Okay. I just read online where a fellow spent 30 hours changing the expansion valve in 1998. I don't have the will or endurance to do that! I just spent one hour total removing the glove box, duct and blower assembly exposing the expansion valve; so......tomorrow is going to be the big day, it's a tight fit ,but, I'll change the valve and filter/drier and see if it holds a vacuum for several hours before adding R134a.

 

Please post back with how it goes.

 

No problems replacing the expansion valve or receiver/ filter ($39 delivered from Rock Auto both made by Denso).Took it out yesterday for a two hour drive...supply air temperature 39-42 degrees. Things I noted: 1) glove box held by 4 screws and 1 bolt and has a small panel with wiring connector to the airbag, 2) removing the metal stiffener on the left allowed me to unsnap the short piece of plastic duct, 3) the blower assembly is held by 2 screws on the side, 1 nut on the firewall below the motor and 1 bolt up high on the dashboard reinforcement tube(10mm ratchet wrench useful in this tight spot)...there is also a clip with a wire near the top that has to be unsnapped from the assembly ; the assembly needs to move about 1/2" to the right so that it can drop down, 5) expansion valve had a lot of thick insulation tape that I tore , peeled and pushed out of the way, 6) the new liquid line o-ring was too thick and would not allow the tube to pass ..so I had to re-use the old o-ring, 7) I added about 1oz of PAG46 oil (with UV dye $10 at Autozone) to receiver/drier), 8) I added about 26 oz of R134a ( about $7 1/2 a 12 oz can at Walmart)...I had 2 full cans and 1 near empty one and did not want to buy another to get another 4 oz of R134a.So, I will wait and see how it cools this summer.


I spent about 4-4 12 hours dismantling/reassembling and 1 1/2 hours evacuating/ charging. Now, I get to see if I did it right or not!