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Evaporator - Clean without removal?

18K views 12 replies 5 participants last post by  russianwol 
#1 ·
I haven't taken any dashboards apart yet, but is it possible to clean the evaporator without taking it completely out of the car?
 
#2 ·
I just think there is. I'm trying to remember the access to it even with the dash out but the heater box still in the car. You've got the two side openings and honestly you can't get to much that way. The flaps are there.

And by the time you've taken the dash out and gotten that far, you may as well take the heater box out and apart.

Why do you want to clean it? Is it not working? All I know is I've done 3 of these things and after taking the dash and heater box I just decided to replace both the evaporator and heater core because I wasn't going to do it again in the next 15 years!

Doing all that work and looking at the evaporator and then just putting it back in...

I don't know. If it went out any time soon after, it would make me mad that I could have just replaced it while I was looking at it, and that I had to take the whole thing apart again.
 
#3 ·
I've done it. Drop the passenger side kick panel, remove glove box. Remove the blower.

I just took a can of the foaming evaporator cleaner purchased at the local Lowes and sprayed up in there until it covered the whole thing. Its a tight fit, but I could get my hand in there just enough to feel around. I didnt really pull out too much lint or anything. At least I found out that my drain was clear of debris when the foam started to liquify. I also VERY CAREFULLY, took a garden hose with a spray nozzle and at very low pressure sprayed in there to confirm the drain was clear. Please remove the passenger side carpet before doing that. I was feeling brave that day, but it worked.

It didnt make a difference to the AC in my car. But at least I know its clean.

Also take the opportunity while the blower is out to clean it with a brush and some can air.
 
#4 ·
I'm trying to remember....

That might be the heater core that sits by the blower. That's why i didn't mention going in that way. If I remember, the core sits there at an angle and the evaporator sits further back in the enclosure horizontally.

Also, don't forget -- even if you can get to the evaporator, you'll only get to the back of it. The front will have most of any accumulated debris.

What problem are you having anyway?
 
#7 ·
Also, don't forget -- even if you can get to the evaporator, you'll only get to the back of it. The front will have most of any accumulated debris.

What problem are you having anyway?
Just trying to get the A/C as cold as possible. Got it working last summer with R12 but I feel it could be a bit better...

Of course, getting the center vents working would help alot. If I can clean it somehow while the dashboard is out, I'll do it if it can help cool. Texas heat is not kind to a black/black car...

I'm sure getting the car retinted with better and darker tint would help also.
 
#5 ·
I've not looked at the flow chart of the heater box, but if air passes externally through the evaporator all the time (like the 107), then any junk will impede the flow. The inside of the evaporator is another question altogether. I think it would have to be removed to clean it but someone must have done it and will share their experience with us.
 
#8 ·
Master -

Yes, mine wasnt too dirty at all when I did this about three years ago. I've had the car almost 5 years and it had only 100,000 miles on it and it spent most of its life in Naples FL. Most of my air problems were solved with a couple of pods replaced and I switched out the climate control just because it was a rebuilt unit included with the deal. Flow is much better now, but the car is black on black. That doesnt help in Florida. I'm always scoping for shaded parking.
 
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