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Posted: 8/26/2016 3:47:07 PM EDT
[#1]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
It's probably the evap. If you see a slight oil dampness on/around the drain tube at the firewall, that's a good indication the evaporator core is leaking. If you have a sniffer, it might detecting refrigerant coming out of the drain tube or blowing out the vents, when there is a leaking evap. Quote HistoryQuoted:
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The evaporator for your car costs under $100 for the part. Buy an AC manifold gauge set and vacuum pump for $120. But two for $4 cans of R134 from Walmart. Spend $250 an a day working on your car. Or just buy another $25,000 car. I never understand people who think that way. Here is a general guide on how to do it. http://forums.focaljet.com/showthread.php/660227-Replacing-the-AC-Evaporator-key-steps AC manifold, gauges, and vacuum pump. https://www.amazon.com/XtremepowerUS-Vacuum-Refrigeration-Manifold-Gauge/dp/B00SZ4QFW0 https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81pqUesuDHL._SX522_.jpg This is what I did. Fixed 4 cars already with the same tools. One of them keeps leaking down and I cannot find the damned leak even with the UV dye.  It's probably the evap. If you see a slight oil dampness on/around the drain tube at the firewall, that's a good indication the evaporator core is leaking. If you have a sniffer, it might detecting refrigerant coming out of the drain tube or blowing out the vents, when there is a leaking evap. Sniffers are only about $25-$75. |
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Posted: 8/26/2016 3:48:22 PM EDT
[#2]
My dad spent a couple of weeks last year converting the non-working AC on his 89 Silverado over to the new system. I think he spent over $500 on parts alone. It's all about how much do you value your time and money.
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Posted: 8/26/2016 3:49:43 PM EDT
[#3]
6 years of paying for a Festiva.
Have you payed double the MSRP yet? |
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Posted: 8/26/2016 4:03:42 PM EDT
[#4]
Normally I'd say keep it until your cost to repair begins to feel like a car payment, but you still have a year left. So double payments for you, never a good feeling.
That dash will be a pain. It will hurt even more if you don't love the car. You've done the math on fixing it. Now do the other side. What's the offer from Carmax or Texas Direct look like as it sits now? What are you hoping to swap it for? Is the next vehicle going to be a trade up or a lateral swap? Will the next car have warranty to match the loan term? |
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Posted: 8/26/2016 4:23:05 PM EDT
[#5]
This is why I refuse to have a payment on something not covered by a bumper to bumper warranty.
I have a evacuation pump and gauges with the auto adapter from when I did my 2001 Tahoe front and rear air myself. Having the tools is nice and you can use it on home HVAC equipment. I don't have a purge tank and regulator though. |
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Posted: 8/26/2016 4:37:27 PM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Normally I'd say keep it until your cost to repair begins to feel like a car payment, but you still have a year left. So double payments for you, never a good feeling. That dash will be a pain. It will hurt even more if you don't love the car. You've done the math on fixing it. Now do the other side. What's the offer from Carmax or Texas Direct look like as it sits now? What are you hoping to swap it for? Is the next vehicle going to be a trade up or a lateral swap? Will the next car have warranty to match the loan term? I'm stopping by the dealer after work today. Let's find out ......... |
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Posted: 8/26/2016 4:40:38 PM EDT
[#7]
I bought a new truck one time because I didn't want to put tires on the old one.
