Evaporator/Heater core cleaning - Anyone done it?

[Quebec]

OK so this is super easy to do.

Materials I used:
Latex/Nitrile Gloves
Eye Protection - Important (I actually got some in my mouth instead - not yummy)
Fluid Drain Pan
Flashlight
Toyota AC Refresh Kit - I got mine from my local dealership. 3 parts = 2 pressurized cans and a tube attachment.

Some visual references which might help:

When parking, cut the wheel left to allow access behind the passenger side front wheel well. Remove three clips holding the wheel well apron with a flat head (I got them out by hand) and then fold it in towards the wheel, it will stay out of the way.


Set your light up ontop of the frame and you should easily find the AC Evaporator Tube. That's some high quality H20 coming out of there.


Follow the directions and shove the male end of the tube in. For me, while shooting the cleaner in, the force was trying to push the nozzle out so make sure you're in a comfortable position should you need to hold it only as long as your applying pressure.


Continuing to follow the directions, let it do its thing.


Once complete, remove your flashlight, tube, push the apron and the clips back in and you're done with part 1. When you turn on your AC you may get a few bubbles flying out here and there.

At this point it may not be necessary for your 4Runner to go onto Part 2. Might be worth it to try the above only if it was sufficient.

Part 2. Be warned that it took about a week for the cabin to air out the Lysol scent/vapor from the vents which replaced the musty smell. Slightly annoying if you're a sensitive 4Runner owner.
It WILL go away leaving nothing but an odorless clean smelling AC system. Also remember to remove your cabin air filter before shooting your vents, or else it will just absorb everything you've sprayed in.

Conclusion: My 4runner smelled very musty before and the dealership even recommended the service when I was there under warranty service. Spent an hour doing it myself, refreshed the AC vents and replaced the Cabin Air Filter at the same time. The Runner smells excellent now on all settings. 10/10 would do again.

 

[Jhalko]

Excellent first post [MENTION=139709]Quebec[/MENTION] appreciate the pictures, I'm going to do this soon, really, I mean it this time. :sad:

 

[bjohnston115]

Excellent first post [MENTION=139709]Quebec[/MENTION] appreciate the pictures, I'm going to do this soon, really, I mean it this time. :sad:

Sorry i haven't posted up pics when i did this but i have since done it again (and again) and have found a much easier way... on the drivers side there is a plug that you can remove and actually see the evaporator. I put an inspection scope in there and you and see the dust, it's nuts. I can get more pics up soon. I was only able to take this short video because my wife was in the car and cold....

https://vimeo.com/162190830

 

[Quebec]

Sorry i haven't posted up pics when i did this but i have since done it again (and again) and have found a much easier way... on the drivers side there is a plug that you can remove and actually see the evaporator. I put an inspection scope in there and you and see the dust, it's nuts. I can get more pics up soon. I was only able to take this short video because my wife was in the car and cold....

https://vimeo.com/162190830

Neat! I wonder what the risk of spillage inside the vehicle becomes though, when you remove the tube... Wouldn't all of that water just empty inside on your interior? Will it bypass and go directly to the evaporator tube underneath?

Also, I am going to buy one of your camera override dongles soon!

 

[bjohnston115]

Neat! I wonder what the risk of spillage inside the vehicle becomes though, when you remove the tube... Wouldn't all of that water just empty inside on your interior? Will it bypass and go directly to the evaporator tube underneath?

Also, I am going to buy one of your camera override dongles soon!

When you shoot the stuff up the drain tube it is going to the same place as it would when you do it through the blue cover in my video above. I have done it twice through the blue cap and haven't had any spills inside the truck, and black,dark liquid came out of the drain tube. I am on a mission to do this as many times as it takes until the liquid runs clear out of the drain.

I have also started buying regular evaporator/condenser cleaner from home depot. Its $5 for a larger can as opposed to the $18 bucks a can for the car stuff. It is the same shite in the can and works the same. I made a hose to connect to the home depot can so it functions just as the vehicle specific one does. Pics when it stops raining...


PS - Camera overrides are all in stock and ready for you! Thanks.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

I'm surprised the were able to sell it as CPO.

