Best way to remove evaporator?

My compressor grenaded and I'm replacing my compressor/condenser/expansion valve/evaporator and flushing the lines.

The Haynes manual doesn't cover replacing the evaporator or expansion valve, but I see that the evaporator is next to the heater core. To gain access to the heater core, Haynes recommends dismantling the dash (which I've already done) and the next steps are to remove the reinforcement brace (steel tube spanning the passenger compartment) I've already come pretty far with the disassembly, so I'm prepared to take this next step, but I'd rather not if I don't have to.

Is there an alternative?

 

wow. i have no idea, and am not sure many people on here would. i wouldnt even know how the txv is attached. is it brazed? flared connections? please keep this updated as this information will be gold someday when the rest of us blow up our ac

 

I don't have experience but here's a FSM link that might help:

 

Flush the condensor and the high side lines up to the receiver/dryer, replace the receiver dryer and compressor, and vac/charge the system.

The receiver/dryer is a glorified filter, so any contamination from a failed compressor won't have reached the TXV and evaporator.

 

I hit my tolerance limit on how much further I was willing to disassemble the cab to get the evaporator out, so I decided to flush it in place.

I was able to flush the evaporator through the high and low pressure ports at the expansion valve at the firewall. I got alot of grey matter (metal FOD) out of the evaporator. This undercuts the argument that the accumulator is a very good filter when the compressor craters.

Sidenote: I will outline this procedure in a future post.

EDIT/UPDATE:

After looking at it further, I realized that I didn't remove the refrigerant filter prior to flushing. Every other vehicle manufacturer calls it an orifice tube, but Toyota calls theirs a refrigerant filter. I found this out by trying to get one at Autozone and them finding nothing after searching for "orifice tube". I called Toyota and they told me it's listed as a "refrigerant filter" (just in case anyone ever tries to replace theirs and are told that the Tacoma doesn't have one).

When I was flushing in the reverse direction of flow (through the low pressure side to the high pressure side) the debris that I collected with the flushing solution was actually debris that was caught by the filter after it left the compressor and headed down the high pressure line towards the evaporator, not debris from the evaporator.

After removing the filter and then flushing further, I saw no debris from the evaporator. I'm confident that the filter caught most or all of the debris from the failed compressor and therefore, flushing the evaporator is sufficient and removing/replacing it is unecessary.

The filter was completely covered with FOD, so either the accumulator/drier didn't do much of a filtering job, or maybe it caught all the big pieces and the fine stuff got through to the refrigerant filter. Without the filter, I'd definitely be taking the additional steps in cab disassembly to replace the evaporator.

 

Were you able to get to the filter that's before TXV from the firewall on the engine side you still have to move the dash to get to that

 

The link in post #3 does not work. Try this one:

http://www.customtacos.com/tech.old/files/05FSM/repair.html

 

Thanks for the help an the link.

 

receiver dryer removes moisture and protects the compressor from liquid while charging.

 

I've already replaced the condenser which has the filter drier built into it still having the partial blockage. Low suction pressure high head pressure

 

It has an expansion valve, correct? In the area of the evaporator?

I've never heard of having an 'oriface tube' and an expansion valve in the same system. The oriface tube was the replacement for expansion valves in US systems back in the 80's.

All the Japanese cars I've worked on continue to use an expansion valve.

I suspect Toyotas term, filter, is correct, as that is the purpose it serves.

And you are correct, the accumulator (formerly known as receiver/dryer) doesn't capture 'much' debris. It contains decadent, for the purpose of containing moisture.

I'm wondering if your expansion valve has failed, thus causing your current issue.

 

Seems like the TXV is probably stuck usually when the power head fails it's a complete restriction. Mine is just a partial

 

Unless there is a inline filter before before the txv. Kind of Cloudy some people say there is some people say there isn't.

 

I had no idea AC system was so complicated. Hope I never have to work on mine!

 

I think Toyota really dropped the ball on this one they could have easily put the TXV on the outside of the firewall

 

What the hell is a,"TXV"? Are we just making up names for parts of the a/c system?

 

The TXV is a proportional valve. When there is a high load it feeds more freon to the evaporator when there is a low load it feeds less freon.

 

Why don't you just call it what it what most are familiar with, an expansion valve? Are you showing off by using abbreviations for Thermal Expansion Valve to feel smarter? If you are, you should use the term, "refrigerant", not freon.
For warranty on a new compressor, expansion valve and receiver/dryer(accumulator) have to be replaced along with new compressor. Absolutely no reason to change evaporator or condenser unless there is a hole in one of them.

 

Not really showing off but sense spending the last 35 years plus in the residential, commercial air conditioning field

 

You u learn to talk a certain way.