Yes that is a possible mis diagnosis. One test could be to remove the orifice tube and charge the system and see if the low side pressure comes up when the compressor is on.
On my Volvo 850, a few years ago I got the aircon topped up, the evaporator got so cold that it froze over and no air could even get through. I got a leak, replaced evaporator, condenser, receiver. But now the compressor barely clicks on and theres very little cooling, could it be the orifice tube? Thanks!
I'm wondering if a very clogged orifice tube could make shops think it's a clogged condenser or evaporator when it's just the clogged orifice tube. A shop told me i has a clogged condenser but several videos showed if your condenser is clogged the low side lines around the drier if they are not cold but the bottom line coming out of the condenser is cold then you have a clogged condenser. Mine is not cold anywhere and compressor will not stay on so either i have a clog or a leak and i already put dye in it and used a uv light and didn't see any leak. But that orifice tube was in really bad shape with black gunk and oil all over it. But i don't think my condenser is clogged like the shop said and there are definitely no leaks at the condenser. Just wondering if just a really bad orifice tube could keep the system from working.
The reason it doesn’t make any sense that too much refrigerant is flowing through the partially clogged orifice is that is not what is happening. The compressor has gone bad and is not pumping enough anymore. A new compressor would make the high side pressure increase and the low side decrease. That compressor will fail completely within one week of summer weather.
The reason the low side is the low side is because of the orifice tube. I could remove the low side hose from the compressor all together and the low side would still be low. As I stated in the video, the compressor in this unit is already bad and that’s why the orifice tube is covered with metal. It was just a two-part failure. The orifice tube is blown out inside and there’s no restriction that the orifice tube would normally make.
I have a question if your compressor kicks on off and on . And lines been vacuumed re charged low pressure switch replace and high side and it still kicks on random what u think
You need to hook up a pressure gauge on the high and low side and see what the readings are with the compressor on and the compressor off and then let me know
Why will the pressure on the LP be higher with a clogged orifice tube? if it is clogged, it is logical that there is no free flow through this element, only it is obstructed, so the pressure will be lower
I made this video to show and describe what a clogged orifice tube would look like and what the symptoms would be. If you notice about a 1 minute and 20 seconds into the video I say the clogging was not actually the problem with this orifice tube. It was actually blown out and there was no restriction happening and that’s why it was high on the low side.
My AC system pressure was LOW -10psi(vacuum) and HIGH 60psi, when I jumped the ac clutch relay and forced the A/C compressor to RUN. Do you think a clogged orifice tube would cause this issue?
Maybe. It could also be the receiver/dryer plugged as well. If it has an orifice tube and not an expansion valve, try pulling the orifice tube out and checking the pressure then.
So question my Ac compressor dose not run at all it only works when you jump out the relay all the fuses and wiring is good I checked it. No leaks on the condenser or any lines that I could see could this be a clogged orifice tube my guess there’s probably too much pressure on the high side pressure switch keeping the compressor from turning on. System worked last year I also pushed down on the high side charge valve and I herd pressure shoot out low side only had little pressure not much.
The high pressure switch would not stop the compressor from coming on initially. The compressor would come on and over about 5 to 10 seconds build pressure and if something was plugged it would build too much pressure then the high pressure cutout would shut off the compressor. Check the 2 wires at the relay for hot and ground to trigger the relay. There are 4 pins in the relay. Don’t check the ones you jump to make the compressor work. Check the other 2. Either the power or ground show come on and off when you turn the ac switch on in the climate control in the car. If the power / ground is missing look to the climate control head and check a wiring diagram to trace the wire.
