Commander A/C Evaporator Core Replacement - Dash Out Job!

[Hanna]

Originally Posted by Hellcat

Mine was cold only on the passenger side and it turned out there wasn't enough refrigerant in it. Unfortunately the AC guy had put the incorrect amount in during a regas (two charge weights for the commander, the larger being the one with the rear air) . He also failed to detect that there was a small leak on the valve stem on the low pressure side.

Been good ever since I got it regassed with a new valve in it again...

I was all set to tear the dash out as well... I watched this YouTube video for inspiration :
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DZPHeNJhRzk

I personally wouldn't attempt the job unless you're absolutely sure that's where your problem is.

I have watched that video many a time (along with others for a GC) already! Looks like fun!

I don't know for sure that it is a leaking evaporator core, but everything is pointing to it - cold on passenger side only, funny oily smell coming through the vents at start-up, leaking gas over time, A/C improving at higher engine speeds etc.

I have had it re-gassed by the same place twice now - once when it started playing up about a year ago and then again 6mths ago after the panel repair work. A year ago he told me he thought it had a slow leak but couldn't find it under the bonnet, so thought it might be the evaporator core. I ignored him because I didn't want to believe it!

I guess I could take it somewhere else to diagnose, but then with the cost of labour and a re-gas up here I would probably be $300-400 in the hole and may end up where I started! That paid for all of my new parts and at least I know that it will all be in order when I take it in for a re-gas.

I really wish that I didn't have to do it, but I think my fate has been decided....

[Hanna]

Originally Posted by Hellcat

I forgot to ask, do you know if the Ac system held a vacuum when they evacuated it?

No idea?? I wish the A/C equipment wasn't so expensive as I would do it myself!

[TR Laredo]

Might be worth asking the A/C guy to come to your place & do a vacuum test/leak test on the system once the new parts are installed & before the dash goes back together. Nothing worse than having to pull the dash apart again to find/fix a leak.

Cheers

[Hanna]

Hey all.

I managed to get the dash out no worries a few weeks back - I am amazed that I didn't break anything for once! It was a bit fiddly and uncomfortable in the 40C heat, but I got there in the end. I had a week and a half to get it back together before heading off to Singapore and Malaysia for a holiday which should have been plenty of time, however, I ran into a bit of a problem...

I found that the shaft of my recirculated air door had snapped and the door was just sitting on top of the blower fan, meaning that the recirculated/fresh air function is not working. The shaft is actually part of the white plastic gear that gets driven by the actuator. Unfortunately I do not order these parts as I wasn't aware that it was broken in the first place.

The problem is that the broken part is not available separately and is only available as part of the complete air inlet housing unit:

https://www.moparpartswebstore.com/p...8017816AB.html

You can buy the black plastic actuator gear separately, however this is no good to me as mine is fine:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/JEEP-COMMAN...-/153075377359

So at this stage my only option to fix it properly is to buy a new housing from the USA and have it shipped over. The other problem is that I have since realised that the air inlet housing from the USA is on the other side of the vehicle and is not the same part - it is a mirror image of mine! So, I am not even sure if the white plastic gear part will be identical or a mirror image of mine - it has a key to locate it in the actuator, so it is a bit of a risk.

What do you reckon are my options?


[IMG]http://www.ausjeepoffroad.com/forum/attachment.php?
attachmentid=78618&stc=1&d=1572950212[/IMG]

[Hanna]

Another photo showing the key of the shaft:

[TR Laredo]

This post for Commander parts (wrecking) may be helpful for what you're after
http://www.ausjeepoffroad.com/forum/...king+Commander


Cheers

[Hanna]

I have bitten the bullet and ordered the complete air inlet housing from the USA....

I hope that the white plastic gear is the same as the export model or I have paid over $100 for a useless part!

Fingers crossed.