I have all of the hoses including a new accumulator and orifice tube ordered from www.rockauto.com for my A/C, and now I'm wondering if I need to replace the whole liquid line. Anybody know?

 

If you can not get the orifice tube out, you will need to replace the line.

Ron

 

Like said above, if you can get it out, then you should replace the line. You will probably at least want to partially remove the line to make easier access to the orifice tube. On the 4.0 the tube is in the liquid line just above where it couples to the condensor (just below upper radiator hose connection at radiator)

There is a special too that removes orifice tubes, but I usually use a pair of needle nose pliers. I have a few pair for this task, one pair I ground down to fine points on a bench grinder.

 

I've done a ton of orifice tube replacements over the years, but that was mostly on GM vehicles. I'm gonna see if I can remove it, but I have a liquid line on the way just in case.

 

This posts is*very*informative.*Thank you!

 

How do you know if your orifice tube is bad?

 

If the compressor craps out the orifice tube will get clogged with debris. That is about the only way it will go bad, it has no moving parts. You have to replace the whole liquid line, the orifice tube will not come out of it. Stupid design.