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12-05-2018, 12:27 PM | #1 |
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A/C/ Evaporator Replacement - DIY or NOT?
My M3's A/C stopped functioning recently so I took it to a shop to diagnose the problem. They determined that there's a leak somewhere and put dye into the system to pinpoint the location (at a later date, when my schedule permits).
Their preliminary diagnosis is a bad evaporator, which seems like a reasonable explanation. They quoted ~$2500 all-in for the repair, with a 2-year warranty and with a new OEM evaporator. If I were to do the bulk of the work (sans evacuating/refilling), it would be under $1,000. For anyone who DIY'd their evaporator, looking back on the project, would you advise for or against undertaking this project? |
12-05-2018, 12:49 PM | #2 |
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It’s dash removal, which is a massive project.
If you are patient and thorough, it’s entirely DIYable. But, generally speaking, I find that dash R&R is comparable in annoyance level to an engine change. (But you generally don’t need the same level of heavy duty tools.)
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12-05-2018, 12:52 PM | #3 |
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$2,500 is not bad at all for this job. My warranty covered 21.6 hours of labor plus $613 for the OEM evaporator. $3-3.5k seems to be about average based on my research. It's definitely not something I would take on myself, look up some pics and you'll see why. Here's one example:
No thank you.
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12-05-2018, 01:46 PM | #4 | ||
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I have no doubt that I am capable of doing it, but the question is whether I should. Based on your input, I should leave it to the pros. |
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12-05-2018, 01:50 PM | #5 | |
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12-05-2018, 03:02 PM | #7 |
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Seems to be a pretty common issue.
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12-05-2018, 03:57 PM | #9 | ||
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12-05-2018, 05:35 PM | #10 |
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It's really not a DIY project. Only for the most hardcore DIY'ers who I usually call semi-professional anyway. You need to pull apart the intake plenum and engine bay components to access the heater and AC connections, evacuate (and charge) the refrigerant (special equipment), then take on a full dash disassembly to remove the air handler. Then disassemble that unit to service it. To do it correctly is a full day's work for a skilled professional who's already familiar with the job. $2500 is a very fair price for the job- they're obviously taking into consideration their experience with the job as most would charge a good bit more.
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12-05-2018, 10:20 PM | #11 | |
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12-05-2018, 10:25 PM | #12 |
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12-05-2018, 10:44 PM | #13 | |
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12-06-2018, 01:12 AM | #14 | |
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12-06-2018, 10:53 AM | #15 | |
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I really appreciate everyone's responses, and thanks do Deansbimmer reminding me that the plenum has to come out, I have been swayed to stay away from the project.
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Here's a shot of my car at the shop earlier this week: |
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12-06-2018, 12:28 PM | #16 | |
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However, the sad reality is that many independents and dealers (especially) cut so many corners in the name of productivity that cars often end up with more broken clips and mis-installed parts than they came in with. It's intentional- not necessarily out of ignorance. It's why there exists this inherent belief that a service like this will always result in future noises and issues. Short story: One of my techs came from one of our area's largest franchise dealer who was doing an airbag recall on an X5M and was mid process of pulling the dash the right way. Their head "master" tech came over and asked why he was taking so long. He noted that the "trick" on these was to yank this spot just so to snap a hidden tab to get the dash out without having to remove the center console- "saves two hours" he said... These types of shameful practices are what you get at many shops that are driven by high productivity. Good techs get sh*t on while the shady ones flag the most hours and receive all the praise. Owners have no idea and still take cars to the dealer under the assumption that's where your BMW really gets the red carpet treatment. |
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12-06-2018, 01:40 PM | #17 |
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Try a r134 refill and replacing the caps over the high/low Schrader valves. I did this and had a some success so far. Time will tell, but I have dye ready for the next stage of troubleshooting. Evaporator replacement is the last step and I am aware they do leak. $2500 is not bad, but the thought of dash removal makes me want to punch walls.
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12-06-2018, 01:51 PM | #18 | |
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12-06-2018, 01:53 PM | #19 | |
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12-06-2018, 01:57 PM | #20 | |
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I’ve been in contact with Jason at Eurowerks; he said that either he or one other tech would do the job. |
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12-06-2018, 02:08 PM | #21 |
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Yup, Jason handles everything with my car when I go in but know the owner personally. Great guys! They know my car real well
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12-06-2018, 02:41 PM | #22 | |
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Exactly why I would DIY, and the reason why I don't let anyone touch my car that I don't trust to do it right. I currently don't have anyone I would trust more than myself to put back every screw/clip and make sure everything is tight. Highly likely if you take it to a shop, it will be rushed and slapped back together, they don't get paid to take their time, it's not in their best interest. (This is why you hear about bad rod bearing installs also.) Their goal is to finish the job as fast as possible. When I do things, I make sure I take my time and it is done right. (Everything is put back, important fasteners are torqued.) Also I won't have the distractions of being in a busy shop, working on multiple cars, answering phone calls etc. Where the rate of mistakes increases with the amount of distractions. |
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