95 Suburban k2500 a/c orifice tube

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muddy94chevy

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Is a fixed orifice tube the best replacement for a 95 suburban with rear air? I read that the variable orifice tube wont work with the rear expansion valve. I need to order one and want to get the coolest air I can. Also did not know about the ford tubes. Would those be better? My orifice tube was in the condenser. Has anyone found theirs in the Y on a suburban? Guess I need to look inside mine, I swear I remember putting one in a line up by a Y on one of my vehicles..... I just doubt that this a/c on the suburban wouldve worked ok with 2 orifice tubes, right? Thanks for any help!
 

grampadirt

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Yes,the orifice tube on our Burbs is in the Y,not in the condenser.I use the regular orifice tube not an adjustable one,works fine.Beware though there are different orifice tubes available,don't remember how they're rated but I use a white one.Go to an auto parts store and ask them for the one for a 95 Suburban...they don't cost much.I have a couple of extras in my A/C repair box.As far as I can remember there is no OT in my condenser.
 

1998_K1500_Sub

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My orifice tube was in the condenser. Has anyone found theirs in the Y on a suburban?

My 1998 Sub's orifice tube's in the Y-pipe, in the segment that serves the front evaporator. I'm not certain if it was done that way in earlier GMT400 Subs, but a quick look in a service manual would tell me/us.

Are you saying your OT is in the condenser, and in particular before your Y-pipe? If it's before the Y, that's just wrong, the AC won't work well, and it's indicative of some prior alteration to the system.
 

95burban

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You could even install a ball valve to shut off the flow of hot coolant through the heater core.
 

OutlawDrifter

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I've had good luck with the orange Ford orifice tube. I use it in my Z28 that was converted to R134a...it will freeze you out if you let it. I also set my low pressure switch on the lower end of adjustment.

I can't remember, is the 1995 originally R12?
 

grampadirt

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Nope,134a from the factory.Think they changed in the early 90s.That ball valve idea sounds interesting.....
 

muddy94chevy

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Wow lots of great responses. Yes I literally pulled a nasty orifice tube out of the condenser, but the bad thing is, is I might have been the one to put it there when I replaced the condenser! I am probably going to buy a new condenser and just a stock I suppose OT. I just didnt know if any one had experience with a VOV in a system with rear air controlled by a TXV.
 

muddy94chevy

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Also, the AC worked in the burb, but not very great. Now I need to take that Y apart and replace that OT. What happened is for some reason this burb eats ac comp bearings. I think I am on my third compressor in 6 years beacuse the bearing coming apart and making a howling sound. I put the new compressor on last fall so I can continue driving it till winter. I tried vacuuming down the system to recharge it but it will only hold vacuum for a minute. I also cant get below 25-26 inches of vacuum. I can no find this leak, because the ac did work good enough for us before the bearing failure.
 

1998_K1500_Sub

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I also cant get below 25-26 inches of vacuum. I can no find this leak, because the ac did work good enough for us before the bearing failure.

I've had the O-rings leak on my gauge manifold. When closed, the valves would hold vacuum / pressure, but when opened the high-side valve would leak around the stem. Solution: Disassemble and replace O-rings.

I also had a leak in the high-side hose's coupler (i.e. the coupler which attaches to the truck's AC service fitting). I found an O-ring in there that was supposed to seal the hose fitting to the coupler that was leaking. Solution: Same.

Finally, if the oil in the vacuum pump's not pure, the pump won't pull 30" of vacuum. Try changing that oil. Then, connect directly to your manifold gauges and see if it'll pull 30". If not, keep investigating.

Perhaps you already knew all of this, but some other reader may benefit.
 
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OutlawDrifter

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R4 rebuilds aren't great, and they weren't an awsome compressor to begin with.
 
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