Front A/C Expansion Valve

Front A/C Expansion Valve:

The A/C expansion valve controls the amount of refrigerant entering the A/C evaporator and is of a thermostatic expansion valve (TXV) design. The A/C expansion valve consists of an aluminum H-valve type body with an integral thermal sensor.

The A/C expansion valve is located at the dash panel between the A/C refrigerant lines and the A/C evaporator.

High-pressure, high temperature liquid refrigerant from the liquid line passes through the expansion valve orifice, converting it into a low-pressure, low-temperature mixture of liquid and gas before it enters the A/C evaporator. A thermal sensor in the A/C expansion valve monitors the temperature of the refrigerant leaving the A/C evaporator and adjusts the orifice size at the evaporator inlet to allow the proper amount of refrigerant into the A/C evaporator in order to meet vehicle cooling requirements. Controlling the refrigerant flow through the A/C evaporator ensures that none of the refrigerant leaving the evaporator is still in a liquid state, which could cause damage to the A/C compressor.

The A/C expansion valve is factory calibrated and cannot be adjusted or repaired and, if faulty or damaged, it must be replaced.