Filters in A/C lines?

Good morning all! 92 F-150, all new A/C parts, worked great for 2 weeks then nothing. I am getting ready to break the system down again and I would like to install filters inline in both the hi and lo pressure lines. Has anyone ever done this? If so, what type of filters did you use and where did you install them? My problem is I don't see how you can install a filter in the hi pressure side without having a special fitting made. Ordinary hose clamps would probably not be sufficient to hold the pressure or to prevent a small leak in the line. Need some help here as I don't want to destroy another compressor (if that's what the problem is). MD

There is a screen in the high side. It's part of the orifice tube. It's usually in the fitting where the high pressure line connects to the evaporator. On the low side the tank looking thing is the receiver dryer. It also acts as a filter.

Al

Any good a/c parts house will have filters for both high and low side. You will need to know what size or have the liquid line out to get the right size - not a big problem if you are opening the system anyways. Now there are what may be better in-line filters available. I saw several during a quick Google search for in-line refrigerant filters. I installed them in my '93 after the compressor grenaded at

See this for an example:

leak.

Not always is a leak the cause. I had a old car once that had moisture and diry in system from age and it would stop working sometimes until I vacumed down and recharged system after I replaced the "screens" and the dryer.

if it had a compressor meltdown originally, you need to REPLACE the condenser

it has debris in it that you can NOT get out

BTDT

When a compressor trashes you must replace the receiver/dryer and I would change the orfice tube too with its screen. The "dryer" catchs any debree that may still be pressent and if you were worried about "trash" you could argue that you must change evaparator too. I have fixed several systems for friends over the years that have trashed compressors without changing condensor as suggested here and NEVER had any problems at all. NEVER change a compressor that has failed with replacing receiver/dryer and most car parts places will not warrant a new compressor unless yo buy a "dryer" from them with compressor.

what part of 'remains of compressor teflon seals dodged in the condenser' don't you understand ?

they cannot be removed by 'flushing'

as the condenser gets hot they expand and plug it totally

so, you just go on believing that replacing the receiver/dryer will fix all your problems................I prefer never to see it a second time

I would expect that 95 % of the compressor that get changed out by service centers in this country never change the condenser or even think about changing the condenser. I also expect that 94.9% of these never have a problem after they are put back into service. So now where are you coming from with the need to change a condenser ? Sure it might stop a problem from happening in the future but I beleive it is very remote.

Got any numbers ?

TranSurge> what part of 'remains of compressor teflon seals dodged in the condenser'

I think it makes a difference who's paying the bill. If you're in the business and you eat "comebacks" then you're like to make sure they don't come back. And in this case, the customer is paying for the condensor. As long as they accept the expense, no problem and even likely an additional profit. If it's your own car, you're probably willing to take some risk to avoid the additional cost.

-jim

snipped-for-privacy@doma> I would expect that 95 % of the compressor that get changed out by

BTDT here also. That is the reason for the in-line filters. I have used them for many years in commercial, marine and automotive systems. I have always installed the in-line filters even if the system was completely new to insure any debris is collected before the compressor or the expansion device. I have never had a problem with a system being flushed and installing the in-line filters or replacing them any time the system is open for service. If you smoke a compressor in most vehicles under warranty, you will get a flush and in-line filters installed at most of the dealers here in the Atllanta, GA area. I have anecdotal evidence in the form of my vehicles of having the compressor run at least 98% of the time with no problems after installing the filters. This seems to alleviate the frequent problem of orifice tube clogging even as a result of normal compressor wear. The filter on the low side stops any crap on it's way to the compressor to reduce the "normal" wear. As far as always replacing the condensor, that issue is between the technician and the customer. My experience on my own vehicles says flush the system and install the filters unless you are also going to remove the evaporator and evrything else for service or replacement.

My $.02 respectfully submitted Lugnut

several years ago I got a run of Ford F-150's with wasted compressors; this was when Ford was experiencing the teflon piston seals going to pieces, after which the pistons would grind against the rest of the assembly, and generate unbelievable amounts of trash

the remains of the seals would lodge in the condenser, and the heat from the compressed gas (with a new compressor) would expand it and jam it even tighter as it heated up

the system would work for about 5 minutes or 5 miles, then the head pressure would literally destroy the new compressor

after going 0 for 3 just replacing the compressors, the second time around I replaced compressors + Condensers (plus orifice tubes, of course)

I was lucky in that I'd bought the compressors different places, and only had to shell out for one out of the three the second time around

I'm not so sure. He has a 92, so the "black death" (trash coming out of the compressor) may well be the problem. The orifice, rather than the dryer, catches a nice pile of it. Filters could actually be a sound strategy, but what kind would you use? Hose clamps will hold the high side if you had something to put them on. Do they make a filter for a/c high side applications?