Got my 2005 LS back from Mechanic today.. *sigh* A/C problem.

[lincoln_zero]

So my 2005 LS decided not to blow cold air anymore. Took it to the family mechanic. He ran the dye through the lines looking for the leak. After 1 full week at the shop and several top ups, he said its not leaking from the lines or the compressor. He mentioned that the leak is likely from the dash.
Anyways, he said the cost would be upwards $1100 because he has to pull apart the dash, and he advised me not to bother paying that kind of repair. He's honest, and he didn't even charge me for that diagnosis work.

I have never fixed an A/C issue before. Not sure what I am up against here, this is a new one. Can you guys please fill me on what I might have to do from here to fix this myself? Thanks so much.

 

[1LoudLS]

well if you have a leak behind the dash, get ready for a few days full of not fun work...

can't think of the user name, but one guy has a thread with a butload of pictures...

 

[voyeur]

Try this one....

http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/forum/showthread.php?76669-Dash-Board-Removal-Thread

 

[joegr]

Evaporator leaks are rare these days. I'd want to be sure first.
If he put dye in and the evaporator is leaking, that dye will be in the condensate water that drips out under the car.
Also, electronic leak detectors are pretty cheap now. Go to a real AC shop and let them put the leak detector in front of the dash vents. It will trigger if you have a leak there. They may not even charge you to just do that.

 

[lincoln_zero]

Sound advice Joegr. And thanks for the link guys.

This can become a quick money pit. I could try a different mechanic, but if that just confirms it is the evaporator, I'm not gonna pay to have that fixed. And I would have paid for the diagnosis, wasted money sort of.
That link is demotivating. All that work, without the proper technical skills, I could be opening a can of worms for myself. I may or may not consider this.. I dunno.. If my inlaws (who are mechanically inclined) are willing to help then I might.

Edit: Of the 1001 things wrong with my 2002, at least the A/C still works on it. Whoo. No leaks and its topped up.

 

[Telco]

Aw go on. If an AC shop says it's the evaporator, go ahead and do the work yourself. You can't learn to be a gearhead if you're afraid to jump in with both feet. You've seen the pictures, you see how to do it. Just do it.

I'm sure everyone has tips for how to make this easier, but what I will say is since you are low on experience:

* When you take a part off take several pictures of it.

*Put all screws, nuts, ect for that one component into a sandwich bag, and use paper tape to mark the bag stating what the screws go to.

*When you pull a part, put it in the back of the work area with the bag of screws making sure to put them down in the order of removal. When you go to put the parts back in, the order of removal becomes the order of installation and the screws are all right there with you.

* Take it slow and easy, and don't force anything. If something doesn't want to come off it most likely means you missed a screw, and it's just a matter of finding it. If the part will move at all, wiggle it back and forth and look for the apex that it is wiggling around. That will point you towards where the offending fastener is.

*If you get stuck on something, take pictures and post them up. Someone here can help guide you.

* If you do have a friend or relative who is willing to help, make sure that you tell them that you want to do the main work because you want to learn what you are doing.

I realize that digging into the guts of your car that deep can be daunting, but most anyone can do it if they just decide they can.

 

[LS4me]

I realize that digging into the guts of your car that deep can be daunting, but most anyone can do it if they just decide they can.

This!!! As long as you have alternate transportation, why not. Imagine the satisfaction you'll feel when your done!!!

That said, I would still get a second opinion; especially when it involves a part that rarely fails. Were it leaking behind the dash wouldn't there be evidence on the firewall? Couldn't you see it by snooping around back there; like when a heater core leaks?

 

[1LoudLS]

I realize that digging into the guts of your car that deep can be daunting, but most anyone can do it if they just decide they can.

on the flip side of that, I can't tell you how many times I've seen somebody screw something up or make it worse because they didn't know what they were doing or were in way over their heads with the job at hand. (not saying that this applies to the OP, just saying that while learning is good, be careful not to bite off more that you can chew)

removing the dashboard could easily be one of those things...

 

[joegr]

... Were it leaking behind the dash wouldn't there be evidence on the firewall? Couldn't you see it by snooping around back there; like when a heater core leaks?

The dye would at least come out the condensate drain. They didn't locate the leak. They said we don't see it so it must be under the dash. That's a bad way to go about it. They could be 100% certain by using a refrigerant sniffer. Are we even sure that there is a leak and not some other problem (like a failed clutch)?

Did they take the shield off and look at the compressor (a much more likely place for it to leak)?

 

[lincoln_zero]

They said that they Looked everywhere under the hood, including the compressor. They searched thoroughly, and the last place to check was the dashboard. They were very certain the problem lies there.

I don't know if they were using a refrigerant sniffer. They are a bit old school mechanics. However they specified that they couldn't find the leak anywhere else.

And thanks for the encouragement fellas haha this does seem like a daunting task. I was motivated until I saw those pics. Last time I took apart something big I had left over screws... Its a pretty intimidating Job.

 

[Telco]

Understandable. Mechanical work does require a certain knack to do it right although methodical work can make up for a lot of it. Might consider ordering a factory manual for the car, which would make this job and a lot of other ones a lot easier to do.

I do agree that if you're unsure on how to do the job, only make the attempt yourself if you have alternate transportation. If it's your only transportation you're better off hiring the job out, only after you verify it is definitely the evaporator.

 

[Gus_Mahn]

Sometimes you can run the A/C then blow compressed air up the drain tube. Sometimes some of the dye will be carried out with the air and water. My brother has a Focus with a leaky evaporator that leaked the 134 out in about 1-2 months. The 134 could be smelled inside the car. He used a 134 based leak sealer, and it still leaks some, but now it only needs to be filled once a year. It's been running this way for three years. Is it ideal? No, but it was cheap and worked as advertised with no ill effects.