evaporator check out?
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 689
Likes: 169
From: Palm Bay Florida
evaporator check out?
1969 corvette 350/350 with AC
Engine is out of my car .. AC compressor is out as well.
Is there a test which could be done to tell if my evaporator needs replacement?
Evaporator replacement is a job I would prefer not to get into unless entirely necessary. Not to mention the cost of a new one.
Thanks for your help.
Engine is out of my car .. AC compressor is out as well.
Is there a test which could be done to tell if my evaporator needs replacement?
Evaporator replacement is a job I would prefer not to get into unless entirely necessary. Not to mention the cost of a new one.
Thanks for your help.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 10,560
Likes: 439
From: Wellington, FL
St. Jude Donor '11 thru '25
There are tools for testing it but they're probably not cheap. It needs to be sealed and then pressurized. You could have it done professionally if you can find someone locally to do it. How old is it? If very old, I'd just replace it. Easy to do with eng out, not so with eng in.
Last edited by Jud Chapin; Aug 30, 2015 at 05:49 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,632
Likes: 112
From: Great Plains Iowa
1969 corvette 350/350 with AC
Engine is out of my car .. AC compressor is out as well.
Is there a test which could be done to tell if my evaporator needs replacement?
Evaporator replacement is a job I would prefer not to get into unless entirely necessary. Not to mention the cost of a new one.
Thanks for your help.
Engine is out of my car .. AC compressor is out as well.
Is there a test which could be done to tell if my evaporator needs replacement?
Evaporator replacement is a job I would prefer not to get into unless entirely necessary. Not to mention the cost of a new one.
Thanks for your help.
If you have access to a vacuum pump and gauge set you can plug the two ports of the manifold and apply 29" Hg then see if the vacuum falls off over time. Was the A/C working when the engine was pulled out?
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,349
Likes: 34
From: Porterville Ca
There isn't any practical way to test it out of the car. Techs don't normally remove them unless they have already been condemned. You could plug one side and pressurize the other, but the fittings are not common. If you came up with a way to pressurize it, hold it under water or spray it with soapy water.
The best thing to do is to carefully inspect it for any oily residue. Your AC system has oil in it, when it leaks the oil also escapes. They oily residue is a dead giveaway.
The best thing to do is to carefully inspect it for any oily residue. Your AC system has oil in it, when it leaks the oil also escapes. They oily residue is a dead giveaway.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,729
Likes: 267
From: Austin Texas
Corvette of the Year Winner 2017
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
best is vacuum test, if you have a vacuum pump draw vacuum of app. 24".
cap off let it sit over night, this is a leak back test. if reading remains exactly the same your good. if reading decreases, you have a leak.
second best pressure test to app. 20 psi, cap off and do leak back test.
and while under pressure, hold under water while checking for air bubble leaks.
I prefer an original over a new unit these days with their lack of quality.
good luck
cap off let it sit over night, this is a leak back test. if reading remains exactly the same your good. if reading decreases, you have a leak.
second best pressure test to app. 20 psi, cap off and do leak back test.
and while under pressure, hold under water while checking for air bubble leaks.
I prefer an original over a new unit these days with their lack of quality.
good luck
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,123
Likes: 433
From: Gladstone MO
C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
Remember that evaporator is aluminum. IF the system was open for any length of time it could also have some thin spots inside that you can't see. Corrosion is a tough one when it's on the inside of a tube.
