What have you guys done in the event of a leaking AC evaporator?

I was told that you cant get the american version new any more and that the japanese version is cheap but will require some welding or altering of the fittings on the car in order to fit.

What do you guys do in this situation? Any idea where I can get a american spec new or used AC evaporator?

Thanks!

 

Find a good used one. The actually don't go bad all that often. Usually its the expansion valve the clogs or leaks.

 

Is there a way to fix this rather than replacing?

 

And will a 93 evap work on a 94? All interchangeable?

 

First off, the evaporator is the part under the dash. The condenser is the part in front of the radiator.

There is a mishmash of versions unfortunately, and that has made working on the FD's AC over the long term a royal pain. There is the Nippondenso system that was installed in Japan (Touring models have this) and the MANA system that was installed at the port in the US (Base/R models have this). The only component that is compatible between the two is the compressor, the belt driven part of the system. The threads on all the fittings are different, so even the lines won't work.

JDM cars have the AC evaporator on the opposite side of the car since it's right hand drive. I have not seen a JDM evaporator in person, but most likely it's a mirror image. Also, all the Japanese cars have the Nippondenso system, MANA is US only (of course, MANA=Mazda North America).

Dale

 

+1

I would pull it and inspect, if you haven't already, to make sure it is the core and not a problem with the expansion valve. Sometimes it is just the expansion valve O rings leaking.

If it is the core, the pipe to/from it and expansion valve unbolt. You could take just the core and try to match it up. If you don't have any luck at someplace like NAPA, try an auto AC repair shop or you can look at some pix on Ebay of JDM ones and see if the cores of RHD and LHD are the same. I'm sure what Dale said is true, that the units aren't the same, but I wonder if the cores are.

You may be able to match it by looking at a Four Seasons, Murray, etc. catalogs online once you have it out and know the dimensions.

 

My Mechanic has it, I'm sure he has checked the o-rings or I'd hope so.


Anyone have one of these things for sale?