[Amphicar770]

Does anyone have one of these with the fittings on both ends?

I just got new expansion valve and noticed that he shop who did last one snipped the end off and used a solder joint to attach it to the line coming from the poa valve.

I suppose I could do the same but would really like to use the proper part. I probably had one on the parts car but may have tossed it with the old hose.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[Alfisto Steve]

Does anyone have one of these with the fittings on both ends?

I just got new expansion valve and noticed that he shop who did last one snipped the end off and used a solder joint to attach it to the line coming from the poa valve.

I suppose I could do the same but would really like to use the proper part. I probably had one on the parts car but may have tossed it with the old hose.

My rule is, "you can never have to many [Alfa] spare parts".

Thanks,

Mike

How many times must I tell you all/youse guys Alfa spare parts are spare parts thou shall not throw away anything that can possibily be salvaged for another rescue project.

 

[goats]

Hmm thats a bit new to me

Mike, have you verified that the super-skinny copper tube coming from the exp valve going to the POA valve is not plugged? I'm not sure how one would solder or braze this without some restriction occurring-- and given that you have replace the POA valve and just about everything else-- have you used the very same skinny exp valve to POA valve tube this entire time of troubleshooting?

 

[Amphicar770]

Mike, have you verified that the super-skinny copper tube coming from the exp valve going to the POA valve is not plugged? I'm not sure how one would solder or braze this without some restriction occurring-- and given that you have replace the POA valve and just about everything else-- have you used the very same skinny exp valve to POA valve tube this entire time of troubleshooting?

I had the same thought this evening. Yes, this soldered line, has a small connector where they joined it, is the one I have had the whole time. Never even occured to me that it was not original. I was driving the poor guy at diFatta crazy as I figured they sent wrong part as the tube was too short!

If anyone has part number, or a spare, please let me know.

Thx.

 

[Alfisto Steve]

That small copper line as I said earlier is part of the 4-part assembly and which this line is part 4 and not listed seperately.

Very easy to become damaged or butchered in your case.

 

[goats]

well, can you

see if the tube is at least patent enough to allow gas to pass thru it? Stick one end in a cup of water and the other end to a pressure source and see if its completely plugged or if bubbles appear. That alone might help to know

 

[Amphicar770]

So, I just removed the copper tube that the shop fabricated. I can blow so much as a single bit of air through it. 150 psi of nitrogen using a rubber tip nozzle, nothing gets through.

Has to be blocked at the solder joint.

The good news is that it sounds like I found the problem. Now I just need a kind soul with a parts car who can provide a replacement. Had I not thought it was part of the poa valve itself, I would have certainly kept the one from my parts car.

 

[goats]

there are a few parts cars LS"s

do a search, Blake in tennessee I think has one "blakedpotato"

 

[Michael Smith]

Isn't that the thermo sensor? If so then it is a closed tube and uses internal pressure to signal to the AC system when the evaporator temp drops to freezing point and closes the expansion valve. It should not have been cut off. I assume it works like the ones on our natural gas furnaces which are mercury filled and expand and contract internally with temperature exerting pressure at the working end of the tube. In the case of the gas furnace these are a safety device which prevents the main gas valve from delivering gas unless the burner stays alight. There is a timer which needs this pressure to be maintained very shortly after the burner ignites either by pilot light or static ignition. I always thought this copper tube did the same thing for the ACC, unless there is enough heat in the tube to keep the pressure up to preset minimum this line closes the expansion valve until the evaporator warms up to above freezing.

 

[goats]

nope different tube

the one you are referring to I think is the tiny coiled one that is thermally connected to the evap inlet that meters the expansion valve.When it gets too cold, it tells the expansion valve to stop allowing liquid to pass thru it and change to a gas state, thus putting a "hold' on the 'cold'. This tube we are talking about goes from the exp valve to the POA (sometimes called EPR) valve that is used to maintain enough backpressure in the condensor to prevent freezup there. I believe the little tube is part of the pressure balance circuit in the poa valve. If its blocked then I think the entire relative pressure metering of the POA valve is lost.

 

[Amphicar770]

Looks like APE has one for me. Should be here Friday.

If I do not get cold A/C after this, i'll be driving the Peugeot (mi16) for the summer!

 

[goats]

well I think you may now be in business

and the next question, assuming success, is how to go about recovering the $$ you spent on AC issues when it seems clear that there is a competency issue with the shop that charged you the $$$. I mean, c'mon here shop--help a brother out!!!??? Clogged pressure regulating line???

 

[Amphicar770]

It is a catch-22. They will say, "if you had brought it back to us we would have taken care of it.". Of course, had I done that, and they discovered the problem, they would likely tell me, "oh yeah, it was a bad poa valve but we were able to find you a used one. But we cut you a break on the bill and you only owe us another $300"