I don't remember, but I think I just followed what I noted in my original post (quote below), since I didn't get any response or couldn't find any other info.
I'm pretty certain that my evaporator was bad. Did you see the dye at the bottom or drain? If it's slow leak, it might work for a few years without any issues, but that might mess up the compressor because the oil would be leaking at the same time.
No problem. I'm glad it was helpful.
I remember it was really tight, but I was able to wiggle it out without removing anything else. It's been a while so I don't remember all the details but I think it had to be twisted and needed to be in a certain position to get it out and put a new one in.
Eliot,
Glad I was able to help! I agree with your notes. I was planning to add more notes after I finished all the work, but I got busy with other stuff (rear axle seal and bearing replacement)... The AC is putting out cold air and there is no leak so far.
Assuming you have UV dyes in your AC system (based on your first photo), I would probably wipe and clean that glowing area, run the AC for a while and check again to pinpoint the leak.
2 cans (24 oz?) a month sound like pretty big leak, so you should be able to spot it easily.
If you see the...
Mixture of AC oil and dye, most likely.
Not difficult, once I figured out how to open the clamps. All you have to do on the bay side is to remove the clamps and pull the tubes.
Yes, straight forward. You just have to pull the panel really hard to get the core out. Even with the cut, still very...
Evaporator removal
Debated whether I should remove the evaporator or not, but decided to do it for a few reasons:
When I got this car two years ago, the AC wasn't working well (slightly cool air, not cold). I took it to a shop and they said the refrigerant was low. They evacuated and recharged...
Hose/tubing removal
Removed all the hoses/tubing for flushing.
The FSM says to use an SST to open the tubing clamps by the expansion valve. Inserted a small flat head driver in the hole and was able to pull them apart. One of them got slightly damaged in that process, but it's still usable...
The AC compressor has been making noise for about a month. Changed out the clutch assembly, but it didn't help. As far as I can tell, it's the original compressor. 19 years and 250k miles. Decided to go ahead and replace it.
Searched the forum and found a few tips, but couldn't find the...