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GMB
Dodge Dakota
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8/01/2006
23:15:19
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 Subject: Need Help, New Evaporator
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Hey Guys, I need some help with a 98 dakota 4x4 slt.. The truck leaks freon bad, so i had a local shop run some dye through it and they said that it was leaking out of the Evaporator. They were going to charge $600 to fix it. Anybody know how difficult it is to replace the Evaporator?? and how much a new one is?
thanks alot
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Chris G.
Dodge Dakota
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8/02/2006
00:22:32
|  RE: Need Help, New Evaporator
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If you don't want to spend a couple of days doing it, hell yea it's worth $600. I'd pay someone to do it before I would. I have done it plenty of times. You have to take your WHOLE dash down including unbolting the steering column from the dash support beam.
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RadioMan
Dodge Dakota
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8/02/2006
06:51:56
| RE: Need Help, New Evaporator
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"You have to take your WHOLE dash down including
unbolting the steering column from the dash
support beam."
Just another reason you gotta love engineers!
Lord knows, they have know idea how to design
anything that's easy to work on... Just once
I'd love to had them some tools and let them work
on the junk they design.
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Bob Lincoln
Dodge Dakota
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8/02/2006
08:23:16
| RE: Need Help, New Evaporator
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As an engineer, I have to respond. They DO know how to design them, but are overruled by their bosses in many cases, and are not allowed to design with common sense.
BTW, I have worked on cars for 28 years and fully understand the grief that can be caused by not Designing For Serviceability. One of the main reasons I buy Chrysler is that they are better than most in this area.
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GMB
Dodge Dakota
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8/02/2006
17:15:41
| RE: Need Help, New Evaporator
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Ok, sounds like a big job.. How hard is it to change the Evaporator once you get the dash out?
I have been checking on some prices, and it seems that $600 isnt really that bad.. The only problem is everytime i take my truck somewhere, they seem to mess more things up.. I dont really trust any shops around here.. So i was kind of considering doing it myself..
Also ever since i have owned this truck you have to turn the a/c switch off inorder to make the a/c work, and you turn the switch to defrost, and that turns everything off.. Some hoses have to be installed wrong?? Any ideas?
thanks
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GMB
Dodge Dakota
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8/03/2006
01:59:31
| RE: Need Help, New Evaporator
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Also when it is hot outside there is a horrible odor coming out of the vents. My truck blows air fine, its just hot and smells awful. Is that maybe freon im smelling due to the leak in the evaporator?
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Chris G.
Dodge Dakota
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8/03/2006
16:23:10
| RE: Need Help, New Evaporator
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It IS NOT freon you are smelling, if it was putting out enough Freon for you to smell, the whole system would drain itself in about 20 seconds, it is probably mold buildup due to moisture in the A/C area of the air box. Refrigerants do not stay around. They find a way out and go up in the air and the one's with Chlorine in them supposedly deplete the ozone layer.
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GMB
Dodge Dakota
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8/03/2006
17:29:16
| RE: Need Help, New Evaporator
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Ok so whats the best way to get rid of this smell? I have been reading that people need to clean out some type of drainage hose that seems to get clogged up easily, and i have been seeing that some people are actually pouring detergents somewhere to kill the mildew? How are they using that?
Thanks
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Bob Lincoln
Dodge Dakota
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8/04/2006
08:26:34
| RE: Need Help, New Evaporator
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When you replace the evaporator, there will be a drainage pan for the condensation under it. Clean it with a 5% bleach solution and make sure the tube out the firewall, and rubber drain hose underhood are clear.
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Alonso
Dodge Dakota
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8/07/2006
19:00:47
|  RE: Need Help, New Evaporator
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I did replace the evaporator core on my 96 Dodge Dakota just 4 days ago(08-04-06). On one had, I was very nervous about doing the job myself, and on the other hand, I neither have the money nor the desire of paying $600 dollars to get this job done in a shop.
So, after ordering the evaporator core on Ebay( I paid $75 for a new one) I decided to do it myself.It took me 12 hours to the job and I did it succesfully!. My AC is cold as a winter day here in MI ! Bring on the 100 degree temps. that we experienced here in MI last few days.