@@carlepstein2162 the thing is I still had no Ac when I jumped out the compressor and the cooling fans under the hood did not come on like they should the wiring to the compressor is fine clutch engages compressor spins the wiring in the dash is good all my climate controls work Ac light comes on rear defroster works heat all that so not any wiring there for some reason the ECM not commanding the compressor or condenser fans on. Usually the pressure switch prevents that. My vehicle only has one pressure switch on the high side line trust me I searched it up just one pressure switch and there pressure in the high side cause it shot out of the charge port when I pushed the valve down so gotta be too much pressure or bad Orifice tube
When full of Freon the system has about 100 psi when the car is shut off. That is the pressure you are seeing. When you jump the relay and the clutch engages you are simply bypassing the ecm so the ecm doesn’t matter anymore at that point. Except for the cooling fan control but for now we are just trying to get cold air manually with the relay jumped. When the clutch is engaged feel the temp of the pressure line to the condenser. It should be hot, very hot almost too hot to touch. Keep feeling the temperature of the pressure line in and out of the condenser and then touch it all along the way to the evaporator at the firewall and see if at any point the line gets cold if not check the return line right at the firewall and see if it is cold. From what you were describing it sounds like there is not enough Freon in the system. The best way of course would be to have a machine pull out the Freon and wait so that you can see how much is in there and then refill it with the proper amount Plan B would be to go get can of Freon with an adapter to add it. By the way the high pressure switch is an input to the ECM one of the parameters needed for it to give the output power to the relay so by jumping the relay you were completely bypassing any safety mechanisms including the high-pressure switch. I have been fixing AC systems for almost 40 years my advice is add some Freon and let me know from there
@@carlepstein2162 hey sorry for the really late reply I took the car to a shop cause I just couldn’t figure this out turned out I was low on gas a bit the test valve was leaking a tiny bit I guess enough leaked out to stop the compressor from running the mechanic replaced both valves in the high and low sides and replaced orifice tube cause I wanted that replaced as well system works now.
Can a new orifice tube be bad? I have high side low. Low side high. I've replaced every ac component on the 2005 avalanche the line and the tube are new but still no working ac. I thought it may be leaking from an oring possibility not seated in the installation somewhere. Advice on the tube?
Also.. was running hot while driving and cold at idle. No fluids in now. Trying to figure it all out before I put more in. Did a dye test.. had some leaking but fixed what I could see. Not sure if there is still a leak or not.
I replaced my orifice tube on my 1998 S10, It had been blowing hot air. After replacing the tube it worked well for a day. It's now blowing hot air again. Could I have put the tube in backwards?
Good observation since I did name the video clogged. This is very rare and this is exactly what a clogged orifice tube would look like. The fact that this one is blown out inside is a side note, I mainly wanted to explain how an orifice tube worked and what a clogged one looks like. Nice job on paying attention.
No the compressor would not make any abnormal noises when the orifice tube is plugged because the low pressure cutoff would shut it off before any noises.
No they are not. They are expansion devices but an orifice has a brass tube that is a fixed size. An expansion valve regulates a valve by temperature @@ryans413
Of course do as you like but you are replacing it on a guess. Until you get a proper set of gauges on it that can read high and low pressure and get some scientific data is just a guess. My advice is take the money you would spend on the freon and the tube and buy or rent a set of gauges so you can do a proper diagnosis.
You have to remove the air cleaner assembly and vacuum brake booster. Then it’s in the metal hose coupling near the radiator. You may have to remove the lower radiator baffle as well.
You can buy a orifice tube removal tool for as little as $23.00 on the internet. The white plastic tab end will be what you see and grab onto, when you look into ac line. The ac line itself will be marked with a flat spot or dimple marking the location of the orifice tube. What type of car do you have?
Yes that is a possible mis diagnosis. One test could be to remove the orifice tube and charge the system and see if the low side pressure comes up when the compressor is on.
On my Volvo 850, a few years ago I got the aircon topped up, the evaporator got so cold that it froze over and no air could even get through. I got a leak, replaced evaporator, condenser, receiver. But now the compressor barely clicks on and theres very little cooling, could it be the orifice tube? Thanks!
Thank you thank you thank you!!!
Yes old Freon needs to come out. And can be reused if it’s done properly with a machine.
I'm wondering if a very clogged orifice tube could make shops think it's a clogged condenser or evaporator when it's just the clogged orifice tube. A shop told me i has a clogged condenser but several videos showed if your condenser is clogged the low side lines around the drier if they are not cold but the bottom line coming out of the condenser is cold then you have a clogged condenser. Mine is not cold anywhere and compressor will not stay on so either i have a clog or a leak and i already put dye in it and used a uv light and didn't see any leak. But that orifice tube was in really bad shape with black gunk and oil all over it. But i don't think my condenser is clogged like the shop said and there are definitely no leaks at the condenser. Just wondering if just a really bad orifice tube could keep the system from working.
