Ugh - I have 2000 Durango 4.7SLT that has been a pretty good machine, but the A/C evaporator has sprung a leak and I did not want to pay the dealer price for repair. So, with Chilton manual at hand, I am almost ready for the dash to come out, but there is one item I cannot figure out: what appears to be a vacuum control line (plastic tube sheathed with rubber protective cover) that runs from the firewall to somewhere in the dash controls area - I am betting it goes to the A/C blower control switch. But I cannot find or access any kind of connector that allows me to disconnect this line, which I need to do to get the dash out of the car (the Chilton procedure is to remove the entire dash as an assembly, so you can get to the heater/AC components mounted to the firewall).

Has anyone run into this? Any ideas? Cut the hose at a convenient place and just re-connect it with some vaccum hose later?

This project is a major PITA, especially the first time around - I've had a few times where the $1,800 quote from the dealer sounds better than it did at first :-(

Thanks - John

 

John,

It's a three day task when you do it at home. Make sure you ziplock bag and label each set of screws as they come out. You will need to ID them later and that wil be all important. As for cutting a hose, no one has ever mentioned that. My guess is as you get it down closer to getting it all out of there, the solution will be obvious.

My evap on my 2000 is toast too. I have a $800 quote from a small mechanic shop. I figure they would do better than me and couldn't be a lot worse than the dealers around here... especially at a way cheaper rate.

IndyDurango

 

Thanks Indy - Indeed, I dug further and it turns out that this is the sheathing for the control cable that runs from the dash rotary switch for temp control to a flapper door on the core enclosure that I presume mixes hot and cooled air. Good thing I did not start cutting! Popped that off at the flapper end, and now the dash can come out. The dash won't come out all the way, because there are still many wiring harnesses that run along the back side of the dash and connect to the steering column, and I DO NOT want to go further down that road if I can avoid it. But, the dash moves far enough out of the way that it looks like it should be no problem to access the core enclosure, disconnect the remaining controls (vacuum lines, as far as I can tell, and maybe the odd wire or two) and then dismount that enclosure from the firewall and extricate it from the car.

I would NOT have proceeded with this if I'd known what a PITA it is, but I guess that is how we all learn, right? Next, from other posts here, I am leaning towards getting a factory replacement evaporator, heater valve, and heater core rather than the cheaper aftermarket ones, because of better warranty. Time to call the dealer and see what that will be .....

John

 

Me too: My 2000 Durango Evap has been diagnosed as the source of my AC system leak by my local small shop mechanic. He has donea few of these for $850; he loves it as much as the DIY guys

I bought mine from a friend in the summer for $3000 with 141,000 on it and I put 3k miles on it so far.

With 143,000 miles; I am reluctant to put the $800 -$900 in it.

KK

 

um I have seen it at a factory which builds a vehicle that I am sure is mentioned somewhere,if one of those plastic hose got damaged um they just cut it and glue a piece of rubber hose to make the connection. Only till the vendor supplied some new hose assemblies, since it was their fault they got stepped on etc.