Car Repair Question: No AC

[gwilks98]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.