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Brian22
Dodge Dakota
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6/18/2004
17:46:42
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 Subject: A/C Evaporator gone bad
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Just recently i replaced the a/c condensor on my 97 5.2 4x4 dakota and after al;l my freon leaked out and my a/c started blowing warm air he tells me that my evaporator is leaking freon and needs to be replaced.. if anyone knows how much of my bank account is this little job going to claim or just any feedback you guys can give is appreciated
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diesel65
Dodge Dakota
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6/19/2004
12:42:41
|  RE: A/C Evaporator gone bad
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You will need a good size bank account, the complete dash board has to come out to get at the A/C box.
If you were to do the job, I want to make a suggestion.
Replace the blower motor, The A/C box has to come out to replace it, Dodge put the motor between the firewall and the box.
I need to do an evaporator on my dads 97 truck, luckly the leak it small enough that I can last a couple of months.
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KAP
Dodge Dakota
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7/09/2004
11:41:02
| RE: A/C Evaporator gone bad
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I just had the evaporator replaced on my 99 last fall & the bill was in the $650 range. Like Diesel65 noted, the entire dash has to come out. They'll also have to change the accumulator too. One point, watch the condensate drain connection. Mine was crimped against the firewall and nobody noticed (it's right behind the head on the passengers side). Water dripped slowly into the passenger side carpet & no one noticed till a started to rot!. (New Carpets about $260 ....)
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peedee
Dodge Dakota
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7/09/2004
14:29:15
| RE: A/C Evaporator gone bad
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The trouble could very well be with the evap. However, the biggest scam with auto ac repair people is telling the customer that they need an evap. Most often it is an o-ring or something simple. We even had a couple in my area that would put the sniffer into some junk on the drain hole and of course the sniffer started to go crazy. They then would rip someone off for a new evap when all they did was tighten a conection or replace an o-ring and charge the system. Make sure the person you are going to is reputable. I have repaired many ac systems for people that were told they needed an evap and all I did was somthing simple and charge the system. BTW, it is almost impossible to find a leak at the evap without it being exposed, unless the leak is a big one, one that leaks out within a day. The sniffer has to be pretty close and other gases can trigger it.
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peedee
Dodge Dakota
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7/09/2004
14:34:29
| RE: A/C Evaporator gone bad
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Also: some of those that do this as a scam will actually have some evaps in the garage to show how many from that model etc that they have had to replace, when in fact they got them from a junk yard or those are the acumulation from YEARS of service. They are slick. You can usually tell the honest shop by how much effort they dedicate to finding the leak, and how much they try to avoid a costly repair by installing dye and other procedures.
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Logan
Dodge Dakota
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7/11/2004
14:10:58
|  RE: A/C Evaporator gone bad
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Check out Brandywine Auto Parts. I had a buddy who got a complete A/C system for $200 with a lifetime warranty
Brandywine has a national search of all junk yards in the country and will give you the best prices. Here in Maryland, virgina, and DC it is the place to go.
brandywineparts.com
Furthermore, they do sell aftermarket products!
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peedee
Dodge Dakota
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7/12/2004
06:03:59
| RE: A/C Evaporator gone bad
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BTW, leak sealer in an A/C system is an absolute 'no no'. Most often it will clog the orifice of the metering device whether it is a capilary tube or TXV and can ruin the reciever/drier. It can also lead to damage of the reed valves in the compressor. The system should be flushed before putting it back into service.
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dodgetech02
Dodge Dakota
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7/12/2004
09:13:21
| RE: A/C Evaporator gone bad
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mopar evaps are junk Its not a bad job to do one but it takes time.Yes peedee they do leek look at all the Lh cars for a long time I was doing 4 a week. Not all shops will stiff you, butwhat do I know i work on mopars for a living
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peedee
Dodge Dakota
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7/12/2004
14:09:18
| RE: A/C Evaporator gone bad
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Dodgetech, I agree that some batches, and more-so, some models in particular, have more trouble than others. I put a small disclaimer at the front of my first post for that reason, and not to discredit a repair person that I do not know. I posted the other info only because in my experiance I have seen that most AC tech shops run scams and the evap is the most common because of what is usually involved to change one, most lay people will not attempt to tackle the job. But I am sure that your info will give him confidence if another tech tells him the same thing - that his evap is bad. My work now involves industrial chillers, both steam cold absorbtion and electric. The chillers I work on are 350 ton and up. You wouldn't believe the scams that are done with that kind of equipment. I am called quite often for second opinions, and sadly, most often, the recommended procedure is found to be totaly unneccessary. Just recently, a local company tech that I am friends with called me to come in after hours to give a second op on an absorber. The tech from the contractor had told him he needed a new solution pump motor, and told him that those machines blow a lot of those motors - a $34,000.00 job - after checking the machine, I found it to be solidified - probably because they had a recent power failure and the steam valve didn't close when the pumps stopped - and told him how to break it up. The repair cost him a 20 pound tank of propane and a turbo head.
