My w124 evaporator removal thread

[samiam44]

Should his parts list include o-rings for the heater core manifold?


Seems like they should be replaced at the same time you've got it out of the car with access.


M

[platt-deutsch]

I put a bottle of stop leak in my 2002 S600 and it worked! I didnt have to replace the evaporator..It was about 35.00 for a little 2 oz bottle..

Originally Posted by platt-deutsch

I put a bottle of stop leak in my 2002 S600 and it worked! I didnt have to replace the evaporator..It was about 35.00 for a little 2 oz bottle..

PLEASE prominently label your system as having stop leak inside!!!!!!

If you don't it is very possible that some day, someone like myself will unsuspectingly recover this stuff into their expensive recovery/recycle machine and destroy it.

I am very much a free market, small government kind of guy, but if I had the magic wand that would outlaw only one class of product, it would be air conditioner sealants. They destroy entire a/c systems and unsuspecting recovery/recycle machines.

For those of you who insist on using this JUNK, PLEASE label the system as a courtesy to the unsuspecting tech that might work on it someday. That poor guy is just trying to put food on the table and shoes on the baby like everyone else. Give him a break!

[Hirnbeiss]

My point was about the mechanic who thought it was old dye behind the carpet. You can clean it up and run the test again.

When I did a podectomy, the pods weren't very expensive, so I didn't consider it, but it seems like I remember that the diaphragms were available to repair your pods. Since your budget is limited, you might want to explore this possibility. I might be having wild dreams, but I think I remember someone talking about doing this.

It would be a way to save money since you have time on your hands.

Good luck,

[Cal Learner]

At one time, George Murphy at Performance Analysis (I think that's his company) sold a kit for renewing some, but not all, of the vent pods. George is MBCA Technical Director, so you can find his contact info on the MBCA forum.

If it's old dye, how could it have gotten there?

[Hirnbeiss]

Originally Posted by LarryBible

If it's old dye, how could it have gotten there?

From an old leak that had already been repaired.

In rereading the thread, Hirnbeiss has a point. The main point is in his pointing out that this is a profuse leak. You need to use a sniffer to ensure that the leak is in the cabin.

[ps2cho]

Originally Posted by LarryBible

In rereading the thread, Hirnbeiss has a point. The main point is in his pointing out that this is a profuse leak. You need to use a sniffer to ensure that the leak is in the cabin.

When I used propane before and put my sniffer in the cabin, I got nothing from the vents which is really strange
I thought maybe it wasn't enough to be making it into the cabin. It did not smell either...That is why I used propane in the hopes I could actually smell it myself.
The sniffer was working though as it picked it up because it would beep by the fill port just after I took the can off. So the sniffer wasn't bad.

He evacuated the whole system at the shop. If I were to fill it again do I still need to put oil in the system or would it still be there?

You mean it currently has a vacuum on it? You should not leave a vacuum on a system, especially a known leaking system. You will suck in moisture and contamination. It's never a good plan to evacuate until you are ready to charge the system.

[ps2cho]

Originally Posted by LarryBible

You mean it currently has a vacuum on it? You should not leave a vacuum on a system, especially a known leaking system. You will suck in moisture and contamination. It's never a good plan to evacuate until you are ready to charge the system.

Maybe evacuate is the wrong word? He just took all the R134a back out that he filled with as it was going to leak out anyway.

[ps2cho]

Which of the vacuum pods should be the BARE minimum that are unable to be swapped unless the dash is removed?
124-800-00-75 = Defroster pod (dual chamber)
124-800-02-75 = Center vent pod (single chamber, twist-on)
124-800-03-75 = Diverter pod (single chamber, small, attaches w/3 clips)
124-800-04-75 = Recirculation / fresh air pod 1 (dual chamber)
124-800-11-75 = Recirculation / fresh air pod 2 (dual chamber)

Just trying to cut my costs down on this...$500 is pretty steep for me...
I know the footwell one is not high priority + can be done later.

The only one that you have even a chance of changing without removing the dash is the defrost. I personally wouldn't even DREAM of taking the dash off without replacing them ALL!

The entire set of pods used to cost $80 or so. That was before all the world financial events of the last couple of years, so the exchange rates may have messed with those prices pretty bad.

[babymog]

Footwell pod(s) and defrost pod are somewhat accessible with the dash in place, but as Larry said, best to do all while the dash is out. I believe that I bought the set for around $200 last month.