evaporator removal
 

I got the evaporator out with the help of my "apprentice" it only took about 4 hours.
Spongebob, remove bolt, applejuice, pry dash, Emi hit me! I pour a Bloody Mary. you get the idea!

OMFG! I need to R&R the one in the 300SD. That scares me. Cute pic though, I have a similar helper. Mine is a little older though: she is four.

Any pics of the evaporator? I am just going to clean mine. Was yours ruptured?

I have to do my 80 300D too. Might as well get started......

I bet that once you get the evaporator out, you'll not want to just clean it. Not an easy job to do again.

Sure I will just clean it. The copper tubing type evaporators almost never fail. Or is there somthing wrong with the Mercedes ones?

EDIT- And a new one is $291.

Looks like the dash board took a wire puke.:P Just tage everything, it wont be that hard to do.

Digital pictures of every step. Then label each picture as to what your doing in that step. I did that on the 300TD evap removal/AC removal. But not as well as I should have.
On my Daughters 240D evap removal I was very detailed in each step and labeling the steps photo. So the 240D Evap removal is a Photo technical manual, step by step

Dave

I thought it was for a newer car. Yours is probably fine. It's the newer evaporators for which it's not if, but when.

One of three!
 

That little one is the youngest of 3 the other 2 hang around as well their 3 and 4.

only problem with having the young help is you have to limit your "color" commentary on the various pitfalls of the job-as they happen. other than that, it's a great time to start teaching what different tools are and their purpose and use.

Dave, In Dec of 2005 didn't you promise us a full picture instruction thread on this deal ? You said if we can keep from posting on that thread until you got through,....you know how hard it is for me to keep from posting ?... Or did you start a new thread and put it into that ? I have searched... Greg

ICK! IS there any way to clean the evaporator without tearing the whole dash apart?

There is some discussion about this possibility in the archives... use my name as poster .... I think since the container is made to drain liquid that a good foaming cleaner with proper spray tips could save a lot of work....

I pulled the blower and was able to spray cleaner then get a hose in far enough to get a fair amount of 'lint' out. Expect to get wet.
Shop vac helps clean up the passenger floor. Most went down the condensate drain though.

evaporator cleaning in the car
 

Hi, I just cleaned mine while in the car (82sd). What I did was pull down the lower trim pieces on each side. On the drivers side you have a good view of the entire inboard side of the evaporator. I removed the floor mats and blanketted the floor. I have a air tool attachment that is nothing more than a nozzle with a port on it where a small hose attaches and draws liquid in.(Advertised as a parts washer) . I made a wand out of 1/2" copper pipe about 14" long. Put an elbow on the end and flattened the one side a bit. I attaced it to the end of the blower with a piece of heater hose. Made a great angled mini sprayer. I then inserted the pick up tube into a good grease dissolver ( purple stuff etc) and attached my air hose. I stuck the wand in and fired away. A very effective power washer.
I started at the far end and worked toward me. I let the solution set then I put the pick up hose in a jug of HOT water and flushed again.. I repeated this 5 times. NOw the evaporator is shiny clean on the inboard side and I can only assume the outboard side.
What prompted this was I wasn't getting any water dripping under car with A/C on and it wasn't all that cold. Now I get puddles and the A/C is much colder. Incidently. When flushing I didn't see and water pouring out underneeth til I was on the 2nd application. It Was clogged good. I felt this was worth a shot first because the dash removal is big. HTH Mike