Orifice Tube Location

[D_Fisher]

My A/C compressor has a leak. When I bought a new one I had to buy a new accumulator and orifice tube for it have a warrantry. Where does the orifice tube go? I can't seem to find the existing one anywhere. No mention of it in the Haynes manual.

96 Camaro Y87 M5

[BobbyZ72]

Re: Orifice Tube Location

The oriface is inside the "high pressure side, liquid" freon line. Its the lower freon line on my 1997, its right before it goes into the car. The purpose of the orface is to take some pressure off the freon, causing it to cool. But there is no reason you have to replace it, it has nonthing to do with your problem which is a leaking compresser. Unless your a pro and have to proper tools, after install this new compresser take it to a shop, them you just installed it, and need a vaccum, and a charge.

[BobbyZ72]

Re: Orifice Tube Location

If i was you i would take the orifice back and get your money back, you totally dont need it. But i would chage the accumlate, just becuase it acts as a filter dryer also.

[Razzer]

Re: Orifice Tube Location

Whoa whoa whoa, there buddy!!! That orfice tube acts like a filter in the system, I paid 3.82$ for mine after breaking 3 ac compressors. If in doubt, replace ac compressor, accumulator, and orfice tube. Don't waste your time and money for a cheap 4$ part. Anyway I have metal shavings in my system, I had to do all the above and a inline filter on top of that just to keep the new ac compressor from taking a dump in a week!!! 1rst 4 years less than 18k miles, second 1 year 20k miles, third 1 week 320 miles, 4th 1200 miles and still livin. So don't listen to these guys replace the orfice tube and be happy you did, very easy, its the tube going into your evap core from the top side of your ac condensor, hp hose.

[Silver 99 Camaro]

Re: Orifice Tube Location

I with Razzer...rule of thumb when replacing a compressor, you need to change the orifice tube and accumulator or it voids the compressor warranty as you said. When I changed my compressor I changed the orifice, and there were metal shavings on it. New compressor has been going strong over a year no problems. Do the job right or expect to do it again.

BobbyZ72 is right about the location though, lower line going into the condenser.

[D_Fisher]

Re: Orifice Tube Location

Thanks guys. I see exactly where it should go now. The orginal one must have been in the hard line to the evaporator core. I had to change it out recently and probably didn't see the orific tube in there. Must have tossed it out with the old core by mistake.

[BobbyZ72]

Re: Orifice Tube Location

NO!, he does not have a malfunction of the compresser, the seal is just leaking freon, there will be no metal shavings or freon contaminatoin in the freon line. If the compresser BROKE and the pistons and rods fell appart, then yes, replace it. The orfce tube does not filter the freon, its only an expansion device. But if the compresser fell apart, then the orifce will catch large stuff, restrict freon flow, causing high head pressure, compresser over load, and compresser failure. The accumlator acts as the filter-dryer. Your compresser went out because you did not propery check the operation.

[BobbyZ72]

Re: Orifice Tube Location

Thanks guys. I see exactly where it should go now. The orginal one must have been in the hard line to the evaporator core. I had to change it out recently and probably didn't see the orific tube in there. Must have tossed it out with the old core by mistake.

You have to have an orifce, or some sort of an expansion device, or your ac will not work, and the liquid freon will destroy your compresser.