I put an ACM evap in my 124 wagon late last year.

Don't pull the expansion valve, just leave it in place. It can be easily installed (well, maybe not easily, but it's not any harder...) with the exp. valve already assembled to the evap.

As well, the ACM evap is pressurized, the blocking plate on the other side of the expansion valve has o-rings underneath it. Presumably it is filled with nitrogen, or some other dry, inert gas.

So just leave it alone. When you pull the blocking plate off the exp. valve to install it, you'll have a rush of escaping gas. This will tell you that neither the evap nor the o-rings have a leak.

- JimY