I took picture of the procedure, which I will share with you, if anyone is interested on knowing what it takes to replace the evaporator core or heater core or fan for that matter.
I must admit it was not easy ,specially knowing how to remove the whole dashboard in a organized way,but I did it.
I was surprise to find leaves and other stuff around evaporator core.
Again, if anyone needs some heads up as to how to do this job, I will be more than happy to share the pictures and how I did it. My truck is a 96 Dodge Dakota, so even if you have newer model, it still will give you and idea of what it takes to do a job like this.
Good luck everyone!
Handymex.
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GMB
Dodge Dakota
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8/08/2006
02:36:31
| RE: Need Help, New Evaporator
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Hey Alonso thanks for the tips.. Im getting ready to go back to college and I have to get my a/c fixed, im looking to do it myself to save alot of money.. If possible I would love to see the pictures. I have never done this type of job, so it would be a big help if i could see what im getting myself into. Would it be best to email them to me?
Also did you have to use any special tools to make things easier?
thanks alot
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GMB
Dodge Dakota
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8/08/2006
03:09:04
| RE: Need Help, New Evaporator
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Message:
I have also had a local mechanic tell me that he thought that someone had installed the wrong control panel in my truck. But i dont know if i believe that guy or not. My truck (98 slt 4x4)does not have an a/c button. It just has 3 switchs. One for temp. One for the location of the air, and one just to control the air amount. The mechanic told me that it was supposed to have an a/c button somewhere. Inorder to make my a/c work you have to turn the switch to off,and you can hear the a/c kick on and that blows out more air than anything, and its cold when my truck can hold freon. My truck was wrecked, and I bought it after some guy fixed it up. So im not sure about the switch. but my truck blows out air fine, it just seems that the switch is missing something.
But my main concern is fixing the leaking evaporator.
any ideas?
Thanks
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Rustywrenches
Dodge Dakota
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8/08/2006
11:24:30
| RE: Need Help, New Evaporator
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Your description of the switch is identical to mine. (I have a 98 Dakota x cab 4X4) It does not have a seperate button for A/C. Sounds like your "location" switch as you describe it is either broken or indexed to the panel wrong etc. You'll need to pull the switch and examine where it mounts etc.
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Alonso
Dodge Dakota
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8/08/2006
12:32:51
| RE: Need Help, New Evaporator
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hi GMB,
Send me your email to alonso_hgo@hotmail.com and I will send you the pics and a brief description of how I did replace the evaporator core.
Good luck everyone,
Handy_mex
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GMB
Dodge Dakota
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8/08/2006
12:57:45
| RE: Need Help, New Evaporator
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Rustywrenches,
Have you ever replaced a "location switch"? Just wondering where its located and how much a new one might cost.
thanks
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Rustywrenches
Dodge Dakota
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8/08/2006
16:57:38
| RE: Need Help, New Evaporator
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The "location switch" is attached to the the knob you are turning to direct the air flow from vent to A/C to defrost etc. Never replaced one, have no idea of the cost.
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GraphiteDak
GenIII
8/08/2006
21:27:42
| RE: Need Help, New Evaporator
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$600 don't sound too bad for shop rates. It can be towards $1000 from what I know on some cars.
I do residential and commercial A/C on buildings so I don't know about car A/C pricing that much.
The MUSTY odor can also be from the evap when it's low on charge, the coil runs at a warmer temp than it usually would.
The same thing can happen when you turn the A/C button off and let the blower continue to run and the coil warms up. There is a temperature where the coil seems to have that nasty odor.
But it's harmless.
Clearing the drain wouldn't hurt either.
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oscar
Dodge Dakota
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7/01/2014
15:39:54
| RE: Need Help, New Evaporator
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Message:
Can someone send me instructions on how to
change the evap coil, i think needs replaceing
after i lost all charge i thought i was my
compresor so i charge it blew cold for a wile
when i realised smoke like out the drane tube
and lost charge again compresor quit working any
ideas?
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