So the A/C compressor on my parents 05 Expedition locked up and I'm going to replace it for them. So here's the question. I bought the compressor and dryer assembly from O'rielly's. Dryer assembly is just the dryer with a line coming off of it. These trucks don't use orifice tubes anymore, so I'm told, and I'm wondering if I need to replace the expansion valve. The valve comes in an assembled line from Ford, at least that's what they said when I called about it, and that assembly costs $250.00. I would normally replace the orifice tube in a situation like this, but I don't want to spend the extra $250 if I don't need to. Of course Ford says they recommend replacing it because money is no object when someone else is paying, but................ Please give me some real world advice on this thing. I want to do it right, but I don't want to replace everything just for the hell of it.

Doug

 

anyone????

 

If I didn't replace it I would at least back flush it to get any deposits out of it.
It would depend a lot on how many times refrigerant has been added to the system. Every time it is added there is a chance of getting moisture in the system.
But since the compressor is locked up, chances are that there may be trash clogging the valve. So yes, I would replace it.

I did not know Ford had gone to expansion valves. It's kind of odd after all of the years of the orifice tube