The reason it doesn’t make any sense that too much refrigerant is flowing through the partially clogged orifice is that is not what is happening. The compressor has gone bad and is not pumping enough anymore. A new compressor would make the high side pressure increase and the low side decrease. That compressor will fail completely within one week of summer weather.
The reason the low side is the low side is because of the orifice tube. I could remove the low side hose from the compressor all together and the low side would still be low. As I stated in the video, the compressor in this unit is already bad and that’s why the orifice tube is covered with metal. It was just a two-part failure. The orifice tube is blown out inside and there’s no restriction that the orifice tube would normally make.
So you didn't replace the compressor?
Just curious to replace I'm guessing you need to empty the old freon?
Yes
I have a question if your compressor kicks on off and on . And lines been vacuumed re charged low pressure switch replace and high side and it still kicks on random what u think
You need to hook up a pressure gauge on the high and low side and see what the readings are with the compressor on and the compressor off and then let me know
Why will the pressure on the LP be higher with a clogged orifice tube? if it is clogged, it is logical that there is no free flow through this element, only it is obstructed, so the pressure will be lower
I made this video to show and describe what a clogged orifice tube would look like and what the symptoms would be. If you notice about a 1 minute and 20 seconds into the video I say the clogging was not actually the problem with this orifice tube. It was actually blown out and there was no restriction happening and that’s why it was high on the low side.
@@carlepstein2162 ahh ok ;)
My AC system pressure was LOW -10psi(vacuum) and HIGH 60psi, when I jumped the ac clutch relay and forced the A/C compressor to RUN. Do you think a clogged orifice tube would cause this issue?
Maybe. It could also be the receiver/dryer plugged as well. If it has an orifice tube and not an expansion valve, try pulling the orifice tube out and checking the pressure then.
It's a low charge 😂
So question my Ac compressor dose not run at all it only works when you jump out the relay all the fuses and wiring is good I checked it. No leaks on the condenser or any lines that I could see could this be a clogged orifice tube my guess there’s probably too much pressure on the high side pressure switch keeping the compressor from turning on. System worked last year I also pushed down on the high side charge valve and I herd pressure shoot out low side only had little pressure not much.
The high pressure switch would not stop the compressor from coming on initially. The compressor would come on and over about 5 to 10 seconds build pressure and if something was plugged it would build too much pressure then the high pressure cutout would shut off the compressor. Check the 2 wires at the relay for hot and ground to trigger the relay. There are 4 pins in the relay. Don’t check the ones you jump to make the compressor work. Check the other 2. Either the power or ground show come on and off when you turn the ac switch on in the climate control in the car. If the power / ground is missing look to the climate control head and check a wiring diagram to trace the wire.
@@carlepstein2162 the thing is I still had no Ac when I jumped out the compressor and the cooling fans under the hood did not come on like they should the wiring to the compressor is fine clutch engages compressor spins the wiring in the dash is good all my climate controls work Ac light comes on rear defroster works heat all that so not any wiring there for some reason the ECM not commanding the compressor or condenser fans on. Usually the pressure switch prevents that. My vehicle only has one pressure switch on the high side line trust me I searched it up just one pressure switch and there pressure in the high side cause it shot out of the charge port when I pushed the valve down so gotta be too much pressure or bad Orifice tube
When full of Freon the system has about 100 psi when the car is shut off. That is the pressure you are seeing. When you jump the relay and the clutch engages you are simply bypassing the ecm so the ecm doesn’t matter anymore at that point. Except for the cooling fan control but for now we are just trying to get cold air manually with the relay jumped. When the clutch is engaged feel the temp of the pressure line to the condenser. It should be hot, very hot almost too hot to touch. Keep feeling the temperature of the pressure line in and out of the condenser and then touch it all along the way to the evaporator at the firewall and see if at any point the line gets cold if not check the return line right at the firewall and see if it is cold. From what you were describing it sounds like there is not enough Freon in the system. The best way of course would be to have a machine pull out the Freon and wait so that you can see how much is in there and then refill it with the proper amount Plan B would be to go get can of Freon with an adapter to add it. By the way the high pressure switch is an input to the ECM one of the parameters needed for it to give the output power to the relay so by jumping the relay you were completely bypassing any safety mechanisms including the high-pressure switch. I have been fixing AC systems for almost 40 years my advice is add some Freon and let me know from there
@@carlepstein2162 hey sorry for the really late reply I took the car to a shop cause I just couldn’t figure this out turned out I was low on gas a bit the test valve was leaking a tiny bit I guess enough leaked out to stop the compressor from running the mechanic replaced both valves in the high and low sides and replaced orifice tube cause I wanted that replaced as well system works now.
