Evaporator replacement
 

I'm sure glad I did this at home. It was apparently done before and now I understand why some of the stuff in the dash was confusing. The cable to the rear duct on the console was disconnected, the two side cables on the center dash outlet were sliding instead of being retained, the damper rod on the center duct was disconnected, the sampler head in the overhead console was tucked into the gap between the roof and upholstery, the temp sensor clipped to the roof sheet metal was loose, the evaporator core was loose in the box instead of mounted in rubber, etc. And this started out as a dealership car. Wonder who cobbled it up like this?

Tough job to tackle. Good going. Give us some details on your work, ie: do's and don't's. Thanks.

Well, first thing is to search this forum for topics on the replacement. I found a thread with pictures similar to what I encountered. Second is the advice I followed as to marking bolts and screws. I used the blue 3M tape and either taped the fastener in the hole it came from or taped them in a strip and labeled them with a marker. Third is to not believe anything needs to be forced. Find the hidden hold up. It's always there. Fourth, buy the best evaporator because you don't want to do this again. I couldn't afford the ACM and ended up trying to start the fittings into the expansion valve for two hours because it was at the wrong angle. Had to take all the fasteners off the box and wiggle it to line up the threads. And finally, look at how the parts should be, not how they are. That's how I found the cable clamps had slipped and the controls didn't work. Try stuff while it's apart. If you're as proud of your work as I am, amaze your friends with pictures. I can't get my files small enough or I'd post one or two. And remember, it's fun!

Email them to rick_miley@bigfoot.com and I'll fix them up for you.