AC Evaporator core replacement on 92 400E - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

-fad · #16 06-04-2003, 11:13 AM

I stopped by Smythe European to visit my E500 last night (evaporator replacement)

...it was a chilling sight to see the frontal dash area completely apart!

-fad

aldedmon · #17 06-04-2003, 11:16 AM

Hey fad,
What'd them boys at Smythe European charge you for the "surgery".

Zeus · #18 06-04-2003, 03:00 PM

Hey Albert -

I'm following your post with interest...I'm contemplating replacing the evap on my 300E...let us know how it all goes. Thx!

aldedmon · #19 06-04-2003, 03:45 PM

Well Zeus, honestly as I stated down to where i am is really straignt forward. The old wrench was getting the front speaker through the dash assy. The speaker are soldered to the wire. So I had to turn them sideways(perpendicular) and make them go back through the hole. The passenger side airbag was straightforward too once I understood that there was a long bolt that you access through a hole in the passender side lower sub dash assy. If your's is a 93+E you can feel the hold by rubbing your hand under that panel. i've disassembled the blow assy before so that will be a piece of cake. I do already hace all the parts...Evap core/exp valve , dryer, Hi/Lo switch , (6-7)actuators etc. I'll detail all when I get to the Evap. core and add pics as I do the rebuild.
**No special tool needed other than the Radio"keys". I've been using mostly a philips screw driver, an 8mm nut driver and a 10mm wrench to remove the crossmember. As i said pretty basic stuff..... To make sure that I remember which screw came out of and goes where I reinserted them back into the piece/area that they can from and used masking tape on the thread side to keep them in place. I had to put the airbag inner backets in a bag and the crossmember nuts in a bag(ziploc sandwich bags) as well as the speaker grill and the dash screw thats under the grill in bags as well.....But I'll detail it all this weekend maybe. I'm just nickeling and diming the process. this weekend I'll give you my, "If I been on vacation and was dedicating straight time to it, how much time would it really have taken." Others have mentioned that the dash can be disassembled and reassembled in a 4 hr span. So I trust their estimate on that.

Stay tuned

-fad · #20 06-04-2003, 04:24 PM

Greetings Albert- -

surgury charges= $ open ticket.

Do you go to the doctor and predicate your care on the cost of that MD's service and/or with a $ limit?

all kidding aside- I'll share when all the work is completed-- - also having upper engine wiring harness upgraded now

most people that I've spoken to regarding this job acknowledge that it is a time consuming job and ends up in the area of $3k (including new evaporator part)...I'm not sure if that figure is accurate to 2003 $ though

-fad

Zeus · #21 06-04-2003, 04:46 PM

Thanks Albert, you're inspiring me.

I've got an '89 300E, with only the steering wheel airbag. I'll keep tuned to your post, looking forward to hearing how it all goes. If I decide to do it, it will be within the next month or two, when I get a free long weekend.

J.HIDALGO · #22 06-04-2003, 06:10 PM

Be aware a long weekend may become a LONG WEEKEND. You may plan ahead with another mean of transportation is that is your only one.

for those unforseen circumstances...
Just a friendly advice!

#23 06-05-2003, 07:56 AM

Believe me, the 400E is NOT Alberts only transportation. As a matter of fact, I fully expect that he has the 400E torn apart so that he has a good excuse to drive the most beautiful 500E I've ever seen.

He said in another thread that he would be doing a few hours work here and a few hours work there on the 400E. I fully expect that is a further addition to his plan, so he can get plenty of time with his Red Wonder.

Have a great day,

aldedmon · #24 06-05-2003, 11:33 AM

Amen Larry. I'm not at all bothered by the 400E being torn down. I do have the luxury of another 2 cars.(My wife's 5 series BMW wagon) . So I have plenty of wheels to get around in. I do absolutely adore the 500E, but my 400E is my main squeeze

. The 500E will forever be my "Mistress" as my wife likes to call her, but she knows(both the 500E and my Wife) that the 400E is my girl!..... But J. is absolutely correct. You try to do this job in a weekend and it will be a REAL long, time consuming weekend. Its not hard, so don't be discouraged Zeus et.al., but it does take a LOT of time taking off this then that, then reading then taking off some more. Then finding a hidden screw that's holding something on. Then resting, wiping your tired weary brow and then celebrating that I FINALLY GOT THE DAMN THING OUT!!!!!!!!!!
I got a little careless and cracked a piece of the airbox so I'll have to epoxy it. Went to the dealer to see if they see just sold the piece that goes down to the Dr. side floor vent and they said that the entire box comes as a unit..$2200.

