Your car or truck's AC system is under extreme pressure and the thermal expansion valve or orifice tube monitors the amount of pressure and the temperature of your A/C system. It calculates the precise amount of refrigerant that can safely go into the evaporator. A failing expansion valve or orifice tube often causes a vehicle's air conditioner to blow hot air.
Replace or Repair
- Expansion Valves: Too much refrigerant causes your evaporator to get too cold whereas too little refrigerant would result in inadequate cooling. The expansion valve is a complex valve that regulates refrigerant flow. This process of metering the refrigerant adjusts the flow according to the temperature of the refrigerant in the evaporator coil. Talk to one of the pro mechanics at Avus Autosport, as this part can be replaced on its own and does not require the entire replacement of the AC assembly.
- Orifice Tubes: Unlike the expansion valve, the orifice tube is a simple fixed device with no moving parts. It therefore cannot vary the flow of refrigerant into the evaporator, but rather causes a permanent restriction in the system. However, like the expansion valve the orifice tube regulates refrigerant flow through the system and filters debris which may come through in its screen. Often fixing a "bad orifice tube" requires replacing the entire evaporator assembly.
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What our clients are saying about us
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Avus Autosport & Sandro Parra – Honest, Skilled, and Truly Caring I've been bringing my Mini Cooper to Avus Autosport ever since the warranty expired, and they're the best shop I've ever worked with. The space is spotless — you could probably eat off the floor — and everyone there is professional and kind. Sandro Parra deserves special mention. His bedside manner when delivering repair news is incredible. He always explains what's happening clearly, never oversells, and makes even big repairs more straightforward to handle. He looks for ways to save me money — for example, if my car didn't need a whole bottle of coolant, he'd only charge for what was used. That kind of transparency is rare, and I appreciate it more than I can say. Once, I even had rats chew through my engine mount and spark plug covers (yes, really!). Sandro handled it with humor and care, getting me safely back on the road. After 18 great years, I've finally retired my 2007 Mini and bought a new one — but I already know this will be my go-to shop again once the warranty runs out. If you own a Mini, BMW, or any car you love and want it treated right, Avus Autosport is the place to go. They've earned my complete trust. 🚗💛
Absolutely warped my rotors in the canyons on my e46 m3. They were able to get me in the next day to do a break upgrade even as a first time customer! Since then they have done my oil services. Custom tips on my exhaust etc... thank you guys