NNBS (2010) Silverado AC Evaporator Replacement

[broderwx]

Good evening, all.

 

I am looking for an idiot's guide to pulling the dash out of a 2010 Silverado with center console as well as a documented procedure on how to replace the evaporator coil in the HVAC unit.  I purchased the truck very recently, knowing there was a freon leak.  Of course, my luck would dictate that it's in the most difficult spot to reach.  I also have a 99 Silverado that I replaced the heater core on last year, so I am at least a little familiar with what this process entails.  But being that this is a new (to me) truck, I'd really like to not jump in blindly and end up breaking something.

 

The other day, I pulled vacuum, and it held 30in-Hg for well over a half hour, so this one is a bit of a head scratcher for me.  I ran some UV dye through the system today, and sure enough, the dye was coming out of the evaporator drain tube.

 

Also, what are your thoughts on a can of R134a with sealant to stop the leak?  My gut tells me that I shouldn't even be considering it as a possibility, but I'd really like to hear the opinions of folks who are well-versed in this kind of thing.

[Supreme Pizza]

 

 

  Stop leak all the way man. A slow leak is where these products shine. 

 

 

 

 

[Supreme Pizza]

I used to have a nice car that leaked A/C coolant. It leaked very slowly, so I had to add a bottle of 134A Freon every couple of months. I would always keep my eye out for deals on Freon. I found a pallet of them on clearance at Walmart for $1 each. I bought 350 bottles. Finally, after many years of adding Freon, I added a bottle of sealant, and it permanently fixed the problem. And for all of you green thumb guys that say I am the "devil" for leaking Freon into the environment - check this out: 

 

  

[Ianf]

I used a can of stop leak on my 2010. It plugged the orifice tune within weeks and I had to replace the orifice and accumulator. It is still leaking about 5-6 oz, per year But thats OK because its all 12A. I ditched 134a when I did the repair.

 

[Supreme Pizza]

Wikipedia:

 

HC-12a, also called ES-12a, OZ-12a, and Hydrocarbon Blend B, is a "drop-in" replacement refrigerant for Freon-12 and to a lesser extent, R-134a. HC-12a is a mixture of hydrocarbons, specifically propane (R-290) and isobutane (R-600a), and is therefore considered nearly non-ozone-depleting when compared to dichlorodifluoromethane (R-12, Freon-12) or 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (R-134a). The mixture can be used in refrigeration systems designed for R-12. HC-12a provides better cooling than an R-12 system retrofitted to R-134a, with much greater energy efficiency as well. Unlike R-134a, HC-12a is completely compatible with the hoses and oils used in R-12 systems, making the conversion much easier to accomplish. HC-12a is also patent-free due to its non-synthetic nature.

Because of its flammability, it is illegal to replace R-12 with HC-12a in the United States.^{[citation needed]}It is not illegal to purchase HC-12a, or to use it in refrigeration systems that were not originally charged with R-12, except for in certain states that prohibit the use of flammable refrigerants in automobiles.^[1]

Some advantages to using the HC-12a mixture over retrofitting to R-134a are cost and labor. Since HC-12a is a "drop-in" replacement, no seals need to be replaced and minimal effort has to be put into changing the refrigeration system around. Disadvantages to using the HC-12a mixture in R-12 systems is that it is potentially dangerous and is illegal in the United States. The refrigerant used is propane and other hydrocarbons which are flammable. However, it should also be noted that R-134a (and other refrigerants) are just as flammable when mixed with refrigerant oil, yet the quantity of refrigerant and oil in a typical system is so low that the danger in any case is minimal