Needless to say, I'm super glueing/epoxying it back together. It really is a small insignificant crack so what the hell.So far that's been my only snaffoo! So the Box is out and I'll take it apart on Sat PM or Sunday AM - PM R/R and put the box back together. Father Day what I want from my wife/kids is a weekend of freetime to reassemble the beast. So that's what I'll ask for and will hopefull have her back on her feet by then. As I said I am taking career enhancement classes and what with my 8-5 plus study time daily for the short summer semester and time due the Wife/kids, I end up having to "steal" time to work on the car. But I ain't complaining. Like Larry pointed out, every one should be so(UN)lucky as to have their main ride "down" and then have a trusty steed that you can mount just waiting in the wings all gassed up/waxed up/ dressed up and ready to GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

-fad · #25 06-05-2003, 02:23 PM

Albert,

fyi according to my Service Advisor the Repair Order currently amounts to (parts only) $3300:

>upper engine wiring harness
>evaporator replacement (seals, expansion valve, R134a, etc.)
>valve cover gasket

(does not include incoming complete rear window sunshade replacement/ ordered and expected next week from Germany)

best regards
-fad

aldedmon · #26 06-05-2003, 03:58 PM

To Stating the obvious, make sure that they are replacing the actuators. They generally do as a matter of principle. I know you'll be glad to get 'er back. I certainly will be glad to get the 'ol gal back on her feet in the coming days/week. The thing is one I do the 400E and everything check out, I still need to do the 500E. The Core on it which was replaced last year, developed a leak. And since I provided the part, the replacement is on my (d/t)ime. But the way the job is going, I don't give a S#!t. I know my way around these cars pretty well, its just fear of the unknown. If you were to slap a "Bowtie" or a "Blue Oval" on these darn car, I'd be all over it in a minute. I just need to get over the stigma of it being a very expensive and delicate piece of machinery and just treat it like what it is....... a very expensive and delicate piece of machinery !!

aldedmon · #27 06-08-2003, 02:22 PM

Okay, So i opened the "Box" and removed the old evap core and put the new one in. there's also a small piece of screen that covers the evap core that you remove from the old and replace on the new. I sealed up the box and will put it back into the car sometime next week. I lost a few of those little clips that keep the box together. No big deal. I also broke another little internal gizmo, when I accidently cracked the left floor vent assy. All in all everything is going well.
(I epoxied the left side and replaced the clips and reinstalled the box)

aldedmon · #28 07-07-2003, 04:53 PM

You know how when it reains it pours.... I have 3 cars. The 2 MB's + a BMW. I took the 400E out of commmission while doing the AC job. Then last week the Tranny Blew out on the 500E. Then the fuel pump went out on the BMW. Strike 3 - I was out.(No more cars...walking, riding the bus, thumb in the air etc.)
FORTUNATELY, I had already begun the reassy process on the 400E. I already had the evap. core/ heater box, the windshield assy and rec/dryer reinstalled in the car. So basically all I was really tackling was the interior stuff. Guys I gotta tell ya, the job really ain't that bad. Yeah I know it took me a month, but I just didn't have time to fool with it. And as I stated at the top, when I had the time, I was waiting on this clown to see if he was going to do it. I am SO glad that he did NOT do it. Now I have the "know how" to perform this task again, perhaps aide any of you who might be undertaking this task in the future. So anyway. I reinstalled all the interior pieces. The hardest part was getting the upper dash to mount over the two upper blow vents on the AC/Heater box. After that it was "knit one/pearl two." I drove the car to the dealer to get the seals for the receiver dryer lines and while attempting to help this guy who had a busted tensioner for a 400E, I met and began to talk to one of the tech's who was there slumming on Sat. Long story short, we rolled the car into the shop and I got the "Homeboy Hookup" on the evac/recharge for get this.....are you ready..you're not gonna believe this.....$30....For evac/ reharge / oil AND Freon(134). TOLD you, you weren't gonna believe it. Plus I got his phone number and asked if I need him for a big job, if he'd be interested. He said yes. He also knew the other clown and when I told him my plight, he said that the guy was having some problems. I said yeah tell me about it. So that'st. I'm chillin like a villian.

Gotta do the Fuel pump on the BMW today and will hopefully get the 500E back by the weekend.

Job total(~$800 for the Core, the actuators, the recv dryer and the Hi/Lo pressure switch.including HomeBoy Hookup on Evac/Recharge)....I saved $900-$1000 in Labor....Cha - Ching!!
Not having to sweat the job if I ever have to do it again....priceless
**Tip** I let the steering wheel ALL the way out and left it intact.
where possible reinsert the screws in the removed pieces and wrap tape arount the threads. This way you'll know the exact screw that came out. Label parts pieces and connectors with tape and make marking on the connectors so that you'll know which one was the left / right. Put other pieces/screws in ziplock bags. Write on the bag where they go or put a note inside the bag telling where they go. Take photos with Digi or regular cam. Print off entire procedure from MB CD's and make notes if you need to on the sheets. (The tech said that there are seals in the Heater core that they replace when they do the job.. he said that the intake and outlet tubes are removable to access these seals. I do not remember the heater core having said joints. Any way if you do the job and there are seals, R/R them)