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Things you will need:
- New expansion valve
- Wrench set
- Pliers
- Screwdriver
- New O-rings
- Refrigerant (R12 or R134a)
- A/C manifold gauge set
1. Relieve the pressure from the A/C system. Close the high side and low side service valves on the A/C manifold gauge set. Start the car and let it run for a few minutes to circulate the refrigerant. Turn the A/C on high and the blower fan on high. Open the high side service valve slowly until the pressure gauge reads 0 PSI. Turn off the car.
2. Disconnect the electrical connector from the expansion valve.
3. Disconnect the refrigerant lines from the expansion valve. Use a wrench to loosen the flare nuts on the refrigerant lines. Be careful not to kink the refrigerant lines.
4. Remove the old expansion valve from the evaporator. Use a screwdriver to pry the old expansion valve off of the evaporator. Be careful not to damage the evaporator.
5. Clean the evaporator. Use a shop towel and some degreaser to clean the evaporator. Be sure to remove all of the old O-rings from the evaporator.
6. Install the new expansion valve. Place the new O-rings on the expansion valve. Slide the new expansion valve onto the evaporator. Use a wrench to tighten the flare nuts on the refrigerant lines.
7. Reconnect the electrical connector to the expansion valve.
8. Evacuate the A/C system. Connect the A/C manifold gauge set to the A/C system. Turn on the vacuum pump and let it run for 30 minutes.
9. Charge the A/C system. Open the high side service valve and charge the A/C system with refrigerant. The amount of refrigerant required will depend on the year, make, and model of your car. Refer to your owner's manual for the correct amount of refrigerant.
10. Test the A/C system. Start the car and turn the A/C on high. The blower fan should come on and you should feel cold air coming from the vents.
Note: Handling refrigerant can be dangerous. If you are not comfortable working with refrigerant, please have the A/C system serviced by a qualified technician.
