dfreise

Can anyone give me a precise location on the orifice tube for the air conditioning system for a 98 Mustang GT 4.6 L with SOHC? I've looked high and low and have opened up every one of the garter connections in the engine bay but still have not found the orifice tube. Is there a possibility it somehow did not get installed? I've looked in both ends of the hose between the condenser and the evaporator and in the outlets from the condensor and evaporator but without success.

backlash1

Hi mate
The orifice tube should be located in the evaporator core inlet tube and should be red in color for your particular model. If there's none fitted to your car then there will be no pressure drop inside the system and you'll never get cold air out of the vents.

dfreise

Thanks, your right the orfice tube is located in the refrigerant line that delivers the liquid refrigerant to the evaporator. However, after researching the AC system in the Mitchell Auto Repair Manual at the local library, I found out that the orifice tube is not right at the outlet of the refrigerant line into the evaporator.

The original (as off the Ford assembly line) orfice tube, is actually crimped into the middle of the liquid refrigerant line as it runs from the condensor to the evaporator. Thats why I could not find it.

To replace the orifice tube one has to purchase and replace the entire condensor to evaporator section of liquid refigerant line. Or there is also a retro fit kit that includes a solid (not rubber) fitting with compression nuts on each end. The kit calls for cutting out the original orfice tube and replacing the section of refrigerant line with the after market fitting designed to hold the replacement orfice tube.

The cost difference is about $10 american so I opted for the entire section of refrigerant line. Why cut the old line and make two additional points for leakage?

Riding cool now!