Evaporator tube repair kit

[FABombjoy]

Long story short: Expansion valve gets stuck, I buggered the inside wall of the tube extracting the guts of it. Tube is solid but there is no way the O rings will seal.

Has anyone had luck using a repair kit, like one of these? I saw a reference in the DMCNews archives to DMCH repairing evaporators with something like this.

I realize it will probably stick out a bit compared to stock but I'm using DPIs AC line kit, so I feel like I have a little leeway over the stock config.

As much as I'd love to drop my HVAC box and R&R the evaporator, time is running short to make DCS

[DMCMW Dave]

I've never installed one. We've seen one or two on cars and you are right - it adds quite a bit of length to the tube in a place where you don't really want it.

[FABombjoy]

So what you're telling me is I should ream the pipe with a drill bit, install the new valve with JB Weld, and plan to R&R the evaporator at a future date?

[Bitsyncmaster]

You really don't need a perfect seal so I would just smooth the inside of the tubing carefully.

[FABombjoy]

If the seal was really bad, the worst case would be evaporator freeze-up, right?

[Bitsyncmaster]

If the seal was really bad, the worst case would be evaporator freeze-up, right?

That would be my guess also since you would be passing a little more liquid refrigerant than normal.

[FABombjoy]

Maybe what I'll do is install the 4 Seasons repair kit but move the high pressure switch to the condenser. Since I'm using DPIs line kit, I believe I can simply relocate the HP switch adapter and extend the HP switch wires.

That should minimize the added length from the evaporator tube.

[FABombjoy]

Update: New system is in, AC is cold, no repair kit necessary.

I lightly filed the damaged area of the tube to knock down the high spots then honed it with a brass bottle brush. Flushed it out and hammered home the new valve with an install tool. Looks like I escaped R&R'ing the evaporator. I used a VOV instead of the fixed orifice and the VOV o-rings are a bit farther down the evaporator tube which may help.

[Morpheus]

^Got pics?

[FABombjoy]

I have a few bad ones Anything you want to see in particular?