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Posted: 8/26/2016 4:51:38 PM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted: This is what I did. Fixed 4 cars already with the same tools. One of them keeps leaking down and I cannot find the damned leak even with the UV dye. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: The evaporator for your car costs under $100 for the part. Buy an AC manifold gauge set and vacuum pump for $120. But two for $4 cans of R134 from Walmart. Spend $250 an a day working on your car. Or just buy another $25,000 car. I never understand people who think that way. Here is a general guide on how to do it. http://forums.focaljet.com/showthread.php/660227-Replacing-the-AC-Evaporator-key-steps AC manifold, gauges, and vacuum pump. https://www.amazon.com/XtremepowerUS-Vacuum-Refrigeration-Manifold-Gauge/dp/B00SZ4QFW0 https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81pqUesuDHL._SX522_.jpg This is what I did. Fixed 4 cars already with the same tools. One of them keeps leaking down and I cannot find the damned leak even with the UV dye. Have you checked the drain hole for the evaporator? When you can't find the leak with UV dye that is usually where it is. |
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Posted: 8/26/2016 4:54:44 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Shit, you can even start doing A/C work on the side for the neighbors with all that gear. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: The evaporator for your car costs under $100 for the part. Buy an AC manifold gauge set and vacuum pump for $120. But two for $4 cans of R134 from Walmart. Spend $250 an a day working on your car. Or just buy another $25,000 car. I never understand people who think that way. Here is a general guide on how to do it. http://forums.focaljet.com/showthread.php/660227-Replacing-the-AC-Evaporator-key-steps AC manifold, gauges, and vacuum pump. https://www.amazon.com/XtremepowerUS-Vacuum-Refrigeration-Manifold-Gauge/dp/B00SZ4QFW0 https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81pqUesuDHL._SX522_.jpg Shit, you can even start doing A/C work on the side for the neighbors with all that gear. You can use the vacuum pump to degas homemade wine or vacuum fiberglass molds. The AC gauge kit comes with different size fittings, I'm pretty sure the same kit can be used to check the pressure of a home's air conditioner as well. |
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Posted: 8/26/2016 5:06:20 PM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryQuoted: If I can get into a new car, and by extension a new car warranty, for no money out of pocket, then all I'm doing really is extending my payments. I have a friend that thinks that way. Every time her check engine light comes on, the engine misses, or it doesn't start right she just trades it in and buys a new car. She just keeps rolling the existing payment into her next car loan. She now pays $450 a month for a base model Toyota Corolla. Put in perspective you can buy all the parts and tools to fix your evaporator twice for the price of one her her car payments. |
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Posted: 8/26/2016 5:09:51 PM EDT
[#11]
If you don't have $1000 for an emergency repair,(car or other)maybe you need to re think your spending habits.
Fix the fucking car 
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Posted: 8/26/2016 5:14:08 PM EDT
[#12]
$100 for evaporator, another $40 for a new dryer, $30 for Freon a oil. Autozone will rent you a vacuum pump and set of gauges cheap.
Have your husband get er done! Fuck new car payments |
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Posted: 8/26/2016 5:14:38 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Normally I'd say keep it until your cost to repair begins to feel like a car payment When you do the repairs yourself that is almost never. In 2011 the engine in my 11 year old truck blew up. Not only did I fix it, I swapped out the V6 and replaced it with a V8 which increase the cost of the repair. I put a used engine back in it. Total cost parts and labor was about $1,500. My friend, that one that pays $450 a month for a Corolla, lost her mind at paying that much for a repair even though it was actually a very cheap repair. I informed her that even if the engine only lasted 4 months it was still cheaper than her car payment. It is now 5 years later and the truck is still running. Of course I don't have a shiny new vehicle to impress random people on the road with but I'm ok with that. |
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Posted: 8/26/2016 5:36:45 PM EDT
[#14]
Have had my current car for 10 years. Had the ac repaired a few months back, right now just "cheaper to keep her", but next time will probably attempt the repair myself. Saw this vid, looks pretty straight forward.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pdq8JAlct6s |
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Posted: 8/26/2016 5:49:03 PM EDT
[#15]
Can you get used parts from a yard? You actually will have to fix it, no way around it. What's going to happen is, your AC compressor being on a serpentine belt will need to turn every so often, when you loose coolant eventually and it will seize up and cause even bigger problems down the road. You can hide time by unplugging the compressor so the clutch can't be activated but eventually without oil it will seize up and leave you stranded, I have actually seen them get so hot they bubbled the paint on the hood.
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Posted: 8/26/2016 5:51:02 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Evaporator core busted so you don't have to pull freon out pull the dash replace the core and go to vatozone for some freon in a can you could do it in one day |
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Posted: 8/26/2016 5:54:25 PM EDT
[#17]
Something between both those prices and your description don't add up.
