ps2cho

Another big job for me....Woo!! By the end of this I think I will have done pretty much every common problem on the w124/m103's LOL!

I got most of my questions answered over at peachparts (LarryBible is a beacon of knowledge!!)
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...d.php?t=276129

Replacing the evaporator with a Reinz, the Receiver/Drier and back converting to R12.
Debated replacing pods, but since all 6 are almost $270, I am going to just take the risk and test and replace those necessary.

--

Anybody over here got any 'tips' from doing it or mistakes you made?

I got these laminated sticker labels and elastic bands to tie all my wires together (stereo, cluster etc...)

I think I will also run new wires to the speakers. Anything else I should do since everything is apart?

Thanks!

pifcat2

I've seen the most detailed threads on PP too, check the diesel forum for Sixto and others on the dash and pod R&R.

gxsr
sixto

black-55

its been almost 4 years since I did this and was quite a job. BTW its been reliable ever since, too, so the work is well worth it. Plan on replacing the two drain hoses that lead from the evap chamber to drain off condensate. The extend downward alongside/behind the console into the floor to drip above the transmission. The original hoses were foam rubber that had disintegrated on my 95 e320. You may want to check out the vaccum tubing leading to pods etc. I didn't but now that I am evaluating trans and engine vacuum lines I see it would be worthwhile here as well. I did a writeup here and on benzworld which has more details. Might be helpful.

ps2cho

No turning back now




In all honesty that was pretty dang easy up until this point...Took me 2 hours to get to this point.

That's enough for tonight.

The wiring looks scary, but in reality most of it is left untouched so it makes it look much worse than it actually is. I just elastic band'ed all my parts together and labeled all connectors.

funkgab

sigh.. i gotta pay your *** to work on my car..

ps2cho

Hooray

ocpanther

that is a just a tad dirty. i can only imagine what mine looks like.

ps2cho

Yeh just a tad...nothing a little dust-off couldn't remove

I have decided to go ahead and replace all the vac pods as I would prefer never to do this again LOL
Shame that was another $255 I would replace the heater core too, but that would put my total costs up at $750 for this job. Let's just keep our fingers crossed it does not leak. It looks OK and I have thoroughly flushed it too.

Elan+2

Is there any way to clean the evaporator fins without taking it out? Is there a wash that you can put through the front screen/intake?

ps2cho

I'd use mag aluminum cleaner and a GENTLE brush as if it is caked on like mine is, the cleaner alone ain't gonna do much. You'd need to remove the cover for the blower motor to have enough room to actually clean it off, but yes it 'should' be do-able. Shouldn't take you more than an hour total.

ocpanther

I came across a cleaning procedure somewhere. I keep trying to find it, but there is a MB spray foam cleaner that you put on and then wash off but the drains have to be clear. it looked amazing in the pictures I saw of the example that someone posted.

ps2cho

Decided to order all the pods, and a new heater core...After pulling everything off I realized now I never want to do this again LOL. Just waiting for the heater core to get here from autohaus and I can finally reassemble and get my baby back on the road.

I gotta say though, assembly of the actual box is more involved than the whole dash removal. Seriously....This job is dead easy for the box removal.

ps2cho

Anyone know if the compressor has to be removed to flush it with the new r-12 oil?

ocpanther

You're "supposed" to remove the compressor and physically drain the oil out of it. Since you have the entire system apart you may want to just to be sure there was no hidden water mixed into it. Also the seal on the back of the compressor should be different for R134 vs R12, the R12 ones being better but I couldn't tell you how to tell the difference.

If you do pull it the MB retrofit data on your site is pretty thorough just do it in reverse, just be sure to fill the compressor back up with oil *before* you reinstall it, but don't run it until it has been dry vac'ed and refilled with some R12 and maybe even turned by hand. (Liquid doesnt compress very well)

ps2cho

I've gone this far now...no point in me skipping a stupid step like not fully flushing the compressor. Good idea about just doing an r12 reverse 'MB 134a retrofit', didn't think about referencing that for the procedure.

---

Decided to replace the heater core for good measure as this car is long term for me.




I also found this stuck in the top main vent
It was just lodged in there....I don't know if it came from the box, or was jammed in there before??

Anybody have a clue what it is?



Everything is back together, so tomorrow I will be putting the box back into the car

ds190

Buy Frost King Air Conditioner Coil Foam Cleaner at Home Depooooooooh.

1. Remove wiper motor.
2. Remove blower motor.
3. Use long narrow nozzle on vacuum cleaner to vac out as much dirt as possible on evap.
4. Pour a cup or so of water into the box just under the evaporator, and watch that it all drains out. If not, you have bad/damaged foam drain hoses from box. Than, pull the L and R front floor mats to be sure it's dry there, meaning no leaks from foam drain hoses.
5. Spray the FK coil cleaner, and let sit 15 mins or so.
6. Gently hose off evap, so that the water can drain out of box.
7. Repeat 5 and 6.
8. Put blower motor and wiper motor back in.

