Time to clean out your evaporator box

[Sri Ram]

On the engine side of the firewall there is a drain for the evaporator box. If it is plugged you can get a wet carpet inside the cab of the truck. This drain is needed when the A/C unit is operated in a humid environment - the air conditioned air will release its moisture and the water needs to be drained out of the evaporator box.

Yep, it's a little rubber drain. I cleaned mine a year ago or so. Roll it gently between your fingers and watch all the crusty build up flake out on to the ground. Not sure if it helped keep my floor dry, but it's worth a try.

 

[DBF]

If pine needles and leaves can get in there, then can water also get in and wind up on the floor? Could that be some of the problem with a wet floor board on the passenger side?



KJM

Definitely. What happens is that matter gets into the box and rots. After a while, the drain plugs up. Then the box fills up with water, which slops out the louvers on the passenger side.



See my Reader's Rigs photos for a picture of the drain. As others have mentioned, just put your thumb and forefinger on it and gently squeeze on it. You'll feel the clog crushing and in a bit, the rotted matter and a bunch of water will come out.



Regards, DBF

 

[Phil Stuart]

evap box cleanout.

Steve, I did the same on my 89 and to my old 85 Ramcharger. You sure you didn't pack them pine needles in there:-laf By the looks of it that could have been a birds nest



Phil S

 

[Sri Ram]

Well, I cut a hole an peeked inside. Sure enough, there was a small collection of leaves, pine needles, and crud on the left-hand side of the evaporator, maybe two cups worth. Cleaned it up and srewed on a stainless steel plate to finish the job. Thanks for the help!