Cleaning the A/C evaporator coils

[Raffy]

Gidday,

I decided to once again try and sort out why the A/C in my Calais stops working after about an hour or 2 of driving.

I suspected that the evaporator was icing up, as the airflow drops down to almost nothing, and disengaging the A/C compressor for a while slowly restores airflow.

As its nearly Xmas, and hot, and I have no cash, I thought bugger it, Ill have a crack.

I found that if you remove the lower dash trim, and the glovebox, then you can get to the "fan amplifier module". I pulled it out and with a good lamp could see the evaporator coils inside the box.

I bunged the hose in there and gave it a good flush out.

So far, I think its better, I think I may actually have more airflow.

Time will tell though, Im off to visit my mum for Xmas and that's around a 4 hour drive each way.

Take care guys and gals,
Raff

 

[dirty hands]

you lost me on . "bung the hose in " ..inside the car ?:s

 

[gm1961]

^^

I think he is referring to this thread

https://forums.justcommodores.com.a...oning-evaporator-without-removing-dash.209935

 

[dirty hands]

ahhh thank you gm1961

have to do this myself

 

[dirty hands]

a VT series 2 wagon must be different to that VY instruction write up

My VT has that plastic direction tubing was almost on the loom . see links second picture
.I didnt want to break the tubing and I had no room to fit my drill and hole saw combo

https://forums.justcommodores.com.a...oning-evaporator-without-removing-dash.209935

my method
bucket under air con drain hole

glovebox out .. try this without breaking the support facing the driver .....fixed the glove box on refit

heaps of philips screws to undo

the door vent (has three screws) - hides two screws holding the glovebox support plastic
there is three for the console side cover
three for the glovebox to door vent trim
top and bottom of the glove box support
two for the glove box latch and it is held in with two metal clips and a thread for these screws
glove box support slid out towards driverside # has two wires for the bulb,,,,I replaced the bulb on refit

two screws removed "fan amplifier module"

I worked through the opening (not too bad ..you are working blind for most of this )

cooling fins were blocked .......now air is flowing better

make sure the aircon drain pipe is clear at the end of the job

used water in an low pressure engine degreaser gun like this and a compressor
with a piece of plastic hose on the end for direction control
then just a air nozzle in to dry the box internals

 

[amg]

Rather than pulling half the dash out to clean this thing do you reckon you could go in via the drain hole itself by spraying in some cleaner and then hit it with a few decent squirts from the garden hose?

 

[dirty hands]

amg not sure how that would go but try that way and post your success


the evap cooling fins run from side to side inside the box

the lie of the fins is not in line with the air con drain hole