In the event that something does not allow that set of procedures to go forward....
here is a low tech backup which might work just fine...
take out the actual coil... needed in all cases.... clean the outside....and put it under water just like you would with a tire which had a slow leak.... and apply compressed air or better yet nitrogen to it... while under water... you can have a few drops of JOY dish washing soap in the water... you just need enough water to cover the entire unit... fittings would be nice... but likely you will find the leak with 3-5 psi introduced into the coils... you can accomplish that with a good wrapping of duct tape...
Then you might consider Silver Soldering the hole/s .... but remember that anytime you heat metal which is in an AC system you must have NITROGEN inside the unit..but not under pressure...as that will keep you from sealing the hole.. so it just needs to be running past the hole keeping oxygen from contacting the heated section..... to keep the metal from oxidizing and corroding in the future... which can make those Txvalve clogging bits to happen.
While the evaporator is in the low pressure side of the AC system... I still suggest that the solder itself not be used to stop the leak...a small piece of whatever the coil is made of ....aluminum or copper I assume..... bent to fit closely.... and held on by the silver solder is much preferred philosophy... as the strength per square inch of silver solder is amazing... one will be using ACID to clean the area in question since this is not dealing with electrical wire...which properly requires Rosen flux....
New things are happening in the welding field all the time.. so research is appropriate when beginning this operation...for instance..
Dura Fix Aluminum Welding Aluminum Brazing Aluminum Soldering & Repair Rod is not sold on Ebay US or Amazon

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1980 240d ,

chain elongation, cam marks reference:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/10414-help-i-need-check-stretch.html

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/305365-9-degrees-chain-stretch.html

evap fin cleaning:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/156207-photo-step-step-post-showing-w123-evaporator-removal-1983-240d-1982-300td.html?highlight=evaporator

A/C thread

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/297462-c-recommendations-mb-vehicles.html

Thanks Leathermang,
I have exactly zero experience brazing, so I'm planning on letting a radiator shop deal with this one - they should be much better prepared for that sort of repair

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'85 300D - federal spec, built in late 84. 85 300D Complete AC System Rebuild

Thanks!
I may order that to see if it fits or if I can modify the housing slightly to make it work, since it's fairly cheap. Apparently that evaporator fits housing 123-830-40-58. Tonight I'll try to figure out which housing I have.

Edit:
Decided to order this. Hopefully it fits without modifications to the housing, or possibly with minor modifications. If not, I'll probably sell it as a used part here to someone else who can use it.

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'85 300D - federal spec, built in late 84. 85 300D Complete AC System Rebuild

I agree totally.... brazing can be tricky... since almost by definition it is putting together dissimilar metals.... yikes..... but also... as more ' old fashioned' radiator shops get farther and farther apart due to retirements... those with experience with more than JUST radiator experience may become a problem... as I have suggested in the past .. it may help to look slightly out in the country near a farming community for the radiator shop...
Also... a local community college welding instructor might have a wide range of experience with things other than straight copper radiator brazing.......
We are in a smaller and smaller set of people.... trying to keep really old cars going properly.... so some ' scrambling ' of cures may be needed....
Also....Hemmings Motor News.... has all sorts of specialized and experienced fixers of old car things... and ..... this may seem foreign to many these days... they MAY NOT EVEN BE CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET...much less have a website..... phone and snail mail ....may be the only way to reach them....

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1980 240d ,

chain elongation, cam marks reference:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?threadid=10414

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/305365-9-degrees-chain-stretch.html

evap fin cleaning:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/156207-photo-step-step-post-showing-w123-evaporator-removal-1983-240d-1982-300td.html?highlight=evaporator

A/C thread

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/297462-c-recommendations-mb-vehicles.html

$87 is a great price for a genuine evap. I called them up (a Mercedes dealer) and they don't have anymore. However, they can get one from Germany for that price + shipping. I asked them to verify that price. They said the evap p/n as listed is a Behr and for w123 300D after chassis last 6 digit #009678. Before that is Siemens.

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

Huh. When i talked to them they said it was based on the part number of the housing but didnt mention the VIN. They also didnt mention shipping it from Germany. Maybe I got the last one in the States.

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'85 300D - federal spec, built in late 84. 85 300D Complete AC System Rebuild

Changes in parts are listed by MB by VIN... so always good to include that if available...
I pulled the trans from a parts wagon for someone .. a 1979... and when they got home they found the difference was vacuum on one and not on the other...yikes...

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1980 240d ,

chain elongation, cam marks reference:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?threadid=10414

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/305365-9-degrees-chain-stretch.html

evap fin cleaning:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/156207-photo-step-step-post-showing-w123-evaporator-removal-1983-240d-1982-300td.html?highlight=evaporator

A/C thread

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/297462-c-recommendations-mb-vehicles.html

I totally disagree with that info. I've seen quite a few w123's in the yards or working on them to know that both Siemens and Behr evaporators were installed any given date of manufactured greater than 1982 (although I did find some 1981 examples on the net so, so it could be earlier). In fact even with my own car that came with a Siemens Evaporator from the factory model year 1983, the chassis last 6 digits are in the 02xxxx range.



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1983 123.133 California
- GreaseCar Veg System

Good to know! I was merely repeating info given to me by the dealer.

I called back and gave them the VIN to my car that they asked for earlier and was told the evaporator for it is NLA, including Germany.

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

You actually were able to order it? Maybe you did get the last one in the country? Hope it fits! If it does it's a steal!

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

One thing I never mentioned in any of my threads regarding the rebuildING of my HVAC box, is all the vent flaps/doors in the box had deteriorating foam on them. All it would take was a garden hose to wash the old foam off. I ended up getting felt, cut to the correct shape of the old foam, and glueing them on the flaps. Not it really needs them, but I figured the foam is used to vibration dampening and to provide a seal on some of the flaps.


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1983 123.133 California
- GreaseCar Veg System

That's too bad. Maybe they were not using the 123 830 14 58 part number, but a different part number your VIN came up with.


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1983 123.133 California
- GreaseCar Veg System

How did you come up with the 123 830 14 58 part number and the place that had one for $87? I asked the dealer for a p/n of an evap that looks like mine and he gave 000 830 4658

Googled 000 830 4658 one of few results finds http://www.*********.com/ss/?make=Mercedes&ssq=W0133-1606814&brand=Thermal+Solutions which is NLA from Partgeek

Also found in https://www.polarbearinc.com/pbpc/homepage/Search/EV/MB_EV.html have not tried contacting them yet.

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

Amazing what you find on ebay. Probably won't find a new Sanden for $50 in the summer. Buy parts when you don't need them. Must browse liquidation sites and be patient. I'm not telling where I browse because don't need competition. Not for readers here, but imagine how many illiterates can't spell "carburetor" or "Edelbrock". You might luck out and run across a gomer auctioning a nice "Jagwire" car with no reserve.

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1984 & 1985 CA 300D's
1964 & 65 Mopar's - Valiant, Dart, Newport
1996 & 2002 Chrysler minivans

When you asked me earlier if I knew the part number for a Siemens evaporator, I didn't know and did a quick search to see if I could find something. This part number came up, but I couldn't confirm what box it belongs to.

That link I provided from mbpartscenter shows on my phone's web browser that the regular price is $87, but they have it on sale for $60.84. I wish could make a screen print, but I cannot do that on my phone.

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1983 123.133 California
- GreaseCar Veg System