Orifice Tube Install

[DMCMW Dave]

Dave - Where can I find a tool like that? Haven't come across anything like that while searching.

EDIT: To be more specific, I've seen tools like that, but with the notch towards the end of the tool rather than the handle like your photo. Such as this one: http://www.amazon.com/Great-Neck-Ori.../dp/B004FEHXXO

I honestly don't recall, it just kind of showed up in the shop maybe with one of the techs. Which means it probably came from Snap-on or Matco. But I couldn't find it online just now.

[Ron]

There is a picture in the Workshop Manual at N:02:02 fig 16 & 17. Good luck using them! If the tube is going to be difficult you will be digging it out in pieces. Not a good thing to have to do with that soft aluminum pipe. VERY easy to puncture the pipe and now you're f-cked! As for installing, if it doesn't go easily the pipe is bent or otherwise distorted. You can try rounding it with a round tool close to the internal size of the pipe. Again, you must be REALLY careful with the soft aluminum pipe. If you just bought all of this stuff you should be talking to the vender you bought it from. BTW most orifice tubes were installed and then the pipe was bent installing the evaporator into the car. It is VERY difficult to remove the old tubes once the pipe is bent. If you do not know what you are doing it is probably best to just leave the old one in if the inside of the system looks clean. I have heard of some people trying to fry the old ones out with a heat gun. I have not tried that myself (yet).
David Teitelbaum

+1

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RE: "now you're f-cked!" (Morning After pill, by Master Cool ;-)

OTRepair.jpg

[Bitsyncmaster]

Just on a side note. If you’re using the VOV type orifice, make sure your tube is straight. Any bend will mess up the operation of the VOV. And if you get it stuck and want to remove it, it has no easy hole to use a screw to extract it.

That is when I had to blow it out with pressure.

[DavidProehl]

I want to post my resolution to this. Took me some time to work through it so I might as well document it!

I ordered the Orifice Tube installer/remover I linked to earlier, turns out it is only a remover

That left me looking for Dave's tool:

Attachment 7505

I couldn't find it anywhere. So I went to Home Depot, and bought some 3/8 inch copper tubing. Yes, it is very soft, but I didn't want to apply a lot of pressure to the orifice tube anyway.

With a Dremel, I cut out slits for the sides of the orifice tub to go in, similar to Dave's tool. This is what I ended up with:



I slid this on the orifice tube such that it rested at the base of the filter, placed a piece of wood at the end of the tool and lightly tapped. Presto! Slowly but surely it slid in. It is now properly inserted.

I'm finally closing up my A/C system! Can't tell you how difficult that tube was to install without the right tool. Only took 2 minutes to install it once I had my homemade tool ready to go.

[DMCTek]

Bravo! Nice work. The tool has worked every time for me as well. I like the fact that yours is soft. If I do fiqure out where ours came from I will pass along the info.

[kings1527]

I want to post my resolution to this. Took me some time to work through it so I might as well document it!

I ordered the Orifice Tube installer/remover I linked to earlier, turns out it is only a remover

That left me looking for Dave's tool:


I couldn't find it anywhere. So I went to Home Depot, and bought some 3/8 inch copper tubing. Yes, it is very soft, but I didn't want to apply a lot of pressure to the orifice tube anyway.

With a Dremel, I cut out slits for the sides of the orifice tub to go in, similar to Dave's tool. This is what I ended up with:



I slid this on the orifice tube such that it rested at the base of the filter, placed a piece of wood at the end of the tool and lightly tapped. Presto! Slowly but surely it slid in. It is now properly inserted.

I'm finally closing up my A/C system! Can't tell you how difficult that tube was to install without the right tool. Only took 2 minutes to install it once I had my homemade tool ready to go.

Dave,

I'm going through the same thing right now. I tried the copper tubing trick and couldn't get it to work. Did you have to trim any tabs off the orifice tube in order to get the copper tube to fit correctly on the base of the hub of the orifice tube?

Thanks in advance!

[DMCMW Dave]

Dave,

I'm going through the same thing right now. I tried the copper tubing trick and couldn't get it to work. Did you have to trim any tabs off the orifice tube in order to get the copper tube to fit correctly on the base of the hub of the orifice tube?

Thanks in advance!

Sometimes. The only thing "critical" is the o-ring seal, if the plastic bumps are too big cut them down.

[kings1527]

Sometimes. The only thing "critical" is the o-ring seal, if the plastic bumps are too big cut them down.

Gotcha. I think that's what I needed to hear.

As always, thanks again for all the great info, Dave!

[DavidProehl]

Sometimes. The only thing "critical" is the o-ring seal, if the plastic bumps are too big cut them down.

In my case I didn't need to trim the tube, but listen to Swingle, he knows better than me!

[82DMC12]

I'm resurrecting this thread from the dead because it's absolutely golden and got me out of trouble!

I am in the middle of a total A/C replacement and already broke two orifice valves. It seems like they just would not go in more than an inch, just like David's. I had been tapping on the long screen part and I kept damaging them. I bought extra Corvette valves (a whole $1.99 each at Advance Auto) because they seemed more likely to go in than the Variable valve I got from Hervey way back.

Anyway I found this thread and made a tool just like it - success!

I found that I had to cut a slot about twice as thick as a dremel heavy duty cut off wheel. To make the white valves work you would have to also shave off the tips that allow for the extraction tool. It took some trial and error cutting the slot just right so that the valve would slip into it easily without making the tube spread apart at the orifice-contact side. That wouldn't be good since it would just get jammed up in the evaporator.

First I made sure the evap tube was straight as possible by gently inserting a big punch and carefully bending the tube into place. It was maybe 2 mm off center. I don't know if made a difference or not but I figured since I was having so much trouble it was worth the effort.

I oiled the valve liberally and put oil on the copper tube. I was then able to tap in a white valve fairly easily. Once the valve is inside the evaporator tube, I used a needle nose pliers to pull out the copper piece. This left the valve in place and I was able to tap in it the final 1/4" with no problems.

Actually it worked so well that I ended up pulling out the first new valve with a needle nose, and then tried it again with the Variable valve since I think that one will be better. It was a bit more tight probably due to two O-rings but it worked.

Thanks to David and this thread I now have my VOV installed. Here's a picture of the tool and VOV.



Andy