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Timberwolf
GenIII
7/12/2004
17:22:23
| RE: A/C Evaporator gone bad
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Just a couple of observations and one suggestion. First the suggestion. Leave your blower motor alone and change your heater core while you have your dash out. Dodge hasn't had major problems with the motor, but they have with the core (about $40). I had to replace mine last winter and, yes the whole dash has to come out. It's not hard, but you need alot of marking tape and it's time consuming. OK, I lied, it's a pain in the a$$, about 9 hours total time over 2 evenings. Get someone to help and it would be alot easier. There is no way to scam an inside leak on the Dakota(I'm not saying those scams don't exist) because the lines from the evaperator pass through the firewall and the connectors are located on the outside. If a detector is picking up a leak on the inside, a bad evap is the only thing that could cause it because that is the only thing on the inside of the truck. Good luck.
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dodge tech02
Dodge Dakota
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7/13/2004
13:21:33
| RE: A/C Evaporator gone bad
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Peedee I know what You are saying sorry if i came off like a a$$. Have your ac dyed and charged Look at the Evap drain tube for dye look at all the lines if no dye found its going to be the evap
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peedee
Dodge Dakota
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7/14/2004
13:32:52
| RE: A/C Evaporator gone bad
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Dodgetech,
I didn't take any offense by your comments. But thanks for the appology.
Peedee
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Fuel4Thought
Dodge Dakota
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7/14/2004
18:14:31
| RE: A/C Evaporator gone bad
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I read a post on this forum where someone from Texas installed a valve in the heater line to help the ac in summer. I understood that the valve blocked the flow of fresh ‘hot’ coolant to the heater core. I considered doing that myself, but was leery of what that may cause as far as heater core problems down the road. I thought about stagnate fluid lying in the heater core for months at a time. DC designed the heating cooling system to work and keep itself clean. Barring a factory defect, heater cores should and do last many years if you keep fresh antifreeze in the radiator by changing at the manufactures recommendations. Maybe every 2 years or so.
I replaced an intake manifold on a friends Cutlass (5 year old car) that he purchased new. He was pissed, but he admitted that he never changed the antifreeze and after seeing the way the gasket rusted from the water jacket out, we both suspected that was the cause. Someone here will probable flame me for my comments and say that heater cores are made of copper or aluminum. So is your radiator. Fresh antifreeze helps prevent acidic breakdown throughout the cooling / heating system regardless of the types of metal.. Even the water pump is lubricated from additives blended in fresh antifreeze. Ever wonder why some water pumps go out prematurely? A few factory defects, but most people don’t change the antifreeze on schedule, but they change their engine oil and filter religiously. I apologize for the length of this post and don’t mean to flame anyone, just my 2 cents and hope that it may help. If you have an opinion, follow with a legitimate reason.
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F
Dodge Dakota
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7/14/2004
18:29:40
| RE: A/C Evaporator gone bad
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Timberwolf
BTW what was the cause of your heater core failure?
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peedee
Dodge Dakota
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7/14/2004
19:49:53
| RE: A/C Evaporator gone bad
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You are absolutely correct about the additives. More specifically inhibitors. the heat in a typical cooling system and dissimilar metals can create acids and other corrosives. Only "live" inhibitors can prevent or minimize corrosion. The cost of "anti-freeze" is small compared to the associated cost of repairs. Also: the best thing would be to make your mix with distilled water. Just save some of the water from your dehumidifier and use it in your system. The absence of minerals will give the inhibitors a better life, and happy inhibitors make happy metal. I use my saved distilled water to fill batteries, irons, cooling system, and anything else that doesn't get along with minerals. Notice all of those things create heat, and heat is the worst enemy. the idea about a heater core bypass is good, but make sure to leave the valve slightly open so that some flow is present, and at least a few times a season, open it full to allow a good flow for a few minutes. Or better yet, install an automatic valve, either 12v or vac operated to work in conjuntion with your heater/defroster temp control.
I know, I know, I am talking heater cores in the "A/C evap gone bad" post, so please forgive my digression.
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Fuel4Thought
Dodge Dakota
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7/14/2004
21:11:46
| RE: A/C Evaporator gone bad
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Good point Peedee. I get lazy from time to time and have used tap water for a radiator top up from the garden hose. What you mentioned makes me think about when I clean my toilets which have iron and calcium deposits that are very difficult to remove. Just a little water running across a slick piece of porcelain left those deposits. I’m on well water, but everyone gets deposits around their sink faucet handles even with “City Water”. God knows what’s in city water. What if a person puts that same water in an enclosed radiator or a battery system….A little diligence on our part can prevent many of the problems that we blame on DC. And other vehicles that we drive.
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