Comments/Suggestions on Evaporator Replacement

I just completed an evaporator and dryer replacement on my 99 XC and wanted to post my comments and suggestions. The project took me about three days including trips to dealer, True Value®, my chiropractor, and the liquor store. It is a project best accomplished when you have a spare car, and are not in a rush to get the car back on the road. For me, even after working on Volvos since 1985, it was unnerving to see what the interior looked like after all was removed...

I relied on many postings on BB and the other forums, but foremost on the woodjoiner.com/volvo excellent document.

In no particular order:

1. Definitely need a helping hand to pull out the dash and then the heater/cooling unit.
2. Suggest buying a roll of bright orange surveyor’s tape [or use red Xmas ribbon I suppose] to use to tag things with ‘tell-tails’, this really helped when it came time to replace everything especially electrical connectors, and other critical items.
3. Use copious amounts of Baggies, with a sharpies for each different item you pull. I kept a big Rubbermaid® box nearby to toss them into. Again, it makes the rebuild go so smoothly, especially if your job takes several days and the memory fades.
4. Splurge and buy the Volvo heater hose interface that goes thru the firewall. It is $35-50 depending on who you buy your OEM parts from, but it comes complete with all the o-rings, spacers, etc.
5. Remember that after the heater unit is freed up, before you start yanking on it, be sure to go around to the firewall and peel back the collar of the cabin filter housing and push it thru the firewall hole. I tugged and tugged, no realizing that even with the bolts pulled, the unit is held in pretty tight by this rubber collar.
6. If your dash mounting brackets crack [I lost 2 outboard ones], you can do a nice repair using some fabric scrapes coated well with JB Weld® creme epoxy. Much safer than working with Fiberglas, too.
7. The instructions I used were weak on R&R of the dryer canister. Once you unbolt the piping anchor nut behind the right headlight, the dryer bracket is sandwiched underneath that both. After you release the garter fitting, you can slide the canister bracket free and pull the whole assembly up using the slack in the A/C hose. You will need a 22 and 28mm box wrench and some creative leverage under the car to get the fitting free. A bit of copper anti-seize on the new fitting and on the bracket nuts is a good idea.
8. I simply could not break the steering wheel nut free by hand. The steering wheel simply turned as I turned the nut. Solution- my electric impact wrench popped it loose, with no effort.
9. You’ll need a very small stubby Torx® tool to get the airbag nuts loose. Look for a small 90degree set at your auto parts store.
10. Spend the $5 and replace your Schrader valve at the fill port. It comes off with a tire valve tool. I bought a nice deep one from Snap-On®.
11. I skipped the orifice replacement. The tubing was very hard to access, and it was rusted from too many Buffalo winters to survive fooling with the fittings. Because my A/C ws working fine with the leak, I didn't see the need to gamble
12. I bought an aftermarket evaporator that wasn’t a perfect match up with under hood tubing. For a perfect match, simply make a traced template on cardboard using the old eve, and the bend the new unit’s tubing ends to match. Also, beware of a new evaporator that has been pressurized and capped at the factory [probably to keep out moisture] My caps flew off like Dom Perignon on New Years and would’ve hurt me if I was wearing safety glasses.
13. Anti-seize and Loctite® are worthwhile where indicated. Many under dash bolts had remnants of thread locker, so I assume that re-application is worthwhile.
14. I was scared sh&#less fooling with the airbags, especially when it came time to reconnect the battery with all the electronics turned on, as per all instructions. Your experience may differ, but this is like messing with two small bombs. I don’t have any good advice other than have faith in the instructions and Bosch’s engineers.
15. Be sure to buy just plain r134 for your recharge, not any of the products that contain oil, dyes or other secret sauces. You will be adding PAG yourself, so why add even more? and certainly avoid any leak sealants
16. If you buy the 2 stage vac unit and gauge set at Harbor Freight, they will pay for themselves when you factor in the time and money to have shop or dealer do it.

As Mel Brooks once said, May the Schwartz be with you..."


-=Sherm
--
The Family Fleet '90 745 16v; '90 745 GLE; 96 855T; 99 XC approaching 900,000mi and going strong.