[PR]

Hello everyone!

My evaporator had a leak, so I bought the necessary parts and changed it my self.

At the moment, I just finished the installation.
Tomorrow in the morning, an a/c technician comes by and vacuums/refills the system. :woot:

Going to post some pics here for your enjoyment.
I took a whole boat-load of pictures, so I'll post more up, and write up a cool post about the operation.

In the mean time, here are two or three:::

brb with more :thumbsup:

-- AJ
.

 

[Robert1101]

Outstanding, how many hours did it take to get to the evaporator?

 

[greggf]

wow,that looks a little intense...

 

[PR]

Outstanding, how many hours did it take to get to the evaporator?

wow,that looks a little intense...

Hey guys!

Robert, it took me around 2.5-3 hours to get the old evaporator in my hands.
This was in a SUPER relaxed pace.
I'm a shade-tree mechanic, so I took out the radio, the fan, the dogs, and just started dis-assembling everything with patience.

So 2 hours is more than manageable.

Greg,
ehehehe

Ok, I'm going to start the write-up after this post.
w00t w00t!!! (cold air tomorrow!!)

 

[PR]

Part1 - opening the way

Ok, so shorter short story, the evaporator in my Envoy had to be changed because it was not doing its job in the simple realm of R134 containment.

I got an estimate for $850, from two reputable places.
The cost of the parts was:
AC Delco (FTW!) Evaporator $255
AC Delco Expansion Valve (?) $ 8
AC Delco (FTFW!) Dryer $ 95

So the total is hovering around $360ish, plus a bottle of oil for the compressor (3oz needed per the technician's recommendations), plus a bottle of flush-fluid for removing grime from your system (if needed).

Flush-fluid also works great in showing the marvels of modern chemistry, and how it is able to disolve/assimilate anything in its path.

I am starting up my own business, and money is non-existant.
It isn't that I 'saved' money by doing this job my self.
It is that it would not have happened if I hadn't done it.

(( Interesting Side-Note: Both places, after informing them I would do the job myself due to greedy-old people winning my lottery last week, they BOTH dropped $200 off the bat. From $850 to $650. Regardless, the dinero is not there. ))

Anyways.... raspberry:laugh::duh::hissy::hahano: :grouphug: :woohoo::rotfl:

Ah, yes...
This vehicle needs air conditioning. ASAP.

The goodies:

The evaporator wrapped up:
(( HEY! I got only ONE foam 'seal' pattern. You need FOUR of them. Two are odd-shaped, and two are simple long bars (like KitKats!). Demand 'em, because I had to re-use my old, 6 year old moldy, musty, mushy, shushy, ewwy ones. :hopeless ))

DISASSEMBLY of the Flux-Capacitor Relay Circuitry:
Ok, I suggest, althought NOT necessary, to remove the center console.
It is a 2 minute procedure, and it enables you more freedom, flexibility, room to maneuver, and girls think it's hot when a man can remove a center console from a GM car.

 

[the roadie]

I'm reading with interest. I also love your writing style. Reminds me of ... me! :laugh: :crackup: :woot:

 

[PR]

Part 2 - Keep removing stuff

Alright, so we continue to remove parts from the center console. :excited:

This storage space has six phillips screws; once those are done, it lifts right up.

After this, you remove two hex-head screws under where the storage space was.
There is one more of those in the front, in the cup holder.
Now, the center console is not screwed down -- yet there's two electrical plugs to remove.

First, there's one simple plug on the shift lever solenoid locking/unlocking mechanism. Can't miss it.

Second, in the center space, you see the 4:58pm-Connector-Plug.
Many Moon cycles ago, at a Detroit cubicle, this item was copy/pasted to that position, in digital cyberyspace, without ever thinking if it was humanly possible to actually get in there.

(( EDIT: you know what? maybe it's actually because that was done by somebody not at Detroit?
ie: Detroit builds great-quality, kickAss things. I'm sold on GMC! ))

I suggest you lift the center console four or five inches from the back, get one arm in there, and the other arm from the top.


:weird:

Done!

There are four nuts that hold down the shift lever.
I also found it easier to remove this, as there wasn't that, err... um... protruding stick in the middle of the cab.

 

[PR]

I'm reading with interest. I also love your writing style. Reminds me of ... me! :laugh: :crackup: :woot:

Nice!
These forums rock!
I'm still finding my way around... so much stuff to read.

I will finish the posts regarding the evaporator install tomorrow.