From Toyotas website (non-pertinent removed). Appears to me they are saying not smoked in for the most part w/o coming out saying just that:

Certified Pre-Owned 160 pt inspection requirements:

INTERIOR CONDITION & APPEARANCE

Cigarette lighter is intact and operates
Ashtrays function and are in good condition
Ashtrays and lighter are clean; no evidence of use
Free of odor, including heavy perfume

 

[bjohnston115]

I'm surprised the were able to sell it as CPO.

From Toyotas website (non-pertinent removed). Appears to me they are saying not smoked in for the most part w/o coming out saying just that:

Certified Pre-Owned 160 pt inspection requirements:

INTERIOR CONDITION & APPEARANCE

Cigarette lighter is intact and operates
Ashtrays function and are in good condition
Ashtrays and lighter are clean; no evidence of use
Free of odor, including heavy perfume

They cleaned it and all smells were masked when I picked it up. I was also too excited and giddy and probably didn't inspect it as well as I normally would have. I put a lot of faith in the CPO label. Knock on wood my truck is perfect aside from the smell. It is almost all dissipated now though. I have cleaned and steamed and cleaned and scrubbed and steamed and cleaned it.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

They cleaned it and all smells were masked when I picked it up. I was also too excited and giddy and probably didn't inspect it as well as I normally would have. I put a lot of faith in the CPO label. Knock on wood my truck is perfect aside from the smell. It is almost all dissipated now though. I have cleaned and steamed and cleaned and scrubbed and steamed and cleaned it.

Yeah. A lot of the comments concerning smoking in a vehicle I have read over the years are about the headliner absorbing the smell and as we know, headliners are very difficult to clean. Seats, not so bad, headliner very difficult.

It sucks. I think there should be a law that smoking has to be disclosed just like an accident or flood.

Hope you get all the smell out for good. There is nothing worse than dropping good money on a vehicle only to find something hiding.

General consensus is that smoking in a vehicle devalues it $1K-2K. I have a friend who used to smoke and his wife who does smoke and her Tahoe reeks. I won't even ride in it. His is getting a little better after he quit, but it's still the first thing I smell when I open a door and it hasn't been smoked in for quite a while.

 

[Friggin Idiot]

Sorry i haven't posted up pics when i did this but i have since done it again (and again) and have found a much easier way... on the drivers side there is a plug that you can remove and actually see the evaporator. I put an inspection scope in there and you and see the dust, it's nuts. I can get more pics up soon. I was only able to take this short video because my wife was in the car and cold....

https://vimeo.com/162190830

When using the blue plug inside the vehicle did you clamp off the drain tube to help keep the foam inside the core? Or because you're injecting foam does it stay in there until it breaks down to liquid?

I have a strong need to do this soon. Any details on the tubing size needed to use the regular stuff I can grab at Home Depot?

 

[bjohnston115]

When using the blue plug inside the vehicle did you clamp off the drain tube to help keep the foam inside the core? Or because you're injecting foam does it stay in there until it breaks down to liquid?



I have a strong need to do this soon. Any details on the tubing size needed to use the regular stuff I can grab at Home Depot?

I did not clamp off the drain tube. Nothing will come out until it turns into liquid. I put together some Frankenstein tubing system out of some tube I had laying around. Not sure of the size but it was aquarium air tubing. Not sure if this will work for all because the product you buy may be different. I am sure you will be able to figure something out. Unless you're a friggin idiot.


2011 4Runner Trail with KDSS
1992 Land Cruiser

 

[scottp999]

Great info bjohnston115. My wife's 4runner smells like urine is coming through the vents for the 1st 30 seconds or so of the A/C startup. Plan to use Kool It and your access method this week and replace the cabin air filter.

 

[nickf829]

Just followed these directions and it really helped get a lingering smoke smell out from the vents. It took 2 cans of Kool It applied directly to the evaporator(?) box from the drivers footwell access point, but it seems to have done the job. Thanks for the helpful pictures and tips

 

[mag4x4]

Anyone had a heater core go/ leak yet on a 5th gen?? Mine is supposedly bad on a 2011 w 80k miles. Hot air in FL summer makes me angry all the time.

