Replacing the AC Evaporator - key steps 03 focus
Well my evaporator was leaking so i decided to bite the bullet and replace it so i could have AC in my car.
If you ask Ford they will want to sell you the whole AC/Heater box for $550. Instead i called napa and ordered the evaporator for $80 bucks.
The ac box will come apart, the evaporator fit like a glove.
This will not be a step by step guide, instead this is direction on how to get past the major sticking points that slowed down replacing the condensor for us.
A little back ground and warning before trying this yourself.
I am a technician with 20 years automotive experience, my assistant was a Lexus technician with 10 years experience. We had a multitude of tools including a couple of key tools like
Gear wrenches (10mm the most important)
trim tool to remove all of the plastic holders
torque bits of varying sizes.
Fuel quick release tools for the ac lines.
Ford radio Din Removal tools
If you don't have this kind of experience level or confidence, and tools, i would not recommend tackling this job by yourself.
Ok starting with the job.
Un hook the battery (removing power from the air bag)
Start taking the dash apart, remove gauges, glove box and panels, drop the steering column down (make sure to unplug the clutch switch)
Everything went pretty well until we tried to remove the air bag on the passenger side.
The cover won't come off by prying on it open from the top. Look up under the dash (after removing the ac ducting) and you will see 2 bolts that face the front of the vehicle close the fire wall. They both have to be removed to get the air bag cover off. After you get the cover off, you can unbolt the dash and then remove it. Remove the air bag after removing the dash.
Remove the Crash bar. To make the whole thing easier we took the crash bar (metal dash support) out. Remove all wiring from it un bolt it from both a pillar supports.
NOTE: on driver side there is one bolt for the crash bar that has to be removed from out side the car in the door frame area, there is a round rubber cover over it. Use a 10mm socket with extension to get it.
Now that the crash bar is out its time to unhook the hoses and remove the ac/heater box.
This is where we had the biggest trouble. There are 4 major bolts holding this piece in.
2 bolts are on each side of the ac box/blower motor, bolted to studs that hang down from the top of the fire wall.
2 bolts are in the engine compartment on the fire wall. There are studs that stick out and 2 nuts with large washers that had to be removed.
NOTE: if you have cruise control you will have to remove the cruise motor from the wall to find one of the bolts. Look close, once you see them they are obvious.
Now that the AC box is out of the car you can remove all of the metal clips and separate the box starting with the heater core portion and then moving into the ac evap. Try not to let the doors fall out of the box as they are hard to align back in . Try and keep the door controls and doors together while the box is apart.
Once the evaporator is back in the box the hard part is over, now put it all back together.
Good luck!
I will not be watching this thread closely so if you have any questions you can send me an email at kawi5 at aol dot com. i will try and get back to you within 24 hours.
Well my evaporator was leaking so i decided to bite the bullet and replace it so i could have AC in my car.
If you ask Ford they will want to sell you the whole AC/Heater box for $550. Instead i called napa and ordered the evaporator for $80 bucks.
The ac box will come apart, the evaporator fit like a glove.
This will not be a step by step guide, instead this is direction on how to get past the major sticking points that slowed down replacing the condensor for us.
A little back ground and warning before trying this yourself.
I am a technician with 20 years automotive experience, my assistant was a Lexus technician with 10 years experience. We had a multitude of tools including a couple of key tools like
Gear wrenches (10mm the most important)
trim tool to remove all of the plastic holders
torque bits of varying sizes.
Fuel quick release tools for the ac lines.
Ford radio Din Removal tools
If you don't have this kind of experience level or confidence, and tools, i would not recommend tackling this job by yourself.
Ok starting with the job.
Un hook the battery (removing power from the air bag)
Start taking the dash apart, remove gauges, glove box and panels, drop the steering column down (make sure to unplug the clutch switch)
Everything went pretty well until we tried to remove the air bag on the passenger side.
The cover won't come off by prying on it open from the top. Look up under the dash (after removing the ac ducting) and you will see 2 bolts that face the front of the vehicle close the fire wall. They both have to be removed to get the air bag cover off. After you get the cover off, you can unbolt the dash and then remove it. Remove the air bag after removing the dash.
Remove the Crash bar. To make the whole thing easier we took the crash bar (metal dash support) out. Remove all wiring from it un bolt it from both a pillar supports.
NOTE: on driver side there is one bolt for the crash bar that has to be removed from out side the car in the door frame area, there is a round rubber cover over it. Use a 10mm socket with extension to get it.
Now that the crash bar is out its time to unhook the hoses and remove the ac/heater box.
This is where we had the biggest trouble. There are 4 major bolts holding this piece in.
2 bolts are on each side of the ac box/blower motor, bolted to studs that hang down from the top of the fire wall.
2 bolts are in the engine compartment on the fire wall. There are studs that stick out and 2 nuts with large washers that had to be removed.
NOTE: if you have cruise control you will have to remove the cruise motor from the wall to find one of the bolts. Look close, once you see them they are obvious.
Now that the AC box is out of the car you can remove all of the metal clips and separate the box starting with the heater core portion and then moving into the ac evap. Try not to let the doors fall out of the box as they are hard to align back in . Try and keep the door controls and doors together while the box is apart.
Once the evaporator is back in the box the hard part is over, now put it all back together.
Good luck!
I will not be watching this thread closely so if you have any questions you can send me an email at kawi5 at aol dot com. i will try and get back to you within 24 hours.
