Help! 96 w/ 2.3 AC stopped working blocked orifice! Help

[matencio]

I have a 96 ranger XLT with a 2.3. I recharged the AC a month ago and it worked fine, then no air. I understand it could be a blocked orifice. How hard is it to fix this? I put in a new power steering pump, radiator, belt, wires, plugs, water pump and hoses so I can do the work if it is similar.

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

If you have a plugged orifice tube you have waaaay more problems.

Hope you didn't charge it wth stop leak.

The system needs to be diagnosed, but with stop leak in the system I wouldn't be hooking my $5k a/c machine to it.

 

[adsm08]

It is possible that the orifice is blocked, but just replacing the orifice isn't that simple. The A/C is a sealed, pressurized system. You need special equipment to recover the system safely. A safety is a concern, rapid venting of the system can cause respiratory issues and frostbite. You then need the same equipment to recharge the system.


Also, after all that you have to answer this very important question... Why is it plugged? The A/C is a sealed system, and the orifice is it's filter. If it is plugged something else came apart. Probably the compressor or the drier, which means the system needs flushed out and the failed part replaced, or it will all happen again.

You may also have a leak that has vented your recharge already.


Of course, if you have all the right equipment, and everything else is good, and you can recover the system, replacing the orifice is just a matter of undoing the nut-fitting on the line going to the evap core and pulling the old one out.

 

[97RangerXLT]

What these guys said.

assuming that no "stop leak" crap was added to the system, you probably have a bad compressor and it flung compressor goo all through the system which plugged up teh orifice.

If you are getting extremely high pressures on the high side and very low pressure on the low side, that is a good indication.

If the compressor did sling goo all through the system, you will need to replace at a minimum the compressor, accumulator, and orifice tube, plus power flush all of the lines and the evaporator and condenser individually to remove the goo from them so that the new orifice tube and compressor does not get trashed. I would also invest in a line filter to catch the goo before it gets into the compressor.

in fact, I would go ahead and replace the condenser and the lines as it is just easier than flushing it out, and the condenser is not that much more money than buying the flush kit and solvent.

Word of warning: if you are inexperienced and / or do not have a clue how an a/c system works, it would be beneficial to you and your truck to pay a shop to fix it.

Here is a walk through that I did when I replaced my A/C system last year:
http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=144542

AJ

 

[matencio]

Thanks

Unfortunately, I put in StopLeak (it was included with the R134). The system worked great for a couple of months then nothing.

I'm going to take it to the shop and let em tear it apart. The owner said it's going to be about $100.00. Let's hope.
Thanks for the assist an info.
Mike

 

[sblake01]

Had your system ever been opened up prior to the charging you mentioned? If so, if you didn't at very least, change the accumulator/drier and flush the system and pull a vacuum, moisture would remain in the system from the contact with the atmosphere. The damage that would cause is more than a $100 repair.