A/C ORIFICE TUBE LOCATION. please help!!

[RickRock]

I'm at school right now doing my a/c lab, and I wanted to replace my orifice tube, but it's not where I thought it would be. I thought it would be near the condenser under the battery tray. It's a 96 GMC Sonoma, X engine, 4x4.

PLEASE HELP!

[RickRock]

Mitchell on demand has been no help, also....

[Yogi]

My '98 only has 2 joints in the HP line. 1 under the battery and 1 at the condenser inlet. Got to be one of the 2. I would've expected under the battery too. If it's not there then it has to be at the condenser inlet.

Good luck!

[RickRock]

it's not in either of the two lines coming from the condenser, and I just found it's in the evaporator....

[Yogi]

HOLY COW! I meant to say evap. and put cond. instead. So sorry! Hope I didn't cause you any extra work.

[RickRock]

it's cool, man, the condenser was where I looked first. But now I know it's at the evaporater.... still a PITA

[Yogi]

That's good!

Good luck in school!

[BudRacing]

Quote: Originally Posted by RickRock

it's cool, man, the condenser was where I looked first. But now I know it's at the evaporater.... still a PITA

Where is the evaporator? Is it behind the black plastic under the hood? Or is it behind the dash. I'm going to replace my orifice tube when I rebuild my A/C and would like to know where it is beforehand.

[Yogi]

Quote: Originally Posted by BudRacing

Where is the evaporator? Is it behind the black plastic under the hood? Or is it behind the dash. I'm going to replace my orifice tube when I rebuild my A/C and would like to know where it is beforehand.

It's behind the black plastic. Got that aluminum cylinder (accumulator - drier) hanging off of it.

[BudRacing]

So do I have to remove the black plastic?

[Yogi]

Quote: Originally Posted by BudRacing

So do I have to remove the black plastic?

No. The orifice tube is located in the high pressure line where the line enters the evaporator.

There are 2 tubes on the evap.: a 3/4" line at the top with the aluminum cylinder (accumulator - drier), and a 3/8" line at the bottom. The orifice tube is located in the 3/8" line at the tubing joint where it enters the evap.

Be sure to replace the accumulator - drier anytime you open the system too.

[BudRacing]

Quote: Originally Posted by Yogi

No. The orifice tube is located in the high pressure line where the line enters the evaporator.

There are 2 tubes on the evap.: a 3/4" line at the top with the aluminum cylinder (accumulator - drier), and a 3/8" line at the bottom. The orifice tube is located in the 3/8" line at the tubing joint where it enters the evap.

Be sure to replace the accumulator - drier anytime you open the system too.

Got it, thanks. I actually ordered those parts last weekend and they should be here today (including a new drier). A replacement orifice tube was only $2.

[BudRacing]

Is that it^^? Where the brass fitting is going into the black plastic?

[Yogi]

Quote: Originally Posted by BudRacing

Is that it^^? Where the brass fitting is going into the black plastic?

Yes, that's it. Not very accessible, huh! Good luck on getting it out!

[AwesomeO]

what size are the bolts to get it apart?

[Outlaws]

Quote: Originally Posted by kronicking1

what size are the bolts to get it apart?

All the GMs I have seen with that are 32mm and.......I want to say 24mm.

[AwesomeO]

Thanks

[BudRacing]

Yeah, that sounds right. To get the orifice tube out take a pair of needle nosed pliers and stick it in there, pinch, and pull out.

[laydout97]

heres a tip, take the drier off of the evaporator. you will have more working room. also if its too hard to get both wrenches in there, you can use a 6in. cresent wrench. I had to change them on a 96 blazer and a 98 s10 both 4.3s

[BudRacing]

While room was limited.. I didn't really have a problem getting a 10" crescent wrench down there with enough room to break it loose.

[AwesomeO]

thanks..im going to take it out one day this week.