(( and of course, I'll update on the system's performance ))

 

[CoyoteFireGuy]

Reminds me of ... me! :laugh: :crackup: :woot:

I was thinking the exact same thing!:x:crackup:

Very NICE write up!:thumbsup:

 

[PR]

Part 3 - More Dashboard pieces come out

Alright, one of the funny and odd surprises I found was a considerable amount of coins that had gone under the center console.

The faceplate of the dashboard's center column comes off very easily.
Just take off two phillips screws at the bottom, and pull it out.
It is held in place with those 'snap clips'. Pull it out firmly, you won't break it.

Once it is out, all that is left is to unplug all the electrical connections to that faceplate.

Finally (!!), remove the radio and climate control cluster.
Screws on the left and right.
The climate control cluster has clips for removal in addition to its screws. These clips are to the sides, on the top and bottom of the screws.
Easy!

Once those are out, unplug their wiring harnesses.
(( BTW: Props to GM for nailing down the plastic of this specific wiring harness plug/connectors. Between the plastic, the operation, tolerances, etc., it finally is what should be. ))

 

[PR]

Part XXII

Ok, finishing!

Removing the center panel, out with the radio, out with the climate control module panel thing, and out with anything else attached nearby.

Now, to remove the rear piece of the dashboard, pry it out with a screwdriver.

Start at the speaker grill corners... highest concentration of clips there.
The piece just snaps out.

Next, remove the kick panel from the passenger side:

 

[PR]

Part 7 - The Saga Continues

It is also a good idea to remove the glove compartment.
(( Does anybody actually store 'gloves' in there?? ))

Next, the driver's side kick panels, two of them.

Remove anything else that is still attached there (in my case, the a/c vent):

Don't be fooled, there are screws everywhere.

 

[PR]

The Dodo Birds Strike Back

Remove speakers....

(( does this this finally mean I have a Bose? A non-working Bose, that is. ))

This odd-looking fellow was very interested in the mechanics of a GM vehicle.

Well versed, too.

Now, remove all the yellow bolts... every one that you see... hit it counter-clockwise.

A few more here and there...

 

[TRAIL-BLAZING]

Wow that's awesome! :hail:

 

[PR]

Part 11 - A Boat made out of Tire Foam

All that is left now is just to pry-out the dash-cover piece:

It should all come out:

And it is out!!!

Easy!

There!

ADVICE: The easiest, most sensible way to take out/put in this piece, is to move it "up, and over the steering wheel" with a "roll the top towards you" motion.
That's the best way to describe it.

Of course, I did it every which way but that one.

 

[PR]

Part 9 - Back in Time

Ok, so for continuing the dis-assembly, we are going to remove two parts now that will make our lives easier.

1st up, there's the big metal plate that holds the center console and parking brake in place. That thing is bolted to the floor.
The second part is a metal bracket that goes vertical behind the radio and climate control.
Here highlighted in green with my madz dr4w1ng sk1llz::

Metal part getting removed:

This is the part, just in case you mistake it with the other one just like it inside your car.

:weird:

Almost free:

 

[PR]

Part 10 - Yakkee Indians

STOP! Hammer time!
:woot::dielaugh::crazy:

Here we have nice and clean a/c lines:

Which we will be disconnecting soon enough.

It is a good idea to 'seal' your a/c lines when you disconnect them.
It will prevent stuff from crawling inside (or just falling in due to that pesky gravity).
In addition, it will make your life easier by preventing moisture from permeating too much into your open lines.

Here is a run-down of the stuff down there:

Once everything is removed, remember the four bolts that are holding that plate to the firewall. (here highlighted in green)

NOTE on HEATER LINES: The heater lines have a quick disconnect.
They require no tool, other than fleshy sacrifices of your sensitive digits.
You are supposed to press down on the rear clips, and then you can slide off the hose.
In theory.
And I'm sure in practice, in the nice confines of a garage that isn't mine, it works fine.

I had to play with them back and forth, until I was able to get them to release.
It really is a great system, it should just be beefier with more plastic. Maybe a metal skeleton inside that plastic.
And a heat exchanger with a small pump and some tubing, and then we can have a beer cooler in the cup-holder running from the residual a/c coldness.
For drinking beer while working on your car, of course. Don't drink and operate anything heavier than the 2cycle trimmer.

errr... where am I?

 

[rbarrios]

"Flush-fluid also works great in showing the marvels of modern chemistry, and how it is able to disolve/assimilate anything in its path."

you must be a star trek fan- Resistance is Futile.

 

[eeehabt]

Hi,
I can't say but excellent job done. Your photos are clear and in order. Thanks a lot for posting your experience in such a professional way. I had to praise the pro work.

 

[Chevy-TB-lover]

Wow! great work.
It definitely should be an article!:thumbsup: