1998 V70XC. 95,000 miles.

Note: Evaporator was replaced once at 48,000 miles under extended warranty (which has now expired)

My A/C isn't working anymore and I suspect the evaporator (what else!?) This got me to thinking.... why would I buy a Volvo replacement evaporator, since the car has already gone through two of them, with about 48,000 miles per evaporator.

Does anyone have experience with aftermarket evaporator brands, and are they better than the Volvo replacements? I have searched the Internet for evaporator prices and I found the following three brands: Air Products, ACM and 4-Seasons. All cost between $220 and $260. Any comments on these?

I would rather not have to replace my new evaporator in another couple of years.

A few simple things can be done to keep your evap healthy.

* Change that cabin air filter often (once a year)
* Run your AC in the winter once in a while (once a week)
* Run your AC in the fall to defog the inside windows
* Make sure the drainage is not obstructed in the evap housing.

What makes evaps die is trapped moisture, so anything that contributes to moisture build-up or anything that prevents the moisture from drying off the evap will eventually lead to the early demise of the evap.


Best of luck.
--
Vladimir. '98 S70 base, 5-speed manual - his, '93 945 - hers,

Vladimir,

What is so frustrating is that I have done every one of those things since the previous evaporator replacement, and it didn't apparently make any difference. We run the A/C year-round, and I religiously change the cabin filter. If I do everything that I am supposed to, and the evap still dies, then how much faith can I have in the Volvo product?

To begin with, I highly doubt that anyone else supplies AC Evaps for your car because unlike domestic cars, the volume of Volvos on the road is low (1%) and few would be purchasing enough of them to make it worth their while. Note too that different (like aftermarket) is not always better either. There are many cheap "bogus" aftermarket parts being sold daily that are worse than OEM by far.

That said, you're ASSUMING that your newer Evap is leaking BUT do you really know that? If there's dye in the system, have an experienced Volvo tech look at it with a black light.

If it's a slow leak and if you're in a state where you can still buy your own 134a, I'd just add a bit whenever it gets low. It might be leaking so slowly that it only needs 1 lb in a season and if so, topping it up would be my personal option if it was my car. In some states, IF a leak is discovered the AC tech can't legally top up freon anymore, it'd then need to be fixed or the system must be evacuated.

Sam,

You are right that I am assuming (at the moment) that the leak is in the evaporator. I had a shop do an A/C recharge and add the dye a few days ago. I'll wait and see what happens. However, I added a can of 143a myself a month or so ago, and the compressor started cycling quickly within a couple of weeks, so unfortunately I don't have a slow leak.

Thanks.

Although Evaps are common in 850s, there are other places where the 134a can leak such as condensors, hoses or o-rings. On rare occasions, compressor seals can also leak. The dye will prove where its leaking from BUT you must wait until it's low on freon again before it will be visable (not normally in a week or so with slow leaks).

Hey Hey Pryb, Looks like you another victim of flawed A/C evaps. Here's where I got my Evap OEM ..very good and make sure it is copper wherever you get it from!! NOT aluminium..big difference.

While I agree you should exhaust all options, I realistically feel its that ol evap sucker. Here's the link . For 183 bucks, thats a steal, but then again so is anything made in a 3rd wolrd country with no minimum wage:
Good luck and keep us posted

http://www.autoparts4volvo.com/a_conditioning/850_series-evaporators-504772.html

This is one instance where going OEM does not make sense.

European car manufacturers don't do well when it comes with AC components, heck their summers in Europe are short, less than 3 months, and the AC doesn't get used for 9 months.

I would find a US AC evaporator manufacturer, especially one that supplies components to GM or Ford, and I would go for that one.
--
'88 240, '92 745, '98 v70 John, Tampa Bay