I also use coil cleaner on the condenser now and then.

Brian_I.

I seriously need to come over and just observe you at work!

ps2cho

Box back in...Flushing all the A/C lines and condenser then putting the oil into everything, evacuating and test time!!

Since the picture I have all the necessary cables plugged back in without the dash on or anything else. I want to start the car and make sure no leaks before I put the dash and crash braces back on.



As always I have some nuts and bolts left over, but I think all the important items are OK so I'm not worrying too much. Hopefully, fingers crossed I can have it started by the end of the night. I can't wait to take some pictures of the new lower front and AMG bumper

ps2cho

Just want to make sure I got this right...Correct me on any steps please!

1) Clean inside compressor using the ester oil and turning by hand until it comes out clean. Do I use compressed air after this? Add 20ml oil

2) Condenser needs to have the A/C Flush done to it followed by compressed air. No oil added. Does it matter which end flush it?

3) All hoses A/C Flush then compressed air (no filters/mufflers on our hoses? I'm reading you cannot flush these) Evap -> Compressor line = 10ml oil, Compressor -> Condenser line = 10ml oil

4) Expansion Valve/Evaporator....Leave it alone since it is new. Remove expansion valve, fill evap 40ml oil then reattach exp valve.

5) R/D Leave it alone. Connect last - Add 10ml Oil

6) Connect everything up.

7) Evacuate system for X hours?

8) Fill system with 120ml oil and 2.4lbs of R12. Is it really 120ml or 120ml minus what I put in stated above? Can someone explain this bit?

All done!?

Any input would be great. Thanks guys

ocpanther

As a standard R12 refill usually recommends 2 oz of oil be added, and if you subtract all that you have listed for the other places it works out pretty close, I am thinking it is only the difference or so. Somewhere between 40 and 60 ml additional?

and the dry vac is recommended to be for 24 hours.

Those are my two tidbits of useless info.

pifcat2

did you get one of these:

How are you evacuating the oil, do you have a vac pump?

ps2cho

Yep, that is the kit I bought (Santech).

A friend 'gave' me a 5CFM vacuum pump (DV Industries)...so I got one to evacuate. I removed the cap on the evaporator, and realized there was no expansion valve Description said it had and I thought it was under the black cap. Guess not. Gonna chase up the website to refund me the cost of an expansion valve (probably SOL, but got nothing to lose). Tomorrow morning going to the stealer to go buy a new one then I can evacuate and charge. Hopefully no leaks and everything is smooth sailing.

Assuming everything goes well, I should have THE best A/C possible this car provides. r12, new evaporator, new pods

Arnie

So, are you done with the AC job? How did it go? Which brand did you go with? I think I got the same problem: the AC system lost pressure, I re-charged it, it worked for a day and quit again.

I re-charged it again today, it was working again, but I could hear a distinct hissing in dash vents. I know some hissing is normal after you turn the engine on, but in my case it was still hissing after 2 hrs.

Even looking at your pictures makes me cringe

ps2cho

It has been working perfect for over 2 + 1/2 weeks now

I went with Reinz and no issues.

Go check out the DIY sticky at the top...My last post outlined some of my thoughts on it so go read it all and it should help answer some questions.

The pictures are not as bad as they look, I promise you If you look carefully, most of the wiring is from either the instrument cluster, or the stereo-headunit. I used elastic bands to keep them together.
It is all nuts and bolts. There is no part in this procedure that you could get 'stuck' on...It is all just wrenching. As long as you bag everything and label like a mad man, you can't go wrong.

Throw some UV dye in her and use a light to figure out where it is. If it is leaking out after one DAY you got a serious leak and should have no problems finding it. Mine took a week and it was obvious once I pulled the carpet back on the passenger footwell to that side of the heaterbox.

Arnie

Thank you for the quick reply.

As far as the leak is concerned, in my car the AC system pressure goes from completely charged to completely empty in about 5 hrs, so I am pretty sure I will find the leak quick. I already added some red dye to it, and so far none is visible anywhere where I could see it.

I instected the expansion valve area under the hood, it's all clean. Like I stated earlier, I could hear distinct hissing coming from the dash vents, I have no doubt the evaporator is gone.

You mentioned that Reinz evaporator came in without the valve. Did you end up re-using your old valve or ordered a new one?

I found this online: http://www.partsgeek.com/catalog/199...vaporator.html Reinz (they misspelled the name, but the part# matches) lists for around $160, does it sound about right? They say "with valve", but it is pictured without valve, is that what you had too?

What else did you end up replacing desides the evaporator and the heater core?

Thanks again.