My Haynes is has a pretty vague pic of where the Orifice Tube is located on my 1999 7.3 F350 Powerstroke. I looked in vain under my hood for the evaporator inlet line.

Is it in the line coming from the Drier going into the evaporator?

Can someone set me straight on this.

Thanks Art

 

The line between the drier and evaporator is suction from the evaporator to the drier and is the larger of the two evaporator lines. The orifice is in the smaller of the two lines at the evaporator. If you can see the two metal evaporator lines, you will notice the end of the high pressure line at the evaporator coming from the condensor has a slight bulge in it, that is where the orifice tube is located.

John

 

Oh! So it is in the line from the condeser to the evaporator.

The end of the condenser to evaporator line is covered with insulating material, at the evaporator. Guess that is why I can't see the orifice bulge, and it looks like the evaporator housing needs to be removed just to get to it.

Ok Thanks JT.

 

You shouldn't have to remove the evaporator housing to get at the orifice tube in the high pressure line. The high pressure line usually extends 6 inches or more out of the evaporator case. Once you have disconnected the high pressure line at the evaporator (after removing the R-134A from the system) you can remove the orifice tube. I usually am able to remove the tube by grabbing the tip of the orifice tube with needle nose pliers but sometimes a special orifice tube remover is required. The orifice tube is a press fit with an o-ring holding it in the evaporator inlet (high pressure) line. You will need a special disconnect tool for separating the high pressure line from the evaporator line. You can get a set of these disconnect tools at most auto parts stores.

John

 

Thanks John!

 

I'm working on the same thing in a 96 F150. On mine the liquid line on the compressor side shot up to 300 psi so I think there is a restriction somewhere.