Orifice tube inspection

[Bobmbx]

I just replaced the A/C system orifice tube in my '99 Mounty. Being curious, I took a close look at the stuff trapped in the mesh.

I found ~2 flakes of tiny metal shavings (its a '99 with original A/C system, so I don't consider that an issue) and what looked like lint (wet fibers?), but not a lot of it. Interestingly enough, as far as I know this is first time the system has been open for any reason, and no sign of "black death", which is what I was fully expecting with >200k miles. Nice and clean, no gook anywhere.

Is there something in the system that would give off fibers? Like I said, there wasn't much of it, mostly in the first "section" of filter just south of the O-rings. The rest of the filter mesh was wet but no clogged.

 

[my98nnj]

What was the reason you replaced the tube? Lack of cooling, leaking or just something to do an a lazy Saturday?

 

[Bobmbx]

Wifey complained about no cold air, so a test revealed bursts of cold and uncooled air. The compressor was cycling about 3 secs on, 3 secs off, and was laboring to start spinning during the cycle.

Read the threads concerning A/C systems here, and latched onto the idea of a clogged orifice tube as the cheapest home remedy. So I swapped it out, and now the compressor runs nearly perfectly, and the air is satisfactorily cold (or so I've been told).