New Member Introduction

[Tim]

You get what you pay for, but it should be good enough to help a friend driving a FORD.

You should have gotten a good set of gauges!
43-MT1416

[Dieseltech67]

That set works fine as frogs’ hair. I was explaining the micron change. After 3 hours, was under 800 WITH those hours.

[JohnHere]

So, I can’t put an expansion valve in there so you still think a fixed tube is better than a variable? Why are diesel excursion guys in TX and AZ loving them. I am lost there.
John, How about plan outlined?

I'm not an MVAC engineer and/or MVAC system designer. That said, I stay with the original system as designed unless the manufacturer puts out a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) or TSB's to the contrary.

So, yes, I would definitely install a fixed OT rather than a (troublesome) VOV. It looks like the original-equipment OT specified for the front system is Ford, red, .062 orifice, with two o-rings.

I can't comment on your evacuation procedure, even though it sounds okay. I've never used a Fieldpiece vacuum gauge as described.

Maryland gets humidity that you can cut with a knife. You open the rear hatch and barn doors and that big expansion valve instantly is covered with condensation and is dripping water. Ford covered the lines with duct tar. Can I cover the expansion valve body with that stuff if I do not cover the needle’s button plate?? Water back there is a huge issue.

Just my humble opinion, I think it would be okay to cover both the TXV body and the needle's button plate with the tar tape to prevent condensation because this block-type TXV gets its refrigerant temperature signals internally, not externally from the plate.

As to boiling off in the accumulator with engine heat, ford put insulation AND a plastic case around it so please clarify your written thinking vs Ford’s. I am trying to understand and learn.

I notice that some replacement accumulators for that vehicle are either uninsulated/uncased, or (OE Motorcraft) insulated/encased, as you described. We know that liquids can't be compressed, so liquid refrigerant finding its way into the compressor would be bad news, unless any excess liquid refrigerant was boiled-off in the accumulator beforehand.

Having said that, Ford MVAC engineers, at that time, must have known something that we wouldn't necessarily know and insulated/encased the original accumulator for some reason. Maybe it was just too close to an exhaust manifold, or the heat in the diesel engine compartment was just too great for their specs. Hard to say. In any event, I would install the OE accumulator assembly if still available.