A/C Refrigerant Valve Core Tool

[vantassell]

I think i'm leaking refrigerant out of the valve that you use to fill up the refrigerant. To me it looks like the core of a regular schrader valve on a bike tube. I got a valve core tool (lets you remove the valve core from the valve stem) from a local bike shop, but it's too shallow to reach the core.

I see on amazon that there are some valve core tools (this is the first one i found) but I don't want to shell out money for a tool i'll only use once when I'm not even 100% sure that i'm leaking from the valve. I think i'm leaking from there because there's a little green fluid under the cap when I go to recharge the A/C.

Has anyone else had a leaking valve core? Do you think i'm ok to try to use some needle nose pliers to tighten the core?

[Ozark Lee]

The green fluid is likely residue from someone adding dye to the system to find a leak, it doesn't necessarily mean the valve itself is leaking. The A/C Schrader valve is lager than a typical tire valve but you can get a tool at any auto parts store that is made for the A/C.

If you do have a leak the sad truth is that it is likely the evaporator core.

...Lee

[Volvofix1]

What we do here in our shop in Fla. where we do a/c work every day is to spray a mix of Dawn dish washing soap and water to find valve leaks. A little Dawn with lots of water in a spray bottle spots valve core leaks, use an a/c valve not a tire valve if you have to change it. But try to tighten it first, if you try to remove it without recovering the system its going to make an oily mess. The green fluid might mean that the dye is leaking past the valve and I see bad valves on a regular basis. The core removal tool is a part that can be found in the tire repair section of the parts store. It's not easy to do a/c work if you don't have all the proper tools.

Dick K.

[vantassell]

Ok, so i'm not crazy to try to tighten. I'll run down checker or something today and see if I can find one.

Thanks guys