96 850 orifice tube queston

[JimBee]

I'm seeing promos for automatic adjusting orifice tubes and have read a couple of discussions. Apparently they adjust for better cooling if they work as designed. Some comments though suggest they are a mechanical problem.

Does anyone here have experience with them or which is the best to use on the p80's?

[Ozark Lee]

The system is designed to work with a fixed orifice and it actually works really well with it. The automatically adjusting tubes try to act like an expansion valve but they don't have an actual sensor to work off of. You can try it and likely not hurt anything but I don't think I would use anything but a standard OEM style orifice tube. Just my opinion but if you do install one let us know how it works.

...Lee

[JimBee]

Like one commenter said about the adjustable version, it's mechanical so could be one more thing that could fail. I'll just stick with the fixed version. Thanks. Next step, getting past the garter springs and that far into the system.

[scot850]

I wish you luck! It is a pain to access the orifice tube as it is tucked down on the chassis rail in front of the timing belt cover if I recall. It has been a while since I did the one on my 2000 R and 93 850 but I recall a lot of loud and strange words were used replacing it!

Neil.

[abscate]

Its really easy when you are doing a P80 EVAP and you use a cut off wheel to take out the hard lines and replace with new....



Its really tough working those big nuts in those tight places...

(good sig line material)

[JDS60R]

Don't bother - we messed with this on 850's a while ago. The adjustable orifice is supposed to provide better cooling at slower rpms ( idle) . The output temp spec that cars with the adjustable orifice reach at idle is about the same and the 850 system reaches with the fixed. Its just not worth the time or money. I agree - it is a huge pain to get it out anyway.

Often,not enough time is spent on pulling the 850 down with vacuum. I know it probably doesn't matter but we leave it under vacuum and turn the pump by hand a few times to make sure every chamber was exposed to vacuum.

I clean the condenser with an aluminum safe cleaner and make sure the fan isn't made inefficient by not having the foam in between the condenser and rad. (there are some pieces of plastic too.

If the condenser is clean, the fan able to do its job efficiently, and the charge is done correctly the 850 always kept me very cold in these hot , humid TN summers.

[JimBee]

Thanks, all, that's helpful info. JDS60R mentions cleaning the condenser, and hand-turning the compressor while vacuuming to get it all good and dry. Great ideas. How about the accumulator?

Since my previous compressor failed, I've ordered a replacement accumulator—that had been replaced a short while before the compressor locked up. Now with the system open, I'm replacing it again, but that expletive, expletive, etc. garter spring is defeating me. I have the plastic tool and I can get it in to what feels like under the spring, but it's kind of paradoxical—the barrel of the tool raises the spring, but as it rides up on the flared end of the aluminum tube it binds on the spring capture part, so it's still all locked together with the tool in place. Remove the tool and of course, the spring relocks around the flare end.

Has anybody figured out how to finesse this little evil connector apart?

[JDS60R]

In the field (away from tools) I just cut a zip tie and insert it under the spring to lift it to the right height. The more expensive tools in this area do it quite well. A buddy once did it with a match cover but I like the zip tie or my expensive set of removal tools . Try a zip tie cut just short of one full diameter of the pipe. Then slide it in with a mini screw driver.

[abscate]

Jim..if you open it for a day and then service it doesn't need replacing. Just draw a vacuum down fir a few hours and move on.

It's just silica gel inside, it's not surface science, ok, it is actually.