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Thread: Evaporator Orifice Tube and Heater Elbows

  1. #1
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    Evaporator Orifice Tube and Heater Elbows

    I'm installing the A/C evaporator while there's enough room to get my mitts in there without making hamburger out of them. I also wanted to install the extension pieces that flow the refrigerant and heater coolant. In my Vintage air package I received two orifice tubes. Why two? I know one goes into the smaller extension tube that flows into the evaporator. What's the other for? Also, the two orifices have different part numbers. One is 38693 and is a tan color. The other is 38640 and is brown. If I only need one, which one?

    The other item is the 90 degree heater line elbows that have a barbed fitting on one end and a threaded fitting on the evaporator end. Does the evaporator end get O-rings like the A/C lines or is it a compression fitting? It looks like they should get O-rings but there aren't enough for all the A/C fittings if that's the case. Also, what's the best orientation for the elbows to make installing the heater lines easy later on?

  2. #2
    Senior Member Kempo's Avatar
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    Rick the valves are dependent on the ambient temperature you are located in. Look for the leaf that has the valve install illustrated. On that same leaf explains the valve orifice size which is identified by the difference in color on it's body. If you don't have the leaf let me know i think I still have it at home and I can scan it an email it to you or post the info here. If I recall correctly I think I had enough o-rings even for the heater fittings. I think some of the hose ends had the o-rings already installed and the others were on the hose kit box. Hope This helps.

  3. #3
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    You learn something new every day. I did a Vintage Air install on another car but it only came with one orifice. I never knew there were different orifices for different climates. I'm digressing but I wonder if the OEMs of production vehicles size the orifice for the region they're shipping a car to. Doesn't make much sense. I could buy a new car in Minnesota and get transferred to Florida. Then I'd wonder why the A/C wasn't blowing cold enough.

    When you say leaf I assume you mean the illustration in the back of the A/C install instructions that are in the manual. I have that but all it shows is a blow-up of the orifice for orientation purposes. I guess I'll need you to post the info or send me a PM. Actually, all you really have to do is see which color I need for frikkin hot and humid South Carolina and post that color.

    Thanks for the info.

    Edit: I just went back up to the shop to check the manual again. DUH! All I had to do was flip the page and there it was. One is for ambient temps above 98 degrees and one is for below 98 degrees. We get hot here but >98 degrees is only maybe 5-10 days each summer. I think I'll put in the "below 98 degrees" orifice. I know that once everything is installed it will be a real bear to get to the orifice so I'd prefer not enough cold air on those extreme days vs. chancing a freeze-up of the evaporator.
    Last edited by Rick Williams; 03-07-2011 at 05:08 PM.

  4. #4
    Senior Member Kempo's Avatar
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    The install instructions I received are a few pages held together by a staple clip. To be honest a lot of stuff could be added to those instructions it leaves a lot to the imagination. On one of those pages is the info. If I recall correctly the tan one is for climates above 98 degrees. The green one is for below 98 degrees. I will check this when I get home and post it for you if no one has posted it yet.

  5. #5
    Senior Member Kempo's Avatar
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    I'm glad you found it. I could not find where I left mine. The green one is the one I used too.

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