A/C Evaporator cleaner

[100 TD]

The reason I mention the filter position..........I have RHD so unless I pull my glove box again I can't quite see where the filters should be located. (I don't have the cover, but I can see where they would go)
I wouldn't worry about spending cash on doing this once a year, instead do it once properly, with two cans maybe, then do a wash with water every other year or two. I have never used the cleaner myself, just washed the evaporator out with water every two years approx, but I haven't had to deal with tobbaco smells etc. I also install filter wool on my return inlet vents (mentioned in other posts , with pics I think, do a search) so I eliminate as much crap getting in there in the first place. On my old Nissan 4x4 ute, the mud (wet dust) used to build up on my filter wool which I would pull out and wash, then I would just put the hose into the evaporator. Yes sometimes you spill a bit of water and flood the pipes onto the carpet, but running the A/C soon dries them out! I squirted a bit into mine a year or 2 ago, but it was a quick job and next time I will make up a short right angle nozzle on a bit of copper pipe to do it properly. This will do for me.

 

[1loudLX]

bought a kit yesterday....at the porsche dealership of all places. Going to do it later this week hopefully.

 

[chief88]

Just did this over the weekend. Some modifications that others may be interested in.....

1. Removed (and cleaned) the air filters prior to the cleaning with Frigiclean

2. I put the schrader valve in the door for the air filters. near the top that way I didnt have to worry about hitting anything. This worked well and doesn't interfere with anything (I left the valve in the plactic and capped with provided cap)

3. Followed the directions, and re-inserted the air filters afterword.

Definitely easy - mine wasn't that dirty - you can preview most of the evap pretty well through the air filter "door" if you were curious on whether or not you might need to do this.

 

[pint]

For those of you that have done this, does the smell still seem cleaner and A/C cooler after a few months?

 

[spressomon]

For those of you that have done this, does the smell still seem cleaner and A/C cooler after a few months?

The air smells clean and the A/C runs substantially cooler immediately after a cleanse. The temp differential post cleaning will be greater with dirtier evaporator and visa versa...

 

[chief88]

I agree with Spresso's last post.....As I said earlier, I don't think mine was all that dirty, so I truly can't attest to cooler temps per se, but it is an easy job for sure and hopefully good PM.


I too have done this but now I am chasing another issue. Right now, I'm getting drips of water on my floormat under the evaporator. I've seen this in the past randomly - but never enough to do anything about. I have checked the drain as much as possible and all seems to be OK - one, it is draining water to the outside and two, I ran a piece of wire up the drain tube yesterday just to make sure I didn't have some blockage that was causing my internal drip.

So now I'm in the process of trying to remove the front cover of the evap. I'm thinking that I need to "enhance" or re-seat (or last resort - silicone it up) the gasket for this cover somehow. I'm heading down this path because when I was doing the frigi-clean process, I noticed some bubbling of the foam from the cover seal (mid way up on the drivers side of the cover - right near one of the screws) when the AC was on indicating there was a very small "pin hole" leak. Kinda just took note of this and made sure all of the screws holding on this cover were tight and continued on, but now I'm trying to see what's going on and correct it.

So, I've got the cover loose - but don't have sufficient clearance to get it out (at least not yet) there is a metal bracket in the way on the lower DS corner. Has anyone ever removed this - or possibly pieces of the dash (around the golve box)?

How much of the dash did you have to remove to get the evaporator front cover off? and what had to come off - get loosened? Is there room - if I just "lightly force" it out?

 

[Kigiin]

I noticed some bubbling of the foam from the cover seal (mid way up on the drivers side of the cover - right near one of the screws) when the AC was on indicating there was a very small "pin hole" leak.

I had the same issue during the cleaning - bubbling around the seals. I also have dripping during A/C operations.

Anyone fix this?

 

[chief88]

Just an update - I was able to get the front cover off of the evaporator "box" with just a little force. Trying to be real careful not to crackor brake anything. I've identified where my drip leak is coming from however. On the DS of the evap box, about midway up the side, there is a wire for the thermistor that runs through a notch on the edge. It basically attaches to the evaporator coils (sensor side) and runs out to the front of the "box" to a connection. The wire had some foam, weatherstipping type stuff on it right where it enters/exits the evap box through the notch in the side. My guess is that after time this just gets worn out, and in my case started to allow a small leak. I guess it's probably more of a condensation type occurence as opposed to a true leak since it is pretty high up on the box and water levels inside would never get that high. Other than this there is a gasket (foam type) along the bottom edge of the cover that looked OK. Probably try and R&R this or replace with something else. The remainder of the cover (top and sides) do not have any gasket.

I was a little surprised at how much crud was actually sitting in the bottom of the tray and bottom rows of evaporator. You'll see in previous posts I didn't think mine looked all that dirty when inspected during the frigi-clean application. Looks like mud - so I'll vaccum out and rinse out as much as I can while the access is a little better.Anyway, I'll try and follow up when I get it all back together with details on what I did - and how successful it was!

BTW - also planning on doing the 7-pin mod ( CDL / low range) while I've got the glove box door off.

