AC failure - compressor oil everywhere below evap drain (1 Viewer)

[DWSD]

I think an obvious one here.

Symptoms:
1. A/C is not cooling.
2. Diagnostic code says open pressure in refrigerant circuit

3. I've got compressor oil (very light in color, very thin oil) leaking from the A/C drain at the passenger's firewall. Oil is everywhere. Looks like approximately 6 tablespoons spilled, but since it is so thin, it has covered a large area of the frame rail, belly pan, etc.

My Diagnosis: the front evaporator took a dump.

Anyone draw a different conclusion?

The Toyota service manual suggests pretty massively disassembly effort.

How much labor (hours?) is it to remove the evaporator?
Seems like it is necessary to pull the steering wheel, steering column, center console, etc, etc.

Thank you,

Doug

 

[haryv]

tell me your model and year, I will tell you the labor hours

When you saus "front evaporator" you mean evaporator?

I would say why did it fail? to bad you did not have access to a long boroscope to see if it was seal related or perhaps a crack caused it to fail.


Provide the make and model toyota with engine size and I will look it up for labor hours.

 

[DWSD]

Harv,
My 100 series, 1999 Land Cruiser also has a rear AC. I called the evaporator buried in the dash "Front Evaporator".

Please do share the book time, estimate, if you would.

Seems like no matter why it failed, I have to get it out to fix it or to replace it or to replace a seal?

Thank you,

Doug

 

[Coolstream]

The leak could be the evaporator, but the expansion block is attached to it and it could be the source, and there are a number of o-rings in the case as well. Any, or all of them could be the problem.

Here's the deal according to Alldata:

Dash has to be removed to access the evap core. They show 5 1/2 hours book time. Here's their instructions:

1) Recover refrigerant from system
2) Disconnect liquid and suction lines (at firewall)
3) Remove instrument panel
4) Remove antenna relay
-Disconnect the connector
-Remove two screws and the relay
5) Remove evaporator
-Disconnect the connector
-Disconnect connector clamp
-Remove eight screws and the evaporator cover
-Pull out the evaporator

Installation is the reverse.

The expansion block is attached to the evap with two allen head bolts.

Good luck!

 

[DWSD]

I removed the evaporator yesterday. There were many signs of corrosion and it is the culprit. It also ran more than 100K miles without a cabin filter which left the evaporator quite dirty. I suspect the dirt held water, leading to corrosion. I installed those filters only a few years ago from information from this site.

It seems like Toyota decided to make the dash intentionally in the way of the evaporator so as to be able to sell more service hours. The only thing preventing removal of the evaporator without removal of the dash, steering wheel, steering column and center console is the thin mounting strip for the glovebox. I decided to cut that thin strip in 1/2 and will use some thin steel bar to repair it. In the end, the repair will be 100% hidden behind the lower portion of the glove box door.

Doug

Doug

 

[OregonLC]

I suspect the dirt held water, leading to corrosion. I installed those filters only a few years ago from information from this site.

That's a really good point Doug. The condensation itself isn't bad, it's when it's held in constant contact by gunk. Good reason to get the filter.

 

[DWSD]

This is a picture of the evaporator. The inlet side was quite corroded. The outlet side, not so bad.

It is still oily. I'm sure if I pressure tested, I'd find the leak. I had to clean a lot of oil out of the evaporator box.

Doug

 

[Gottagetone]

I think I will be adding a filter and picking up a cleaning kit....

 

[DWSD]

I've ordered the parts from vendor CoolStream for $191 w/ shipping for:
1. evaporator
2. dessicant bag (this is in lieu of receiver drier) and is installed in the condesor housing
3. expansion valve
4. seal kit

Hope to have it buttoned up and recharged next weekend.

thank you,

Doug

 

[DWSD]

As a wrap up, I removed and installed the evaporator without removing the upper dash. According to the shop manual, this saved about 5 1/2 hours. Probably more time for me, as I no longer wrench daily (it has been since college) (1990 to 1994).

Here's what I did. I cut the lower dash support with a fine jig saw. The left piece can be gently bent out of the way when it comes time to remove / install the evaporator. Here's pictures of the repair. I used some two part epoxy in pine color. I could have had a better match. But, it is invisible, hidden behind the glove box door, unless you are within 15" or so of the passenger's floor. I don't get down there so often, so this is good enough.

A/C is working excellent.