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Posted: 8/26/2016 6:00:43 PM EDT
[#18]
$10 says OP comes back with a new car. Any takers?
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Posted: 8/26/2016 6:05:54 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
$10 says OP comes back with a new car. Any takers? Lol, I'm sure he'll have gotten an "awesome deal" on it too. 
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Posted: 8/26/2016 6:23:00 PM EDT
[#20]
I would fix it.
I would imagine that trading in a car in Florida with non-working AC would bring the value down double the cost of the repair. |
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Posted: 8/26/2016 6:36:38 PM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Something between both those prices and your description don't add up. Mechanic changes the core (~150) Ford will only do the job by changing the entire evaporator assembly. (~800) |
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Posted: 8/26/2016 6:38:23 PM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I have a friend that thinks that way. Every time her check engine light comes on, the engine misses, or it doesn't start right she just trades it in and buys a new car. She just keeps rolling the existing payment into her next car loan. She now pays $450 a month for a base model Toyota Corolla. Put in perspective you can buy all the parts and tools to fix your evaporator twice for the price of one her her car payments. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
If I can get into a new car, and by extension a new car warranty, for no money out of pocket, then all I'm doing really is extending my payments. I have a friend that thinks that way. Every time her check engine light comes on, the engine misses, or it doesn't start right she just trades it in and buys a new car. She just keeps rolling the existing payment into her next car loan. She now pays $450 a month for a base model Toyota Corolla. Put in perspective you can buy all the parts and tools to fix your evaporator twice for the price of one her her car payments. I won't be rolling an existing payment though. If they say that's the only option it makes it easy to walk away from 'the deal'. |
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Posted: 8/26/2016 9:41:45 PM EDT
[#23]
Is this like a safe thread?
So what did you decide to do op? |
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Posted: 8/26/2016 11:24:36 PM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Is this like a safe thread? So what did you decide to do op? Op traded the fiesta in for a Lincoln MKZ |
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Posted: 8/26/2016 11:30:40 PM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Mechanic changes the core (~150) Ford will only do the job by changing the entire evaporator assembly. (~800) Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Something between both those prices and your description don't add up. Mechanic changes the core (~150) Ford will only do the job by changing the entire evaporator assembly. (~800) |
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Posted: 8/26/2016 11:52:23 PM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Op traded the fiesta in for a Lincoln MKZ Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Is this like a safe thread? So what did you decide to do op? Op traded the fiesta in for a Lincoln MKZ I looked at a Focus. Gonna try a couple of other brands as well. End of model year / end of month w the Labor Day specials, we'll see |
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Posted: 8/27/2016 9:27:22 AM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I looked at a Focus. Gonna try a couple of other brands as well. End of model year / end of month w the Labor Day specials, we'll see Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
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Is this like a safe thread? So what did you decide to do op? Op traded the fiesta in for a Lincoln MKZ I looked at a Focus. Gonna try a couple of other brands as well. End of model year / end of month w the Labor Day specials, we'll see I am being serious here. your car is going to last a long time. So for 3 months worth of new car payments fix your current ride. Your car sounds like it's almost paid off, when it gets paid off, keep paying your note but into a bank account, then in 2 years use that money to get you a 3 series or Q50 But if you plan on selling your car every time you need to fix somthing, maybe leases are for you. |
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Posted: 8/27/2016 9:40:21 AM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Wait a few month until it cools down. Nobody will notice the AC not working. Then trade it in on a new Toyota. Next time you need a minor repair and want to trade in residual value will be higher, you may not even be upside down on a couple year old car! Life lessons. 
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Posted: 8/27/2016 10:57:28 AM EDT
[#29]
Fix it or ride dirty.
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Posted: 8/27/2016 11:00:40 AM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted: And yet another example of why I don't buy Ford/GM/Dodge and only buy Honda and Toyota now. Get rid of the piece of shit and get a good car. Honda Civic Turbo. $21k and 38 mpg. |
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