HVAC Evaporator Failure

[TrepKing95]

Updated this thread for my 2 300M's. My 1999 has no record of the evaporator being replaced, and the dash has no signs of removal. My "new" 2002 Special however has the telltale A/C Oil smell that indicates I will be pulling my first LH Dashboard. It's upsetting that there was that change in the 2002 model year because I have an older style evaporator in my parts stock because I misdiagnosed my 1995 (needed a condenser not an evaporator).

[dnl_pat]

My 99 has 127k on it. I remember the evap going out at around 70k. At that time we paid a mechanic to replace it, but he/they left out a bunch of screws and cracked some plastic. From then on I vowed to do my own work, since we tend to do better work when we ourselves do it. It went out again just recently at 120k. I did all the work myself, replacing the whole system ( comp, lines cond, actuators.) The job took all weekend and was actually quite pleasurable since I enjoy auto repair. It cools great and this is the last time I have to repair the system.

[Countachqv]

All week end is right! I see these speed fix in 5h or less and that means serious focussed business!
I am at my 4th evap work and I may be the slowest of all of ya!
Day1: rip appart the whole think, clean every nooks and crany then go get drunk from exhaustion.
Day 2: dismantle the HVAC clean it up to a point of being able to eat from it and put new parts then go get drunk to forget the mess I cleaned.
Day 3: put everything together, clean more and when done go get drunk to celebrate.
Day 4: in bed all day with massive headhache from drinking.
So that is a long weekend..