About 2 years ago I had the majority of the air con system replaced in my EF at a cost of almost $2000

Just recently it stopped working - assuming it just needed a regas I took it in to get it checked out and regassed.

To my delight and surprise they could find no leak and nothing wrong - so it was regasssed and it work great - in fact I said to my wife it's colder than I ever remember it - although it did stink some - so I got an air freshener

Well - 2 weeks on and it's out of gas again
No wonder it was so good - I was getting gassed with refridgerant! LOL

Took it back and the dye they put in the gas enabled them to trace the fault to the evaporator. They also said the TX valve needed doing.

I priced the parts - for the evaporator and the TX valve it's only about $240 - but a lot of places say it's 5-6 hours labour to get the dash off and on - so the total quotes are like $800 - $900

I have a manual and it tells me how to get the dash off - but it doesn't go into what's behind the dash? Where is the TX valve ?

Is it an easy job?

Can I change the evaporator and TX valve myself?

I've done my front disk rotors (upgrade to DBA slotted) and I've changed a radiator - I'm not too bad with a spanner.

But is this biting off more than I can chew?

Any advice tips or tricks or things to watch out for would be appreciated

Cheers

To get your dash out you will need to remove your centre console. = 6 screws and Kick panels = 4 plastic plugs.

Then four bolts at the bottom of the dash = 2 either side near the kick panels and two in the middle.

Remove your crash pad extension (the vent and speaker cover up the top. If you have climate control you will need to be careful with the sun load sensor connection.

Undo tweeter connections if applicable.

Remove the top dash retaining screws = six screws.

The dash will now only be held in by the electrical and vacumn connections behind it. Carefully undo all connections making sure you have not missed any.

Remove dash from vehicle.

You will also have to remove your airbox. To do this remove TX valve (yellow metal box inside engine bay right near fire wall (passenger side) = two hex head bolts). Make sure your system is fully decommissioned (de-gassed)before removing the valve. Remove both heater hoses from heater core pipes. (next to A/C evaporator pipes, where the TX valve was affixed.

There are 5 nuts holding the airbox in the vehicle which are accessible from the engine bay on the firewall. Three near the TX and heater pipes and two towards the centre of the engine bay on the firewall.

Undo these and your airbox is now loose. Ease it fromt he vehicle bing careful not to damage the evaporator or heater core pipes. Your engine management loom will also be wrapped through the vacumn plug of the airbox (not as bad as it sounds) be careful to allow this to come free when removing the airbox.

With airbox removed. remove firewall side of the airbox by removing all screws in the back. Pull section away being careful not to break it as it is held in with a sticky substance.

Your heater core and evaporator are now slide in slide out items. (again if you have climate control be careful with the evaporator sensor which slides into the side of the evaporator).

Clean airbox whilst open and check all vacumn hoses for leaks. Replace if necessary.

Replace new heater core and new evaporator and reseal airbox.

Installation is the reverse of removal with care being given not to damage the heater core and evap pipes and to ensure all connections are made.

If I were you and were doing all this anyway (and assuming you have a low series dash)......go the whole hog and convert to climate contol by getting the dash with loom and airbox from a fairmont-fairlane ghia and install as normal. Looks mint and works a treat.

Check out the thread "Dash Conversion" in Interior Mods for pictures. I have more of the heater box being sorted (ie how to remove evap and heater core) if you would like them. Just post your email address!

Good luck and remember, something you do yourself gives you more satisfaction than something you have paid somone else to do. (of course you get no warranty from yourself).

Of course you get a warranty if you do it yourself....You get to do it all over again if you stuff it up the first time.