Was there ever a year where MB stopped using the aluminum evaporator that gives everyone such headaches, or did they use the same part through 1995?

Is this like an m104 head gasket (not if but when) or do just a few of these cars have an evap. go? How prevalent is this problem?

I think the bi metallic evap was used throughout the series, but I'm not sure. Although they are bad about going out, it does not mean that it is totally inevitable. My '88, knock on wood, still has the original evaporator and is still tight.

Components often get such reputations when a high failure rate is experienced, but a high failure rate can be 15%. It does not mean that such a component is destined to fail.

The worst thing you could do would be to run and replace the evaporator the first time the refrigerant is low because you ASSUMED that it had failed. A few months ago, my system was empty after the winter and I was getting pretty close to changing it. After looking the system over more closely, it became apparent that the expansion valve was leaking. I pulled it out and then I could see that had been leaking PROFUSELY. I replaced the expansion valve and the system is VERY tight.

The more expensive and difficult to replace, requires even more thorough diagnosis although you should always thoroughly diagnose before replacing any component, even if it's a fifteen cent component that you can replace in 30 seconds. Just throwing parts at a problem without thorough diagnosis is a very bad and expensive habit to develop.

Good luck,

I've posted it before, but the owner of Mr. MB Motors, Enrique, has emphatically told me that evaporator failures on W124's are not as common as everyone makes them out to be.

Yes, he's changed them. I saw a '92 400E in the shop undergoing an evaporator and vacuum pod-ectomy in his shop once.

But, he assures me that evap failures are the exception, not the rule, on W124's.

W140 cars are another matter, though.....

__________________
Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".