Hello, I’m trying to get my ac to blow colder, it blows cool but not cold.I have read where a bunch of you guys change the AC orfice tube to a red or blue ford orfice tube.my question is what do I ask for at the parts house? What year/model fords had the red or blue orfice tubes???thanks

 

The red/orange one came in mid 90s cars. 96 Crown Vic would get it.

The one that comes in it is pretty well optimized for the AC system, as it came. Which is to say, if it is as it came, no other one will make it blow colder. Why do you want to change it? Have you made sure your car's cooling system, esp the fan, is performing the best it can? Washed the condenser carefully at the quarter car wash? Cleaned all the leaves, dead bugs, etc. out from between the rad and cond? Charged it properly? Verified that the evap housing doesn't have a hole in it right above the #8 exhaust manifold runner? Checked that your blend doors are sealing? In a word, have you REPAIRED your system and made it the best it can be, before attempting to MODIFY it inappropriately? Modifying a broken system doesn't work any better on an AC than it does on an engine or brakes or anything else.

 

Yes i put in one from a crown vic. Just ordered it from rockauto. I heard it helps when switching to 134a since 134a runs at slightly higher pressure than r12. Ive been running with it and it cools properly.

 

Zackly:

Which is NOT

I also usually use that one when making that switch. The OP however didn't mention it. He sounds more like he just wants to swap out that one part thinking it will "improve" his AC. Which it will NOT, if it's still AS IT CAME.

​​​​​​​We'll have to see what he has to say when/if he replies.

 

I used a stock one and a blue Ford, one from a Taurus... I just checked rock auto and saw which 90s FORD had a blue one listed. 1990 TAURUS with the 3.0
MOTORCRAFT part number YG345


I got the orange one from a crown vic... but never installed it since both the white and blue seem to work just fine.


The blue / stock perform more less the same.. The main difference is that the blue one would give SLIGHTLY cooler temps at idle, and slightly warmer temps while cruising. and vice versa for the stock one.....I'm talking like 1 - 3 degrees difference. Not enough IMO to go change out the thing unless your system has to be opened. I used an actual calibrated vent gauge to verify temps.


I currently have the stock tube installed...the blue FORD is in my S-10 but I have a leaking O ring I need to replace on that..... both get vent temps of 38. - 40 with R-134a in the summer heat here in HI on the driver side vent. They say that's too cold and bad... that the evap wil lfreeze over.. .I dunno, I haven't had any real issues for quite a long time here on any vehicle with those temps..... but HI we dont have cold weather..... My 2000 Camry gets those same vent temps and its been running fine for 6 years. I dunno if anything else would go bad but the cold air fees goood. .

Best thing IMO is if youre charging an empty system, rent a vacuum pump fro mauto zone....make sure everything is nice and clean, you don;t have too much oil in the system (most of those canned things at WALLY world all have oil, so youre pumpin excess oil in each time you use those) and that your a/c system is fully charged... feel the accumulator and make sure its cold up on top and the bottom. use PURE refrigerant. Add dye to see if anything leaks.... that sensor on the compressor likes to leak, and make sure he valve ports are tight....if they are loose and hiss when you pop the covers you are losing refrigerant.

Airflow over the condenser is super important... So Id go with some nice LS fans. I noticed the AC blows nicer since i installed those. Still blows the same temps but gets colder MUCH faster...

I installed some pusher fans from a KIA onto my S10.. the ac has worked flawlessly minus that leaking o ring.

 

Let's see what the OP is actually doing, and expecting. If he thinks he's gonna take one of those OTs and it's a magic bullet he can shoot at his ragged-out hooptie that barely even starts and overheats and spews coolant within 5 minutes of running even when it's below freezing out, and he's gonna DISCHARGE HIS AC SOMEHOW and jam this $10 special sauce in it and ... charge it back up? ... and it's gonna be a WHOLE NEW BALLGAME and all de wimenz are gonna crawl all over each other and have spike-heels fights to see which one gets to get in and cool off, ... NO. If he's got a good car in tip-top condition and it's just ... not ... quite ... enough, or if he's already made some changes and it's working PERFECT as-is and he just needs to tune it to the max, that's a different matter. What you or I did to OUR cars that did or didn't work AS PART OF some other project, IS NOT the issue at hand here; and won't help this d00d succeed. It's what THIS guy is looking to do to HIS car in the state that HIS car is in.

Focus. All of us. On the OP, not on our own cars. Doesn't matter what WE'RE doing or HAVE done, let's FOCUS on waiting to see what the OP's ACTUAL situation is before anything else.

 

Thanks for everybody’s response.I installed this kit, has new condenser, compressor, orfice tube, I have upgraded LS1 dual fans (not over heating issues sofa!!) basically it’s all new stuff. Had it ducked down and check for leaks, no leaks and had it charged at a local auto shop.like I said it blows cool just not cold! I was just think if I changed out the orfice it might help, even if it’s just a little bit.

 

Is the label accurate?

You DO realize that you have to discharge it (bust it open) to change the OT, right? And afterwards, pull a vacuum on it, change the accum/dryer if it stays open for more than just a few minutes and especially above all if it's outdoors (non-climate-controlled, moist non-conditioned air), maybe change whatever O-rings you disturb, pull a vacuum on it, and recharge?

If, AND ONLY IF, the label is correct, the red/orange one would have been a better choice. If you're willing/able to do all the above then that's probably the best next choice if the OE white-ish one is in there now. The original OT is optimized for R-12; R-134 has a different pressure <–> flow <–> temperature curve. That's what changing the OT does, is to select an orifice diameter (really quite a simple detail difference, actually) to match the system's behavior to what the refrigerant characteristics want.

Might also be worth taking a look at the pressures and seeing if the charge is optimum. What are those? Esp the low side?

 

My guess is, that fancier system requires a different refrigerant charge, and your’re either too full, or not enough, on refrigerant.

1. Who charged it?
2. what are the pressures
3. do you have an actual thermometer?
4. Is the accumulator cold too to bottom?

 

I have been running a Ford orifice tube in my GMs for years. Noticed zero difference cruising around once rolling along, they would always get down in the 30s. At idle though the smaller orifice results in 5-10°F colder air depending on ambient. All stock it idled at 55-60°F. Orifice tube dropped it to 45-50°F. Then I went with something that has a better C.O.P. than R134a which happens to be duster air, R152a. R152A gets cold. My Express van will sit there on a 105°F day at idle and blow 38°F with both units cranked up to high fan speed. It will get down to about 31°F before the compressor cycles rolling down the road. Actually blows so cold it will make your knuckles and face hurt.

 

howd you get the duster air into the system?

 

Manifold gauges and a can tap.

Wasn't my idea to start with.

https://www.s10forum.com/threads/how-to-r152a-conversion.493953/

 

thanks! interesting read. I got everything minus the can tap... might try on my S-10 for experimental purposes once I replace the o ring!

Al li need to do is replace the o ring and charge it basically.