Removing A/C evaporator, early car vs. late car

[PhyrraM]

I need to change the expansion valve on my '94. The service manuals, written for '92 models, explain that this can be done without removing the dash. However, '92s do not have a passenger airbag. My '94 does. Because of this there appears to be a few small brackets welded to the dash support beam that do not exist on a '92.

It appears that these brackets are taking up just enough space to prevent the evaporator from slipping under the support beam. I cannot get the unit out.

Has anyone else ran into this issue?

Does anyone have an electronic version of the Service Manual Supplements for the newer cars?

Thanks in advance.

[trophy956]

there are supplement manuals for air bag and obd 2 cars
i check
i have them ,so you need to to remove the passenger side airbag mounting nuts
then the support bracket ,then the 4 mounting screws for the airbag
disconnect the airbag ,disconnect the fan controller
the rest is the same as a early car
i hope this helps
Charlie

[PhyrraM]

Unfortunately, The new bracket on the dash support beam for the passenger airbag cannot be gotten around. I tried for a few hours but eventually settled on removing the dash.

Damage done:


Offending bracket. It's two parts, but even removing the non-welded on part wasn't enough room for me. It hangs just forward and low enough to keep the evaporator box from slipping out.


Backside of the dashboard support beam showing the BoH (Bracket of Hindrance):


Rebuilt evaporator with new expansion valve:

[Blacky]

What's the Can Am I see through the windshield?

Wow that looks like a lot of work. Definitely a learning experience.

You never know what a car is made of under the skin until you do deep invasive surgery.

Now I really want to dig even deeper into my parts car.

[fasteract7]

Looks like a CanAM Spyder bike...Congrats on undertaking this daunting job !! If you had video'd it, would be worthy of the Venice Film Festival.

[SURTEESS]

Look like the BOH has a welded threaded section from main cross member with washer & nut to hold it in place.

Are you saying that there is not enough room after nut & washer is removed to move bracket over the threaded end?.

if this is the case, while you have unit apart I would extend the slot out the top of the angled section, so that BOH can slide into place & then use washer to locate and stop BOH sliding out, before placing nut back onto thread.

[PhyrraM]

Well, I got the evaporator back in and the A/C work very well - when the control unit decides to turn it on.

One of the sensors must be giving a bad reading because sometimes the A/C comes on quickly, and sometimes it take a long time. I have noticed that when it turns the A/C on it also switches to outside air and ramps the fan speed up. When it's "waiting" to turn the A/C on it uses outside air and keeps the fan speed low.

Now I'm going to test all the temperature sensors. I'm guessing the evaporator or freon sensor is out of spec or intermittent.

This is how I'm driving it to make troubleshooting easier:

[simboglide]

I was just starting this task for somewhat the reason you experienced. I start the car, press auto you hear the fan engage on low, then goes to high, then you hear a " click" behind the glovebox and back to barely turning,then may cycle again.Feel the vents going cool for a few seconds..then clutch disengages, warm air until ac clutch kicks back in,but....I could only get my high side pressure to about 150 psi.So, I assumed expansion valve stuck open.Ever find your cause??

[simboglide]

One other thing, on the left side of the foot well , I have a two wire,white socket plug with a red/white and blue/red wire just dangling, anyone know where it goes, what the function it is?

[SVX_MY_BABY]

Originally Posted by simboglide

One other thing, on the left side of the foot well , I have a two wire,white socket plug with a red/white and blue/red wire just dangling, anyone know where it goes, what the function it is?

Are you talking about the code reader port and the code reset wires? That's just behind the side panel in the drivers side foot well.

[simboglide]

Originally Posted by SVX_MY_BABY

Are you talking about the code reader port and the code reset wires? That's just behind the side panel in the drivers side foot well.

I was a dumbazz, it was the glovebox lamp harness.Looking at Phyrras photos depressed me, so I put it back together, pulled a vac. As best I could, worked great for Two weeks, now back the the same issue.