1997 AC Low Side Valve replacement.... NEED HELP

[diego]

I am trying to replace low side valve... I went autozone and bought a valve core replacement kitand none of the core look anything similar to the cor that i had to literally hammer out

The kit I bought:

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/pa..._/N-j91b2Z91uan?itemIdentifier=947267_0_9289_

The valve looks like this:

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/ac...ent-valve/_/N-25pv?itemIdentifier=951984_0_0_

If I bought the second kit would it have the core/valve inside and work for my explorer?

If anyone has pictures of them changing out their core I would really appreciate it, or some advice... I am completely stump and going to be fried by the 115 deg weather here in AZ

 

[fixt]

Hammer out a valve core?
No no no. Internal threads destroyed probably.
I can't imagine that working and can only hope the body was removed first.

The valve body is the 2nd kit you linked to. It doesn't say in the kit description if the valve itself is included.
If you need to install the valve in the new body, you will need something like this:
Cliplight 312KIT valve core remover kit
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0021VO9G2/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00
It allows removal and installation under pressure also. This particular kit is for a variety of vehicles, there's others that likely work just as well and probably cheaper.

Just take the old part to verify its the same and look to see if there's a valve in the new one. Its just about got to be depressurized at this point, so a new cap with o-ring, evacuate with vacuum pump, hold the vacuum, charge, all that service stuff.

 

[diego]

Well here is the whole story... I bought a can of R134 a while back and topped off my system... I noticed that my ac was slowly getting hotter and hotter, one day I got out of my truck and could hear a hiss from under the hood. It turned out to be the low side valve. So as it is now my system is completely unpressurized.

I bought the valve replacement kit and took of the old valve... the two valves look nothing alike... there are no threads holding the old valve in. It was a plastic sheath with the brass colored valve inside of it. I tried to unscrew it with no success... so I got frustrated and tapped it out with a hammer and punch. I see no was the replacement valve can go in there.

So I am resorting to buying the valve from autozone and hope that the core is also intact.