 

[philsey]

Great info bjohnston115. My wife's 4runner smells like urine is coming through the vents for the 1st 30 seconds or so of the A/C startup. Plan to use Kool It and your access method this week and replace the cabin air filter.

You had also better find the mouse nest ...

 

[Jhalko]

Excellent first post [MENTION=139709]Quebec[/MENTION] appreciate the pictures, I'm going to do this soon, really, I mean it this time. :sad:

I'm bumping this and quoting for two reasons, first to show how lame I am sometimes, as in I finally got around to doing this today(a year later). Also it is super easy and a helpful thread if anyone gets a stale smell. Takes you little time and only the cost of the kit.

 

[Friggin Idiot]

Sorry i haven't posted up pics when i did this but i have since done it again (and again) and have found a much easier way... on the drivers side there is a plug that you can remove and actually see the evaporator.

Bringing back an old but very helpful thread.

So I finally cleaned the AC evaporator coil. A can of the exterior coil cleaner from Home Depot/Lowe's/Menard's was much cheaper ($12) than the Toyota (not available) or any auto kit ($25) for that matter.
Remove the kick panel immediately next to the throttle (gas pedal) - pull outwards toward driver door on edge of panel closest to driver seat, then once free pull towards driver's seat. Remove the blue plug, don't waste your time twisting, it pulls right out.
Use some PVC (fish tank) tubing on the can and fill the area inside the plug with foam. I repeated until the can was gone, there were a few drips from the coil. The hardest part was finding a way to hold the PVC on while depressing the sprayer, and not getting the foam everywhere but inside the tubing. This stuff comes out fast, think like wasp spray or bear mace. But it was still much easier than crawling under the truck and working upside down with it dripping in your face. I parked the truck nose up on the incline of the driveway to try and help it work into the coil. A little bit of citrus cleaner smell for a couple days, and now nothing but a clean smell. Recirc comes on by default with the A/C on, even if you start the truck with it on, so I have to get in the habit of opening to the outside air.

 

[FrenchToasty]

Noozels and hoses

So I decided to follow friggin idiots lead and clean the evap.....no aquarium hose
I picked up this sweet nozzle extender the other day at work(reefer tech) and I have load of evap spray. The nozzle extender can be put on most aerosol cans.....perfect to reach the far end of the evap!

 

[FrenchToasty]

Should have pondered this in the begenning......smells musty, like old gym socks. Gym socks are moist, that's where the stank grows! While I was spraying and checking for drainage, I first noticed it was draining super slow, second I was dripping all around the plastics on the evap. I removed the passenger side same kick panel as drivers side to put more napkins under when I saw the drain tube!!!!! Naturally I touched it, squeezed it, and made sure it was seated, go to look at my drain tube..........niagra falls!!!!!
So I have a feeling the drain tube has been partially clogged due to debris and then semi backs up with water and gets stale and stagnant!
I might even run another can thru now that the drain is free flowing

 

[4runnoir]

This thread is awesome. I have been dealing with this same issue in my ‘13 for 2 or 3 summers. I live in a climate that gets very humid with both harsh winters and hot summers. So the heat and AC get quite a workout. I bought the Evap coil cleaner online and sprayed into the blue capped orifice next to the gas pedal and let it sit for 15 mins. Worked really really well.

 

[gringo8251]

Bumping this thread as it was useful for me.

At the 30k service, my dealership service department tried to get me with the A/C refresh and cabin air filter for a combined $160. I declined thanks to reading here on the forum.

I bought the refresh kit for $30 and the filter for $9 on Amazon. It took 20 minutes at most to do both.

A/C refresh kit:
GENUINE TOYOTA APPROVED S.E.T.... Amazon.com: GENUINE TOYOTA APPROVED S.E.T. SERVICERITE AC EVAPORATOR REFRESH KIT 00053-00008: Automotive

Cabin air filter:
EPAuto CP285 (CF10285)... Amazon.com: EPAuto CP285 (CF10285) Replacement for Toyota/Lexus/Scion/Subaru Premium Cabin Air Filter includes Activated Carbon: Automotive