The Official "My Evaporator Leaked/Leaks" Roll Call Thread

[FRAM]

Does using it over the winter help? Opinions?

Funny I just read over the weekend yes it should be run at least once a month during the winter to prevent it from seizing.

Unlike the new cars the AC must really be off when turning the AC switch off.

On my 01 Alero the A/C always ran even when the switch was off. I was told they do this now to keep the systems from seizing over the winter. BTW AC works well when defogging a windshield. Both my Alero and 05 Altima use this method for Defogging the windshield quickly.




My 90 XJ Limited is in the shop today for a conversion to R134A. The system lost it's charge during the mid-90's and when the previous owner brought it to the dealer for a recharge they had stopped doing R12 recharges. The previous owner never bothered to do anything more with it.

When I took it in for a quote last week there was no R12 left in the system but with a initial test they were unable to find a leak.

I'm not really interested in messing around with AC system like I would with the mechanical or electrical systems. I did however test the compressor which still works fine.

Hopefully all goes well today at the shop.

 

[Talyn]

BTW AC works well when defogging a windshield. Both my Alero and 05 Altima use this method for Defogging the windshield quickly.

Yeah.. thats how all defogers work since... oh the 70s?

 

[FRAM]

I'm sure they do but when it comes to the XJ why would they be suggesting to run the AC once a month during the winter? I know I use my Defogger at least once a day in the winter...

 

[Talyn]

This is coming from the same company that labeled some AW4 dipsticks for ATF +3 and the put a fuse panel cover in my XJ that says check the owners manual for the fuse id, and the owners manual says check the fuse panel cover. Why do they say anything? I guess it would be the sam thing as saying run the defogger one a month durnig the winter.

 

[FRAM]

Sounds good. I will check to see if the AC kicks in when the Defogger is running later today. I'm hopping it does.

 

[dbucfan]

Anyone with a how to and pics to remove the dash and replace the evap...please post or email me.
Darren
[email protected]

 

[Talyn]

What year is your XJ?

 

[Talyn]

Oh yeah. I'd also like to add that I have a write up for removing teh sir box from a 97-01 XJ. If you want it PM me with your email address.

Also, if some one could host this file for me it would be great. Haveing to send out 1 or 2 emails every day for the same thing is a pain. And yes, its been averaging about 1 person every day that wants this write up from me. Damn DC putting crappy exaps in teh later model Xjs. Can'tc omplain though. My Xj has had every typical 00 problem aside form teh dash gauge cluster and evap. However, I have already had to take out the dash. BTW, if you can host it the file is in PDF form and may not be edited.

-Chris

 

[indianaXJ]

hi:

just a tidbit for those with R-12 systems. There is a direct drop in replacement for R-12 called "Hot Shot" or R-414b. It is actually more efficiant than R-12 and way better than a R-134a conversion.

 

[TacticalFats]

Bump for Heat Wave '08.

 

[92xjsp]

Hey all, post up also if you have an older XJ and your original AC is still working (knocking on wood all the while). I've got a 92 with 229K miles that still works fine, and I used to think that was really wierd, but I see 4 other people above with older XJs that still work.

Posts above with AC working good on original factory charge:

year 89 - miles 211K - location ?
91 - 230K - CA
91 - ? - VA
89 - 210ish - CA

add mine:
year 92 - miles 229K - location Memphis TN (where it still gets pretty hot)

That's already 5 XJs over 15 years old that are still cooling. I know it's not a scientific sampling, but that still seems like a lot - I wonder how many other truck models could boast similar results. (However, from what I've read elsewhere, it sounds like new owner Chrysler figured out the problem around 1995 and began installing sh*tty units.)

Still, I love it when the planned obsolescense people occasionally screw up and accidentally install a good system.

 

[Pleiner87]

My '92 is still cool with 126,xxx on it, every other summer I have a pound of R-12 put into the system. I have the defroster defalt going on, so the windshield stays a little cooler though...:laugh: I was told the evaporator has a slooowww leak... for now...

 

[cashless]

it funny..
just go down to Mexico and you can buy all the R12 you want no probs.
take trip to TJ and get a fill up

 

[tbburg]

2000 sport. Evap. cracked last fall at about 100K miles. I've been WAY to lazy to deal with it, but with summer coming in the desert, I think I'm going to have to. Thank god that puppy's white, or it would have been over 100 degrees inside in December.

