AC Evaporator Core Assembly

Paul , Would be really curious about about only the hybrid battery failing for the most part, and nothing else except for transaxles sometimes. Of course we are talking 3 to 4k repairs, not the small stuff. I think it would be interesting to know if you see more private cars than taxis with the findings you have mentioned. You sound like a big garage owner in Boulder. Thanks for any reply,
Joe

 

I have owned many Prius cars I lost count, right now I have 3, '09 model, and 2 '06 models.
The '06 model got 337K miles on it, just a few parts have been changed on it; otherwise its all factory.
It's due for another HV battery repair and engine overhaul though.

 

I just got a diagnosis of a bad evaporator on my 2005 Prius (105k miles, bought just a few months ago) by a tech who had recharged the system with dye and saw it leaking from the tube behind the passenger-side mat.
Is that a definitive diagnosis, or is there something less-expensive that might be the cause? The coolant leaked out quickly from the recharge, less than a month, which unfortunately happened while I was waiting on the hybrid battery repair.
So now I have a new (refurbished through 2nd Life Battery in Oregon) and it seems I will need to replace the evaporator as well.
The shop quoted 8 hours of labor, an $1800 job (including a new expansion valve). I would like to exhaust all reasonable options before committing that much to a repair.
Thanks for your thoughts.

 

Usually shops use UV dye. Shine a UV flashlight into the vents on the dash when it's dark, if you see tiny green specs in the vents you are hosed.

$1800 is about right to change the evaporator core, and it's a royal PITA to do on a Gen2. Make sure the shop gives you firm quote, because if they've never done it on a Gen2 they'll probably take longer than 8 hours and you should not have to pay for their learning curve. See the attached photos, all this has to come apart to get the HVAC unit out of the car...

I've done a couple of them in the last couple of years, I hate doing them

 

Darn it! I was hoping you would tell me of a cheap and easy fix.

Is it risky for me to recharge it myself with a can once it blows hot again (he recharged it after the diagnostic check)? I know not to put sealant in it, from other threads, to not gunk up the system. Just want to know if I can get a little time before forking out that much money.

 

It's hard to get the correct amount of refrigerant in the system with those DIY cans. If you must use one, make sure it says "Hybrid car compatible". Many say "Not for use on Hybrid cars" in the fine print and can damage the compressor.

 

Nothing personal, but at $5 for a 12 ounce can of pure R134a, I'd even charge it once a week rather than have to pull everything apart to get to the condenser.

 

The condenser is relatively easy to change, it's in front of the radiator.

The evaporator core and expansion valve are buried inside the dash and a PITA to get to. If the AC system has the wrong kind or wrong amount of oil the compressor as well could very well die within 6-18 months. YMMV.

 

Yes, my terminology error. Evaporator..I've been disassembling my spare parts 2007 over the last several days. Currently have the entire interior out, except for the evaporator and vent assembly. I'm more familiar with it now than I had ever planned to be...

 

How about photos of all of the removed parts sitting on the garage floor...

 

Give me a minute....anything that I was 100% sure was of no use went to the dump this afternoon, so many things aren't in the photo.

 

My 2007 has a tiny refrigerant leak which appears to be in the evaporator based upon my using a halogen leak detector in the instrument panel air outlets. It is necessary to add a couple of ounces every 5-6 months, which is quite preferable to the total disassembly of the instrument panel.

 

Thanks!

 

Thank you very much, those are all very good tips! I am actually preparing to perform this job myself and would like to have all the necessary parts on hand so I can do the job with as much prep and ease as possible. My Denso OE evaporator is currently being shipped and would like to order the desiccant dryer, orifice tube, o rings and clips that I will need as well.

I see Rockauto sells the following A/C Receiver Drier & Expansion Valve Kit which includes the desiccant dryer, orifice tube and o rings however, they are GPD which can be found here: https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=11323728&cc=1431023&jsn=4352. While I understand that its safest to replace the evaporator with the OE one made by Denso, will I run into any issues using the GPD desiccant dryer and orifice tube provided in the kit?

Also, do you know what trim clips I should use for replacement? ChrisFix has a good video on the hybrid battery replacement and used these: https://amzn.to/2DLJuQy.

Thanks in advance!

 

For what its worth, I would not go with the GPD kit. The reason being is the diameter of the plastic piece with the mesh screen that sits between the Receiver Drier and the bolt is pretty wide. Its so wide that its very tight to install. The mistake I made is once I punched it barely through enough where I could get the bolt to grab on, I began to bolt it on thinking it would push the plastic mesh screen where it needed to be once the bolt was tightened. Unfortunately, the bolt wasn't aligned and ended up stripping where it bolts onto on the radiator. I should've known not to proceed once I saw the plastic piece was going to be too snug of a fit because it would be a huge challenge pulling it out if you needed to replace the drier. This is one of those times where I would just buy OEM or at least reuse the original plastic piece (which was actually one piece attached to the bolt) unless you know exactly what you're getting. Forget these aftermarket bozos.