 

[spressomon]

Just an update - I was able to get the front cover off of the evaporator "box" with just a little force. Trying to be real careful not to crackor brake anything. I've identified where my drip leak is coming from however. On the DS of the evap box, about midway up the side, there is a wire for the thermistor that runs through a notch on the edge. It basically attaches to the evaporator coils (sensor side) and runs out to the front of the "box" to a connection. The wire had some foam, weatherstipping type stuff on it right where it enters/exits the evap box through the notch in the side. My guess is that after time this just gets worn out, and in my case started to allow a small leak. I guess it's probably more of a condensation type occurence as opposed to a true leak since it is pretty high up on the box and water levels inside would never get that high. Other than this there is a gasket (foam type) along the bottom edge of the cover that looked OK. Probably try and R&R this or replace with something else. The remainder of the cover (top and sides) do not have any gasket.

I was a little surprised at how much crud was actually sitting in the bottom of the tray and bottom rows of evaporator. You'll see in previous posts I didn't think mine looked all that dirty when inspected during the frigi-clean application. Looks like mud - so I'll vaccum out and rinse out as much as I can while the access is a little better.Anyway, I'll try and follow up when I get it all back together with details on what I did - and how successful it was!

BTW - also planning on doing the 7-pin mod ( CDL / low range) while I've got the glove box door off.

It would be nice if someone could figure out some type of pre-filter for the incoming air stream to the ventilation system. One weekend out in the dusty West and the system is packed full of dust .

 

[chief88]

Yes - I agree it would be nice to upgrade the entire filtering system. I tried searching posts regarding the "filter wool" and there are a few pictures - but difficutl to figure out where they are and what exactly the access is for them. Does anyone know where all of the intake ports are? Obviously the outside one(s) (non-recirculating) would be under the cowel at the base of the windshield - but I haven't looked at what would be required to access these. Also where is the inside one?

 

[Travis351]

Just an update - I was able to get the front cover off of the evaporator "box" with just a little force. Trying to be real careful not to crack or brake anything. I've identified where my drip leak is coming from however. On the DS of the evap box, about midway up the side, there is a wire for the thermistor that runs through a notch on the edge. It basically attaches to the evaporator coils (sensor side) and runs out to the front of the "box" to a connection. The wire had some foam, weatherstipping type stuff on it right where it enters/exits the evap box through the notch in the side. My guess is that after time this just gets worn out, and in my case started to allow a small leak. I guess it's probably more of a condensation type occurence as opposed to a true leak since it is pretty high up on the box and water levels inside would never get that high. Other than this there is a gasket (foam type) along the bottom edge of the cover that looked OK. Probably try and R&R this or replace with something else. The remainder of the cover (top and sides) do not have any gasket.

How did this work out? My leak is getting to the point where I need to do something about it, so I think I'll be tearing into mine this weekend.

 

[chief88]

Sorry - for the delay - been busy and haven't checked in for a while. Interesting to re-read this thread and now it's been so long that the details are going to be fuzzy. I did get my leak to stop so I guess I was successful. You'll see that I was very nervous about forcing the cover off and out too - but in the end it will come out. I can remember that there is one particular metal bracket that seemed to be the issue - but I can remember just removing the nut that was on it just to loosen the bracket - I think the other end is attached up high or behind the dash so I never was gutsy enough to remove it. I think I can recall "flexing" the bracket an inch or so - basically it is just a REALLY tight fit to remove the evap cover - but just go slow and make sure you haven't overlooked anything that's in the way.

As stated in the post - my "leak" was occurring in the "notch" where the little sensor (can't remember what it's called now - but I identify it in one of the original posts). I think I just used a little weather-stripping (foam like) and wrapped this around the wire one time - and then I did also have to use a little dab of silicon just to make sure. In fact I think I tried just the weather-stripping approach as I was hesitant to start putting silicon all over the place - but it didn't seal the notch tight enough. So - in the end I did get pretty proficient at removing the evap cover (once I figured it out). Good luck - let me know if there is anything else

 

[Travis351]

Thanks for the update! I ended up tearing into it last night and found that my leak was actually coming from the gasket that runs around the bottom half of the cover. I had some debris in there too so I rigged some pipe to my shop vac to get it all cleaned out.

I didn't have any new gasket material around so I just worked the old one a little and just re-seated the cover. We'll see how that works, but I may have to buy some foam gasket material like you used in the end.

 

[Travis351]

Success...leak is gone!

 

[spressomon]

Way to go Travis! How are the Moab repairs coming along?

 

[vjr021]

How the F*#K did you get the door off the evaporator box??? aaarrrrgghhhh

 

[Travis351]

Way to go Travis! How are the Moab repairs coming along?

Ha! I missed this one long ago. Removed flares and installed new rear bumper...good as new! Hope all is well with you spresso!

 

[spressomon]

Now this is a thread resurrection Travis!

 

[Travis351]

How the F*#K did you get the door off the evaporator box??? aaarrrrgghhhh

It's been a long time, so my memory is a little foggy, but I think after removing the glove box door, there were several screws in the evap box door to remove and then I had to flex some of the plastic to massage it out in a downward direction to get it out. I know that when I later had the evaporator replaced, I allowed the mechanic to cut the horizontal plastic glove box door support in the middle to improve access and have had no adverse affect to this "improved evaporator access mod." Good luck!

 

[dasgeek]

allowed the mechanic to cut the horizontal plastic glove box door support in the middle to improve access and have had no adverse affect to this "improved evaporator access mod."

Did the mechanic add any support to the plastic after cutting it? I have read that some have added a strip of aluminum for support after cutting the plastic.