How do you change the ac evaporator on 1999 dodge truck?

Answer 1

These aren't exactly directions on removal. It's more of a warning, really. Assuming you have the same setup as I have in my '99, There are a few things you want to consider before hacking away at the dash, bending your elbow nin ways just to get to one 8mm sheet metal screw, or realizing that Chrysler put WAY too much emphasis on tamper resistant torques. The one major obstacle in your path would probably be the passanger-side air bag. You'd be amazed at the damage one of those boys'd do. Having been an auto tech for over seven years, fully licensed in a/c and all that junk, I have to tell you - shops charge for a reason. Your first step will be dropping the gove box. No big deal, just squeez on the sides of the box, and the little rubber pads should pass the stops. That big, black shiny/dusty thing behind the glove box is your evaporator/heater core box. As you will no doubt notice, it won't fit throug the gove box, and getting it out under the dash will be as impossible as replacing vacuum lines on an '84 Honda, with no schematic and no old vacuum lines there as reference. No, I'm afraid you will ost likely have to at least loosen the dash to just life it out of the way. Here's where the airbag issue comes into play. There's a fuse to be pulled, the battery has to be discinnected, all sorts of hoops to jump through to ensure that you a) don't get a face full of airbag and that dash panel that overs it and, b) don;t have that damned airbag light on when you start the truck. Another thing to remember is that if the evaporator core is leaking, something probably helped it happen. Like moisture in the system. Chances are, you have another problem somewhere else in the system that could use attention. It may have been pressure that caused the evap to leak. it may have been contaminants. either way, after replacing the evap, you HAVE to perform a drain, evacuate, and leak test of the system. Wouldn't it suck to replace the evap, hope that those little canisters you bought at Autozone are enough, and then turn on the a/c to find..... nothing. The system MUST beput into a vacuum before the refrigerant is introduced into the system. The reasons are analogous the the relationship between engine cooling and cooling sstem pressure. For every pound of pressure on te cooling system, the boiling point is raised 3 degrees. The same is true for an a/c system. if there is air, moisture, another leak, anything tat will not allow the system to draw a vacuum of 22-30 inch pounds, the system will behave poorly. Especially with R-134a, but that's another story. I quit being a tech almost a year ago, because I realized something. Todays vehicles are designed for the automotive garage, not the house garage. Changing the evap at home is possible, and may be cheaper than taking it to a reputable, AAA certified repair facility, but I would advise against it. And, please remember. Anything resembling instructions I've given here are not to be taken as such. These are guidlines to let you at least see what you're in for. And, if by some odd chance, this question was posted by a technician.... use the books/computer in the shop. If there aren't any, find another shop to work in.