring.
If the recharge hose won’t fit the low-pressure compressor, you can’t add freon to your AC system. Without freon, you can’t run the AC system.
And this guide will walk you through the troubleshooting steps to snap the AC recharge hose over the low-pressure port and recharge your AC system. Without further ado, let’s dive in.
Table of Contents
AC Recharge Hose Won’t Fit [3 Easy Solutions]
This chapter will explain why the AC recharge hose is not fitting over the low-pressure port and what steps you should take regarding this.
Note: You can also read why is my car AC compressor not turning off.
1. AC Compressor Is Not Working
A faulty AC compressor is the main culprit that prevents your AC recharge kit from fitting to the lower port. Ensure the AC compressor is running.
To check whether the ac compressor is cycling on or off, just take your eyes to the center of the compressor pulley.
If the center part of your AC compressor is not spinning, understand the AC compressor is at fault. And a non-spinning compressor means there is huge pressure in the low-pressure line or lower port. Consequently, you can’t connect the recharge hose to the lower port.
Solution:
Typically, a lot of reasons are to blame if the AC compressor is not working. Low refrigerant level, wiring issues, a failed relay, and other variables cause the AC compressor to not work.
We recommend you call a certified mechanic to inspect your AC compressor. If needed, you need to repair or replace the compressor. Then, you will be able to attach the AC recharge hose to the lower port.
2. You May Have a Cheap Quality Connector Hose
Using a poor-quality AC recharge hose for years can also be responsible for this issue. The coupler the hose has is getting older and you will surely fail to latch it on the lower pressure port, no matter how much you fiddle with it. Keep in mind, that not every coupler is made equally.
Solution:
The easy solution to this issue is- just to replace the old AC recharge hose with a high-quality quick connector like the AC Pro one.
Unlike other low-quality recharge kits, the quick connector from AC Pro doesn’t require you to pull back the outer lock ring. Just get it and snap it over the low-pressure port!
3. Forget To Pull Up the Lock Ring
As I mentioned above, some affordable quick connector on the hose has a lock ring. You must pull it up to let the AC recharge hose snap over the low-pressure port.
If you don’t pull it up, the AC recharge hose won’t fit the lower port or you will fail to attach it.
Solution:
Just pull up the lock ring and try to snap the hose over the low-pressure port. We hope this time you can connect the recharge hose to the port.
If you still can’t connect the hose with the lock ring pulled up, it’s time to replace the quick connector.
How To Connect AC Recharge Hose
Connecting an AC recharge hose is not rocket science. What you need to do is- pull back on the locking ring at the bottom when pushing the connector down. Now, release the locking ring to secure the coupler in place, and you are done.
You can find quick connectors that don’t require you to pull back the locking ring. Just buy a high-quality quick connector and snap the hose over the low-pressure port.
How To Recharge AC After Replacing Hose
Once you replace the hose, you should have the following pieces of equipment at your fingertips:
- A set of manifold gauges
- A vacuum pump
- Refrigerant
- A digital scale
Then, you can read the article to learn how to recharge the AC system of your car properly:
FAQs:
Are all AC charging ports the same?
No, all the AC charging ports don’t come in the same size. Generally, the AC charging system has two ports- a low-pressure port and a high-pressure port. You must attach the AC recharge hose to the low-pressure port.
How do I attach a hose to the freon?
Attach the Quick Connector from the end of the recharge hose to the low-pressure port by pushing the connector onto the port. Now, what you need to do is- attach the hose assembly to the freon can.
Is the Low-pressure AC line big or small?
You can find two lines coming back from the AC compressor. The large line is actually the low-pressure AC line.
What does it mean when your car won’t take a freon?
Your car won’t take a freon if the orifice tube or the expansion valve gets clogged. Besides, if the internal components like the AC compressor don’t spin, the car will never receive any freon.
Does the car need to be running when adding freon?
Yes, your car needs to be running when adding freon. If you don’t run the engine while adding refrigerant, it will turn the freon into gas and cause the engine to run poorly.
Will an AC compressor kicks on without freon?
No, an AC compressor will not kick on without a freon as the compressor clutch doesn’t engage.
What are the symptoms of low freon in a car?
Clutch won’t engage, not getting cold air from the AC, and low gauge reading is some signs of low freon in a car.
Conclusion
Throughout this article, we broke down what causes the AC recharge hose to not fit. So, follow the troubleshooting steps we mentioned and get the hose to snap over the low-pressure port. If you still fail to connect the hose, call a certified car AC professional to fix this issue for you.
About John M
John contributed as a technical head at an automobile company just 2 years after his post-graduation in Automobile Engineering. He loves to lead a free life, so he left his job & started blogging. Now, he does research on every automotive problem, part & product and seeks a better solution & best products & shares his findings with his readers to help them as well as to minimize their struggle.