very interesting.it seems the leakage is coming from the lower part or bottom of the evap.while the rest looks to be unaffected.could this have been caused by blocked drains?

I don't think so since the drains were not blocked.

My evaporator looked almost identical. Just where gravity took the fluid I guess.

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95 SL500 Smoke Silver, Parchment 64K
07 E350 4matic Station Wagon White 34K
02 E320 4Matic Silver/grey 80K
05 F150 Silver 44K

Good lord that scares me worse than any horror film. God bless anyone who has to deal with this problem.

New ACM blower motor installed in case. It mounted a little different than the orginal. After you install the blower motor hook it up to power and run it to make sure it's positioned just right and that there is no rubbing.

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Really nice work Ron.

"It mounted a little different than the orginal."

Ron,

Great progress report. Just be sure the blower motor is blowing the correct direction. It must be easy to put them in the wrong way. Replacement units have been installed backwards a number of times, even by Mercedes technicians. (ask me how I know.)

I thought of that. When I observed the curvature of the blades on the squirrel cage I noticed that if I put the ACM unit in with the brushes on the same side of as the original the blades on the new unit would be curved the wrong way.

That's part of what I mean by the ACM mounts a little different. The bracket for the ACM is different as is the routing of the wires so they don't interfere with anything. Just to be safe I hooked each of the fan motors up to power to check which way they turned and I've got the replacement blowing the same way the original was blowing.

Hope the last vacuum element and the new receiver/dryer get here soon. I'm ready to put everything back together and see it if holds a vacuum.

Ya'll are scaring me!

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2012 E350
2006 Callaway SC560

A couple of photos. One shows the case installed back in car, minus the top. The other photo shows case on workbench before I put it back in car again minus the top.


http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/attachments/diesel-discussion/32368d1143248461-w124-evaporator-diy-outsource-evaporator-4-004.jpg

I'm curious to know if this "dreaded" evaperator issue is something that all
W124's will have to deal with at sometime in their life, or does it seem to be more hit and miss. I've read a lot of posts about this, but there is really no rhyme or reason - it's affected many different model years from what I've gathered. And from the amount of work needed to get at it, I would also guess that Mercedes never thought this would be a major issue.

If it is so widespread, too bad it couldn't have been deemed somehow to be an environmental or human hazard, and have to be replaced by Mercedes via a repair bulletin. I think dealer mechanics would have rather slit their wrists than see a long line of 124's waiting for evaperator replacement!

A great effort, Ron - if you have spare time, you can make millions going around the country and assisting other members! Remember to bring your labeled baggies along!

-Michael

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+AMDG+
2005 W203
Running as fast as I can to stay behind!!

The elusive 6th and final element arrived today. So hopefully I'll put this thing back together tomorrow. I'm still waiting on the receiver/dryer so unless it comes later today I'll not be able to test system until I receive and install that dryer.

I don't know how the dealer mechanics are paid. But I have a friend who owns a Mercedes repair shop here in Charleston and they love these jobs. One of the guys there can do one in less than 8 hours and that includes replacing all the elements. I thinks he's done over 100 of these although not all 124's.

Dash is back together. See photo. I'll do center console after lunch.

Edited:

My photo was do big, I'll try to resize it later, along with the other photo of everything back together, except the reciever/dryer which is yet to arrive.


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If you ever get to TX you can help me anytime. I lose 1 lb a year but would do the work just to make it "right." Thanks for the photos.