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AC issue

Generally, the valves leak a bit, they aren't the greatest. If it was me, I'd gas it and wait, if there was an issue later, get a sniffer and check it out, as for the caps, if you don't have them, most any parts store has new ones, or most JYs will give them away
 












I believe the problem is resolved. Here is what I found.
Once I realized that I had no refrigerant I put a vacuum on the system for an hour and then blew up a balloon and put it over the low pressure valve. I blew up another balloon and put it on the high pressure valve. The next morning the balloon on the low pressure valve was nearly deflated but the high pressure balloon had not deflated at all. I bought a Schrader valve to replace the low pressure side but come to find out a 1996 Explorer does not use a Schrader valve for the high pressure or the low pressure side, instead you have to buy the assembly that screws on the high and low side and inside it has a membrane instead of a Schrader valve. Another trip to AutoZone. I put a vacuum on the system again and both balloons stay inflated. Next, using the rent a tool A/C gauges I add dye and R134a and get plenty of cold air. I left the gauges on for a while and everything was holding fine. When I removed the line going to the High Pressure side I could hear the refrigerant coming out of the membrane valve and I couldn't stop it so I put a balloon over the valve so the dye didn't blow all over everywhere. Another trip to AutoZone to get the High Pressure Valve Assembly and more R134a. Another system vacuum, added refrigerant and everything looked good. The next evening while looking under a black light I could see that dye had leaked around the low pressure switch. You guessed it, another trip to AutoZone for some A/C "O" rings. The low pressure switch does have a Schrader valve so removing the switch does not release the R134a. I replaced the "O" ring cleaned up the dye from around the low pressure switch and High and Low valves and it looks like everything is holding and not leaking.
Thanks for the help. I went from hardly knowing anything about automotive A/C to hopefully fixing the problem.
 






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