Another A/C thread! Attempted a recharge, which worked for about 24 hours. My local parts store guy is helpful and takes a quick look, finding the heater box in the passenger footwell has oil coming out along the bottom edge. Definately appears to be light A/C oil. Conclusion is that no doubt the evaperator needs to be replaced. Have quotes of $900 to replace, but then found a mechanic willing to do the work on his day off for about half that. The concern is that no real testing has been done, is the oil "slam dunk" sign as suggested?

slam dunk dude!


Replace the heater core, evaperator, and possible blower motor as you have to disassemble the ENTIRE dash so do it all in one! Hell, $450 bucks is a steal!

Heck yeah it's a steal! If you were near me, I'd go to the mechanic too!

Thanks for the quick replys, oil on the box definately doesnt look right. I'm enough of a hack mechanic to know my limitations, and this looks like a major PIA job. We're actually right about $450 including the heater core and recharge, from a 'real mechanic' who is allowed to work on his own stuff at his 'real' shop on Sundays. I stopped by yesterday and its all legit. I had to go through the motions of politely refusing the "official" shop quote, on the basis I just can't afford it, before he could talk to me....looks like I'm on the right track. I better go look how much that blower motor costs, did not talk about that.

I'm pretty sure the mech will do what's right by you. Like hydra said, replace the heater core, evaperator and the blower motor. Think of it this way, if you don't need to replace the other parts, you just saved yourself $900 at least for if and when the other parts decide to take a nose dive. Assuming the mec will still honor the $450 for work done.

hell even if he charges the $900 for replacing all of it, you are very well off with that price