 

[MPETESS10]

I currently have approx 92k miles on my jeep
mine took a crap on me comin back from NY in late summer early fall 2k6 at approx 7x,000 miles. I have an ext warranty that covers me til 114k at the dealer I work at (which is where I bought the XJ from) so I took it back and they said they couldnt find a leak so they topped it off and charged me 86 bux since I had a $100 ded. ac worked fine goin home parked it and didnt drive it for 2 weeks. next time I drove it the ac didnt work again but by this point it was startin to get cool out so I didnt worry about it. I just found it kind of incompetent for a leak they couldnt find to be big enough to leak out completely that quick. once it started gettin warm last spring I took it back and told the service manager what the situation was and told him since I had already paid 86 bux of my deductible I am willing to pay an additional 14 bux since it wasnt fix right the first time but that was all I was paying. he said dont worry about any of it. truns out just like most everyone else my evaporator had a nice hole in the side of it.
they fixed it to the tune of somewhere in the neighborhood of 900 bux for parts and labor most of which was labor. I think the part was less than 150 bux.

ohh and my guages are intermitent AND my power window lockout switch has shown signs of failure.
the guage cluster has been replaced with a junkyard unit and its already started doing the same thing just not as often as the first one did.
my window lock switch has been bypassed so the problem is technically fixed.
looks like I have experienced alot of the standard 97+ XJ problems. ohh and I cant remember which but one of my window reg's has been replaced already as well. you can see where the duct tape was attached to the top of the door to hold the glass up.

 

[bngthmpsn]

I have a 2000 Cherokee with 4.0 engine, AC leaks, have tested with electronic sniffer and can find no leaks but freon is lost after 4 or so weeks. If the OEM condenser is crappy, why replace it with another crappy condenser? Seems another vendor would be appropriate. By the way, new to this forum, my first jeep and have already obtained valuable information.

 

[LYKOS]

Need it checked again by someone who knows how to use the sniffer.
Gotta be going somewhere.

 

[mabst73]

Well tore into my dash to replace my evap and heater core; everything went fine until reassembly. Now that the box is back the jeep and bolted to the firewall and all connections are made the blower doesn't work correctly. At first the blower wouldn't turn on at all, so I though maybe if I put the dash it that would fix things, well it only further complicated my issue. Now that the dash went in the blower worked ONLY if a door was open. I also noticed at this point that "no bus" was displayed where the mileage normally goes and the gauges were all dead.

I disconnected the battery again and left the jeep sit for about 45 min and I came back. Still had the same issue with the dash where the gauges didn't work, but there was nothing displayed not even mileage. Also, when you turn on either the air or heater and turn the blower on there is a buzzing noise coming from the blower motor fuse. The blower would not work even if I had a door open, the buzzing noise was still there.

When I start the jeep it runs fine no issues there. All exterior lights ie head lights, turns signals are fine.

Its worth mentioning that I do have aftermarket remote start installed in the jeep. Its been in there for about 3 years and I haven't had any trouble with it.


Any ideas would be greatly appreciated because I have NO clue what to do

 

[ktwalker01]

Well tore into my dash to replace my evap and heater core; everything went fine until reassembly. Now that the box is back the jeep and bolted to the firewall and all connections are made the blower doesn't work correctly. At first the blower wouldn't turn on at all, so I though maybe if I put the dash it that would fix things, well it only further complicated my issue. Now that the dash went in the blower worked ONLY if a door was open. I also noticed at this point that "no bus" was displayed where the mileage normally goes and the gauges were all dead.

I disconnected the battery again and left the jeep sit for about 45 min and I came back. Still had the same issue with the dash where the gauges didn't work, but there was nothing displayed not even mileage. Also, when you turn on either the air or heater and turn the blower on there is a buzzing noise coming from the blower motor fuse. The blower would not work even if I had a door open, the buzzing noise was still there.

When I start the jeep it runs fine no issues there. All exterior lights ie head lights, turns signals are fine.

Its worth mentioning that I do have aftermarket remote start installed in the jeep. Its been in there for about 3 years and I haven't had any trouble with it.


Any ideas would be greatly appreciated because I have NO clue what to do

You gotta back track those connections man. I remember tearing my dash out (99xj) and when i got to those two main connections I just stared at for 5 minutes in terror of messing them up. I would check to make sure you have your cluster flush with the connections in the back and no pins were bent. And I would do the same for the major connections as well. If it all worked prior to dissemblance its worth back tracking.

 

[anthrax323]

Failed in my 2001. Stop Leak did nothing.

Replaced the whole system myself for ~$510 in parts (shipped) and another $300 or so in tools (vacuum pump, manifold gauge set, decent disconnect tools).

Worth it? Hell yes. Would I do it again? Get me drunk enough and I might agree to it.