Expansion valve

elmook1

My car blows cold air while in idle,but warm air while driving. (2000 s-type) I was told by the mechanic at a repair shop that specializes in jaguars that I needed a expansion valve and a receiver drier.And the cost would be $1250. I looked online and the cost is just $40 for both. Can anyone tell me where parts are located,and how to replace them. I was considering doing it myself!

thecardoc3

Well lets see. First you need a refrigerant recovery machine, because while you can buy the stuff to replace the parts and add refrigerant it is illegal even as a DIY'er for you to vent the refrigerant in the system. (Section 608 of the Clean Air Act.) On some systems of this era the receiver drier is in between the condenser and the expansion valve in the liquid line, in fact it is the cylinder just below where the high side pressure connection is located. On others it is a tube attached to the passengers side of the condenser. Some of those are serviced by disassembling the tube and the desiccant and filters are replaced as individual components.

The expansion valve is inside of the plenum assembly, specifically the evaporator case and the dash must be removed to allow for access to the case, so that it can be removed and disassembled so that the expansion valve can be replaced. Add in the evacuation and recharge labor and you have a good ten hours time by the flat rate manual.

elmook1

Well,actually the drier isn't a necessity, as he said that usually it's recommended to replace if u replace the expansion valve. But, I gather that it wouldn't be recommended to try to do it myself. I thought that it might be a fairly easy fix,as I have done with a few other minor things on the car. But, I see that it's not. I guess the price was based mainly on the labor it takes. But thanks, I appreciate it.