Can a new orifice tube be bad? I have high side low. Low side high. I've replaced every ac component on the 2005 avalanche the line and the tube are new but still no working ac. I thought it may be leaking from an oring possibility not seated in the installation somewhere. Advice on the tube?
Also.. was running hot while driving and cold at idle. No fluids in now. Trying to figure it all out before I put more in. Did a dye test.. had some leaking but fixed what I could see. Not sure if there is still a leak or not.
What are the pressures on high and low exactly?
I replaced my orifice tube on my 1998 S10, It had been blowing hot air. After replacing the tube it worked well for a day. It's now blowing hot air again. Could I have put the tube in backwards?
You need to replace the dryer/accumulator as well and blow out the system and broken components so it doesn't reclog everything
The Schrader valve is probably bad. I would change them out because they leak bad on chevys
My daughter's 2002 Escape V6 air will blow cold at idle but goes warm at highway speeds. Could this be the reason?
did you ever figure it out? I'm having the same issue with a 2011 Town Car
That’s a compressor issue the compressor is starting to go it no longer can compress at high rpms it’s getting weak
so then it wasn't clogged?
Good observation since I did name the video clogged. This is very rare and this is exactly what a clogged orifice tube would look like. The fact that this one is blown out inside is a side note, I mainly wanted to explain how an orifice tube worked and what a clogged one looks like. Nice job on paying attention.
Merely mentioned because I came to your video to see pressure readings with a "clogged" office tube.
No but broken letting too much pressure into the low side
What noise was the compressor making, is it a loud whining sound?🤔
No the compressor would not make any abnormal noises when the orifice tube is plugged because the low pressure cutoff would shut it off before any noises.
Where is the tube located on a 2015 pathfinder?
I think that car has a expansion valve and not an orifice tube. Do your research in that direction.
@@carlepstein2162 Orifice tubes are expansion valves
No they are not. They are expansion devices but an orifice has a brass tube that is a fixed size. An expansion valve regulates a valve by temperature @@ryans413
@@ryans413same result, different designs
My compressor clutch spins but air isn’t cooling so im going to change this
You need to check the pressure first. It may just be low on Freon.
@@carlepstein2162 the clutch stays spinning I tried adding freon aint even take the bottle
Of course do as you like but you are replacing it on a guess. Until you get a proper set of gauges on it that can read high and low pressure and get some scientific data is just a guess. My advice is take the money you would spend on the freon and the tube and buy or rent a set of gauges so you can do a proper diagnosis.
Yes sir i ordered a set of gauges Wednesday waiting on them
Have you heard of orifice tubes making loud noises
No it is inside the hose. What kind of noise are you hearing?
@@carlepstein2162 sounds like a somebody trying to play a saxophone that just can't hit a note but I have a variable orifice tube installed
A variable tube may be making some noise. Try a stethoscope to pinpoint where it’s coming from.
I have a 2002 Chevy Impala 3.8 l for the life of me I can't find the AC orifice location
You have to remove the air cleaner assembly and vacuum brake booster. Then it’s in the metal hose coupling near the radiator. You may have to remove the lower radiator baffle as well.
1000% more helpful if you showed how it comes out
It's simple - it comes out just like he said it does. I thought it was a very good video.
@@steveandrews8301 I concur with Steve
You can buy a orifice tube removal tool for as little as $23.00 on the internet. The white plastic tab end will be what you see and grab onto, when you look into ac line. The ac line itself will be marked with a flat spot or dimple marking the location of the orifice tube. What type of car do you have?
Question : can u wash and reuse it?
No it can not be reused. They are quite inexpensive relatively.
@@carlepstein2162 $2.14 at NAPA
Better too put a new one in just so there no issue later