W124 dash removal in pictures

[kggkgg]

Hi
my initial 2 posts were asking for help so I thought I would contribute something to the forum in the hope that others will answer my posts.

I recently spent a whole day removing my dash to inspect/replace vacuum elements. I recorded the whole process in about 50 pictures. I have included some tips and commented on my mistakes in case it helps others.

Heres the link
http://photos.orange.co.uk/album/7788556

hope it helps someone
Keith

Thanks for the contribution. I'm sure it will be well used.

I have the 124 chassis manual and found it to be quite adequate with lots of pictures and diagrams. This time, however, it appears that I will go all the way to the evaporator. I stopped just short of that last time. I expect the chassis manual will have good graphics for that portion of the job as well, but I might be referring to yours before it is all said and done.

Thanks again,

[lee polowczuk]

that was an awesome pictorial.....

my evaporator has been replaced....so I think someday I will have to do the vaccuum elements.

Thanks.

[gmercoleza]

Larry, are you saying the evap is just a few more steps past his pictorial? My driver side vent lately has been pumping out hot air when I nail the gas to pass a semi. As soon as I return to cruising speed or idle, it blows cold dry air again. Only seems to do this when A/C demand is "marginal" i.e. around 60 to 75 degrees when the HVAC unit has to "blend" or decide between hot, cold, or A/C air. When it's 80 or above, requiring that the HVAC unit keep A/C on continuously, I don't experience this phenomenon. Same thing when it's cold outside - everything works normally. So I suspect the dash pods, since nailing the gas will cause a sudden vacuum drop. I can live with it in this state by just closing the driver side vent when this occurs, since A/C air still blows out the center vents fine. But I'm thinking if the problem gets worse I might have to pull the dash to replace some pods. I figure that if I'm in there already I might want to at least inspect the evap. Any suggestions?

[gidpor]

Man I would kill (well..) to have similar photos for the 126 dash.
great job. I had to look even though it is a different body.

[kggkgg]

Originally Posted by lee polowczuk

that was an awesome pictorial.....

my evaporator has been replaced....so I think someday I will have to do the vaccuum elements.

Thanks.

Just wondered what the symptoms were that led you to replace the evap. I have ongoing problems which I cant nail (not cold enough). Am wondering if its the evap?

Also I have 4 spare vacuum elements which are perfectly good if you decided to do it I dont want much for them. I can identify and send photos if needed.

Keith

gmercoleza,

I have not yet looked at the pictorial because I am on a dial up, but I have done a podectomy so I know how to get that far. I even replaced my heater core while in there.

With the dash removed for the podectomy, you're not that far from the evaporator. You pull the console and then remove the entire a/c unit after recovering the refrigerant and disconnecting the heater hoses and a few other things. You're looking at something like a 15 hour job.

kggkgg,

There are plenty of things that can cause poor or no a/c performance. To determine if evaporator is the problem, you first must determine that there is a refrigerant leak, then determine where that leak is located.

If you determine that there is indeed a leak, you need to either use a leak detector to "sniff" for leaking refrigerant and/or inject UV dye into the system then look for the leaking dye using yellow glasses and a UV lamp. If the evaporator is leaking you will see UV dye in the drain water or a very sensitive sniffer will be set off if put in the vent while a/c is running full blast.

Have a great day,

[lee polowczuk]

my evaporator was replaced as part of an A/C overhaul...It's why I bought the car---- evaporator, drier, expansion valve, compressor, and those expensive hoses replaced.... have 2700 in receipts. Florida car. This happened in 2004 on a 1989 300e with 142k on it at the time.

Because of the involved procedure...I would get new vacuum valves...

I am however accumulating other parts.... have front calipers, klima, ovp, and fuel relays. I want to get more stuff as time goes on....

Give me a price for the pods anyway.

[gmercoleza]

Originally Posted by LarryBible

With the dash removed for the podectomy, you're not that far from the evaporator. You pull the console and then remove the entire a/c unit after recovering the refrigerant and disconnecting the heater hoses and a few other things. You're looking at something like a 15 hour job.

Thanks for the insight, Larry. How long do you think just pulling the dash would take? I am interested in doing just the pods for now, since the A/C does blow cold (no reason to mess with evap at this point). But I also need to get the wood strips off the dash as well in order to refinish them, and from what somebody on this forum has told me, they can only be removed with the dash off. If I can kill 2 birds with one stone, the effort will be well worth it. Also, I have done a search and IIRC several members seem to indicate you can pull the dash without removing the steering wheel; this would be ideal since I'm leery of messing with the airbag. Any thoughts?

Thanks again. This is very helpful.

[smoothbrain]

Thanks for the excellent information.

[kggkgg]

It took 3 hours to pull , 2 hours to replace pods and 2 hours to replace. But then it was my first time and I was taking 50 photos along the way!