A/C question

emorale3

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So i havnt had A/C for about 4 months. Never took the time to take a look and fix it. Now that summer is coming along i got under the car and found that i i have a hole in one of my lines. Im going to buy the line, is there anything else that should be changed while i do this? Heard something about having to vacuum the system??? I was going to just buy freon from the local auto parts store, but if i have to vacuum i might as well go to the shop because sure dont know how to do that
 

SolarWar

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I've got a similar issue. Got the part and waiting to install...definitely going to have to evacuate before putting in refrigerant. I'm using it as a learning experience but I may end up bringing it to a shop.
 

emorale3

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If it's been open to the atmosphere for very long you may need to buy a new dryer also.


Earl

I Heard something about this, guess ima have to purchase that as well since its been about 4 months. Is there another name for it?? Im purchasing the parts from tousley ford and cant seem to find "dryer". Im a noob when it comes to this stuff, any help? lol
 

toorbeenee

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you will need a new orifice tube (small filter) to keep the freon clean
 

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you will need a new orifice tube (small filter) to keep the freon clean

Um, no. Thats not what an orifice tube does. An orifice tube is a metered restriction which is what separates the low side from the high side.

And its not freon. Its R-134a. Freon was a brand name for R-12 which is not used on anything anymore.
 

toorbeenee

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Well freon or r134 same stuff hehe that's what I meant

I just took that small filter off my car it was full of gunk. He won't loose anything if he replace it
 

86GT351

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Um, no. Thats not what an orifice tube does. An orifice tube is a metered restriction which is what separates the low side from the high side.

And its not freon. Its R-134a. Freon was a brand name for R-12 which is not used on anything anymore.

Correct. An easy way to understand how an Orifice Tube works is this. R134A Freon depending on where it is in the system is either a Liquid or a Gas. When it is a Liquid it goes through the Orifice Tube and it helps break it down to a Gas by turning it into a Mist. Look at a Bottle of windex that is full. Spray the liquid and as it comes out it turns to a mist. Same basic concept.
 

JEWC_Motorsports

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Correct. An easy way to understand how an Orifice Tube works is this. R134A Freon depending on where it is in the system is either a Liquid or a Gas. When it is a Liquid it goes through the Orifice Tube and it helps break it down to a Gas by turning it into a Mist. Look at a Bottle of windex that is full. Spray the liquid and as it comes out it turns to a mist. Same basic concept.


Treed me lol. IMO anytime you open the system you should replace the drier, orifice tube, and expansion valve.
 

86GT351

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Treed me lol. IMO anytime you open the system you should replace the drier, orifice tube, and expansion valve.

System will have either a Fixed Orifice Tube or an Expansion Valve.

Any System with an Orifice Tube will have an Accumulator. Any System with an Expansion Valve will have a Receiver Drier!
 
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Correct. An easy way to understand how an Orifice Tube works is this. R134A Freon depending on where it is in the system is either a Liquid or a Gas. When it is a Liquid it goes through the Orifice Tube and it helps break it down to a Gas by turning it into a Mist. Look at a Bottle of windex that is full. Spray the liquid and as it comes out it turns to a mist. Same basic concept.

Actually it just converts a high pressure liquid to a low pressure liquid. The state change from low pressure liquid to low pressure gas happens in the evaporator. Thus the name.

State changes happen at the condenser and evaporator. Pressure changes happen at the compressor and at the orifice tube (or expansion valve, it depends on the system)

Treed me lol. IMO anytime you open the system you should replace the drier, orifice tube, and expansion valve.

If it has an orifice tube, it wont have an expansion valve, and vice versa. No need to replace those when the system is open, as evacuation will cover the moisture in those. Only thing necessary is the receiver drier (or accumulator, depends on the system)
 
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Well freon or r134 same stuff hehe that's what I meant

I just took that small filter off my car it was full of gunk. He won't loose anything if he replace it

True it wont hurt to replace. If the filter on the orifice tube is covered in gunk you have issues with contamination in the system that needs to be addressed.
 

86GT351

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Actually it just converts a high pressure liquid to a low pressure liquid. The state change from low pressure liquid to low pressure gas happens in the evaporator. Thus the name.

State changes happen at the condenser and evaporator. Pressure changes happen at the compressor and at the orifice tube (or expansion valve, it depends on the system)



If it has an orifice tube, it wont have an expansion valve, and vice versa. No need to replace those when the system is open, as evacuation will cover the moisture in those. Only thing necessary is the receiver drier (or accumulator, depends on the system)


I am fully aware of that. That is why I stated that it HELPS with the process.
 

RazorbackMustang

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You can get a venturi vacuum pump from harbor freight for $15. I find it works pretty well, just takes a little longer. Change the line and the drier, pull vacuum for an hour or so. I always put in a can of charge oil when the system has been opened. You won't need a full oil charge though.
 

toorbeenee

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True it wont hurt to replace. If the filter on the orifice tube is covered in gunk you have issues with contamination in the system that needs to be addressed.

yeah i took care of it few days ago by cleaning the whole system and replacing the drier

You can get a venturi vacuum pump from harbor freight for $15. I find it works pretty well, just takes a little longer. Change the line and the drier, pull vacuum for an hour or so. I always put in a can of charge oil when the system has been opened. You won't need a full oil charge though.

+1
 
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