My A/c looses it's refrigerant charge after 3-4 days. I have been told it's a slow leak in the core. Anyone replaced AC evaporator core? My independent says its a 10 hr job, $1200 including parts.Looks like it's beyond my capabilities . It's the only major thing that's gone wrong with my 1996. I understand it's common on the 96 A4's and the late 90's.will probably bite the bullet as the rest of the car is in great shape.

raved about. While I don't like to use those kind of products( because they usualy suck)maybe someone around here will remember it.

I changed mine. On the 90, the entire dash, instrument cluster, steering wheel, and center console needs to come out.

<img src="http://home.ec.rr.com/miktip/int1.jpg" border="0">

<img src="http://home.ec.rr.com/miktip/int2.jpg" border="0">

Then the a/c box needs to be seperated from the heater core side.

<img src="http://home.ec.rr.com/miktip/evap1.jpg" border="0">

I had to do it again a month later, as the heater core went.

<img src="http://home.ec.rr.com/miktip/heatbox.jpg" border="0">

Plus all the foam covering the internal air flaps was falling off, so I had to re-seal all them.

Fun job! ;O)

I think the 80/90 and the early A4's have the same design of core.I think the the parts are about $300.I'll post a message on the older car forum to check about the stop leak product.

I was quoted a 10 hour job. It was in the shop (non dealer) in Ashburn, VA for about a week. I think the bill came to around $2500. I talked to the mechanic who did it yesterday. He literally shuddered when he saw me in the shop. He said it gave him nightmares.

Lovely engineering by Audi.

By the way, the shop was Curry's and they are great. They diagnosed the problem last spring and recharged it FOC twice while I had it in for other things and gathered the scratch to pay for it all.

PS&gt; Thanks for the link to this forum regarding my vibration issue,

Dain

I got two quotes . I was quoted 10hrs labor $750. Parts + refrigerant $350. Total $1200.Where did the other $1300 come from. Did you replace the compressor too?

Problem with the stop leak stuff is its usually not effective on the Audi evaps due to their design. The evaps are very thin aluminum, which is glued together during manufacture in France! ;O)

From what I could see on mine, was it leaked because of dirt getting down inbetween the evap &amp; the plastic housing, eventually rubbing a hole in the evap. My a/c system now has the pollen filter installed to help keep dirt out.

Miktip,
We were trying to get to the heater core yesterday but is now having some problem removing the front centre console. I just noticed in your pic that you had the shift in D or 3. We have ours in P when started taking things apart. Any advice?
Thanks.