Doug

 

[Supra88]

As a wrap up, I removed and installed the evaporator without removing the upper dash. According to the shop manual, this saved about 5 1/2 hours. Probably more time for me, as I no longer wrench daily (it has been since college) (1990 to 1994)
Here's what I did. I cut the lower dash support with a fine jig saw. The left piece can be gently bent out of the way when it comes time to remove / install the evaporator. Here's pictures of the repair. I used some two part epoxy in pine color. I could have had a better match. But, it is invisible, hidden behind the glove box door, unless you are within 15" or so of the passenger's floor. I don't get down there so often, so this is good enough.

A/C is working excellent.

Doug

I just had the same diagnosis of evaporator failure (leaking) and received a quote of $1050 to replace it. I like your solution of cutting the glove box mount. How was the rest of the removal/installation?

 

[DWSD]

I just had the same diagnosis of evaporator failure (leaking) and received a quote of $1050 to replace it. I like your solution of cutting the glove box mount. How was the rest of the removal/installation?

Simple. About 3 hours total. I bought myself an evacuator pump ($80 @ Harbor Freight) and some cans of 134 and still had hundreds of $s left over.

The lid to the evaporator housing is accessible behind the glove box. The evaporator fittings on the engine side of the firewall are straightforward.

Hardest thing was to remove and replace the receiver drier dessicant bag. That wasn't hard, but pulling the bag out was suprisingly difficult. It was stuck in place.

Doug

 

[Supra88]

The FSM calls for SSTs to disconnect the lines, did you find this to be the case?

 

[DWSD]

I don't know the term SSTs? I did buy some tool probably available at NAPA or the dealer, I think, to disconnect the A/C connection clamps near to the firewall. Nominal cost, if I remember.

 

[Supra88]

I don't know the term SSTs? I did buy some tool probably available at NAPA or the dealer, I think, to disconnect the A/C connection clamps near to the firewall. Nominal cost, if I remember.

Sorry - special service tool. Thanks for the help, I'm going to order up the parts tonight.

 

[Alex Neumann]

Hi there, realise its been a while since this forum was active, but I'll give it a shot.
My 2002 LC Amazon (4.2l diesel, 100 series) aircon was not chilling and there was oil dripping out the passenger footwell air vent. Similar symptoms to the trail above.
I used your useful advice to get the evaporator core out, but the oil that is in the bottom of the evaporator housing (and blowing out the passenger footwell air vent) does not smell like the refrigerant circuit oil and there is no obvious sign of a leak on the evaporator core. There was quite a lot of oil there and its brown colour (probably from the dirt in the evaporator housing), not green like the oil in the oil in the refrigerant circuit.

Could the oil be coming from somewhere else?

 

[TheNorskmann]

Has anyone here ever used the BG FrigiClean product to clean the evaporator core? You drill a small hole into the evaporator core housing and spray in the foam to clean out the gunk. I did it with my 80 and I want to do it with the 100 now. Air is starting to smell musty. Before I drill I just want to make sure I'm doing it in the right place.

Is this the evaporator core housing in the photo above?

Thanks good people.

 

[abuck99]

You can remove the door- and gain direct access- no drilling required. And it's good time to upgrade to filtered set up.

 

[flintknapper]

Has anyone here ever used the BG FrigiClean product to clean the evaporator core? You drill a small hole into the evaporator core housing and spray in the foam to clean out the gunk. I did it with my 80 and I want to do it with the 100 now.

With an 80 series removing the Evaporator Core is not that difficult, but of course requires evacuating the system of refrigerant.

I can't imagine infusing the housing with foam (either model 80/100) would do much more than just loosen some dust. If you've seen how the evaporator is constructed....you would know what I mean. The real trouble is, dirt, leaves, insects, dust, etc....collect in the bottom of the housing and form a sludge that stays wet. This causes the bottom of the evaporator (usually in the corner) to corrode and it eventually gives way and leaks. NO amount of foam will remove this, in fact...I'd submit foaming the unit would contribute to it.

If the evaporator fins are so dirty that it is causing poor performance (not absorbing heat well), removing it and spraying it clean is the only 'good' answer. IMO...at that point, it is just easier to replace with a new one (they are not expensive).

Some 100 series have the Cabin Air Filters, its a good idea to change them (easy to do). I believe all LX's have them. Some 100 series have a spot for the filter but no filter from the factory, it is easy to check for this. And finally the 100 series that are not equipped to take the filters can be retrofitted.

The filters really do keep almost all debris out of the housing and off of your evaporator.