Placement of inline A/C filter?

[96ToyoCam164K]

Ok, the 4 seasons compressor I got officially sucks. Only time it gets cold is at night or when its raining. I'm going to get yet ANOTHER compressor but this time, a special order part from NAPA a Denso (which is supposed to be the OE part from Toyota).

So I also want to be safe and put in an inline filter which looks like this:

I showed it to some mechanics and they didn't seem to have a clue where it should go...and some people think its a friggin orifice tube! No, its not an orifice tube, its not an expansion valve! Its to prevent old particles from infecting the new compressor.

Apparently I have to retrofit it somewhere along the lines near the compressor. it filters microns up to like 20...whatever that means. Any suggestions?

[71Corolla]

Maybe I'm not familiar with your cars history, but why do you need it? The original system has no such filter (honestly I'd never heard of one). Is the compressor from NAPA a manufactured unit? I personally would scour the wreckers, I've seen good ones from cars with around 100,000-120,000 miles, sometimes less.

edit- when they evacuate the system before a recharge, that doesn't draw out most of the old crap? Is that the purpose of this filter?

[djb2]

The receiver/drier has an integral filter. It should suffice.

If you feel a strong desire to add that filter, it's put in the high pressure liquid line between the receiver/drier and the expansion valve in the passenger compartment. That way it protects the expansion valve from being clogged by any debris. Not that an expansion valve is easily clogged -- it's far less vulnerable than an orifice tube. Ironically, many orifice tube systems don't have a receiver/drier/filter assembly.

[Stillrunning]

I can only see the need for an inline filter if the compressor self destructed and threw metal particles into the system which can't be flushed out, and that you fear might travel back to the compressor. If that is what you want to do then I'd think it's best to put the filter on the suction side of the compressor. The picture shows compression fittings so you'll only need to use a tube cutter. But it does not sound as if you know what's causing your A/C problems and are assuming the compressor?? Compressors going as fast as the ones you use (if that's the problem) tells me there's probably not enough oil in the system. Are there no installation instructions with the part? My 95 has the original compressor as does a 92 I have on a different vehicle which I converted over to EnviroSafe last year and both systems operate as new.

[73sport]

IMO its so small its total surface area for filtering would some restrict and cause more issues than its worth. That is if you starve the pump and it dosn't get cooling, the filter to serve and protect will soon be the killer.

Clean the system, replace the dryer receiver, and put a known good compressor in it and pull it down for at least a couple hours. If its humid where you live, figure 4 hours to get all the moisture out. Something a shop doesn't have time for, yet moisture in the system kills them fast as it turns to acid destroying the oil.