Car Repair Question: No AC

gwilks98 · 06-09-2009, 04:15 PM

So my AC is not blowing very cold air anymore, and generally speaking, windows feel better at anything above about 85.

A while ago (2 years), I smelled a barnlike hay smell coming out when I turned on the heat. I thought it was leaves/acorns that found their way into the vents.

According to the dealership last year when I got it inspected for something else, it was the evaporator core leaking.

The first quote came in at $1375 for a full day's worth of work.
The second quote came in at $770.

The car is a 2000, with 120k on it. Is this something I can bandaid until the car finally dies, or better yet, fix myself without the need for special tools? Or should I pony up some cash and have the pros take care of it?

mechmike0034 · 06-09-2009, 04:52 PM

Have it checked by someone who knows what they're doing with automotive HVAC.

DO NOT try to fix this with sealer - there is a refrigerant/sealer blend available from some auto parts stores, but it screws up more stuff than it fixes.

Get a diagnosis and estimate, then decide.

Daedalus · 06-09-2009, 04:55 PM

If I understand it correctly, it sounds like you have a very slow leak in your evaporator, and it has gotten to the point where the AC isn't good enough. The quick fix is to recharge the system. Your car uses R-134a, which is readily available in auto stores and even Target and Wal-Mart in pressurized cans. There's always a question of how to know how much to put in, and also whether you have the right amount of oil in the system, but it's definitely a band-aid that'll get you cold again.

Replacing an evaporator is definitely a bear of a job on most cars. The dash usually has to come out.

gwilks98 · 06-10-2009, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daedalus

Replacing an evaporator is definitely a bear of a job on most cars. The dash usually has to come out.

You hit that nail on the head. $250 for the evaporator, $60 for the recharge and the rest is all labor.

How difficult is it just to refill?

guiseppewv · 06-10-2009, 09:02 AM

It is very easy. All you have to do is follow the directions on the can of refrigerant.

Go to Wal-Mart b/c their refrigerant is the cheapest. I would get one that has a cheap guage built into it.

06-09-2009, 04:15 PM	#1
gwilks98 Vice Admiral Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: StL Posts: 4,300	Car Repair Question: No AC So my AC is not blowing very cold air anymore, and generally speaking, windows feel better at anything above about 85. A while ago (2 years), I smelled a barnlike hay smell coming out when I turned on the heat. I thought it was leaves/acorns that found their way into the vents. According to the dealership last year when I got it inspected for something else, it was the evaporator core leaking. The first quote came in at $1375 for a full day's worth of work. The second quote came in at $770. The car is a 2000, with 120k on it. Is this something I can bandaid until the car finally dies, or better yet, fix myself without the need for special tools? Or should I pony up some cash and have the pros take care of it? __________________ "I know the pieces fit, cause I watched them fall away." "Cold silence has A tendancy to Atrophy any Sense of compassion." MJK

06-09-2009, 04:52 PM	#2
mechmike0034 aka the keg killer Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Ala-effin'-bama! Posts: 2,738	Have it checked by someone who knows what they're doing with automotive HVAC. DO NOT try to fix this with sealer - there is a refrigerant/sealer blend available from some auto parts stores, but it screws up more stuff than it fixes. Get a diagnosis and estimate, then decide. __________________ "The price of progress is trouble." (C. F. "Boss" Kettering) "50% of the American public has below-average intelligence. 70% of the American public now has regular access to the Internet. Do the math." (unknown)

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06-09-2009, 04:55 PM	#3
Daedalus Lieutenant Commander Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 824	If I understand it correctly, it sounds like you have a very slow leak in your evaporator, and it has gotten to the point where the AC isn't good enough. The quick fix is to recharge the system. Your car uses R-134a, which is readily available in auto stores and even Target and Wal-Mart in pressurized cans. There's always a question of how to know how much to put in, and also whether you have the right amount of oil in the system, but it's definitely a band-aid that'll get you cold again. Replacing an evaporator is definitely a bear of a job on most cars. The dash usually has to come out.

06-10-2009, 09:02 AM	#5
guiseppewv Admiral Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: East coast Posts: 7,116	It is very easy. All you have to do is follow the directions on the can of refrigerant. Go to Wal-Mart b/c their refrigerant is the cheapest. I would get one that has a cheap guage built into it.

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