Replacing heater core and evaporator in 2000 TJ, and noticed the evaporator sits on this white foam tray. Mine literally disintegrated when I removed evaporator. Should I leave this out, put back the pieces that are intact, or try to get a replacement? I guess its purpose is to direct water to the drain, so I’m worried if I leave it out the water will just pool in the case? Does anyone know where I could buy a replacement?
Evaporator foam replacement
- Thread starter Ryjedavis
- Start date
Do you have the big pieces? Would Great Stuff expanding foam work to glue the pieces back together? You could easily trim the excess after it glued together.
Hi, I have same problem right now. As this Styrofoam tray is not available on the market, I'm thinking about two options. 1. To made something similar from: Styrofoam plate by cutting and gluing (suitable polystyrene glue) or water pipes cover foam. 2. To leave evaporator without this tray and putting cola drink cap at the bottom to stabilized (up & down) the core inside the airduct assembly. It will be needed also a stripe of water pipes cover foam to stabilized the core of left & right position.
Water from A/C should come out easily, as there will be gap at the bottom and there is proper shape of the canal in A/C assembly.
I will also cut a window for air filter above the fresh air flap. Cabin filter from Mini R60 should be o.k. after cut it to half.
I will add a 3/8 inch valve to the water tube comming from A/C. I think this is the main reason of evaporator damage in my case. When you go into deep puddles you can easily suck in the dirt water.
Water from A/C should come out easily, as there will be gap at the bottom and there is proper shape of the canal in A/C assembly.
I will also cut a window for air filter above the fresh air flap. Cabin filter from Mini R60 should be o.k. after cut it to half.
I will add a 3/8 inch valve to the water tube comming from A/C. I think this is the main reason of evaporator damage in my case. When you go into deep puddles you can easily suck in the dirt water.
Of course I don't have any really great ideas of what needs done but here I go anyway,
I think there might be two reasons the foam was there to begin with.
1) To spread out the load that is holding up the evaporator.
2) To top the fan from blowing air under instead of through the evaporator.
The cola drink caps won't quite help with either of those, especially the load when hitting bumps or even just landing after a jump.
Building one from styrofoam plate may take a nice chunk of work to get it right but may be the best way. How easy does styrofoam melt? Oops evaporators aren't exactly hot, are they?
Great Stuff may also do the job but it can make a serious mess and even crush various things from overexpansion. Spraying it into a mold may be the best way to go with that stuff, if you could ever get it out of the mold.
I think there might be two reasons the foam was there to begin with.
1) To spread out the load that is holding up the evaporator.
2) To top the fan from blowing air under instead of through the evaporator.
The cola drink caps won't quite help with either of those, especially the load when hitting bumps or even just landing after a jump.
Building one from styrofoam plate may take a nice chunk of work to get it right but may be the best way. How easy does styrofoam melt? Oops evaporators aren't exactly hot, are they?
Great Stuff may also do the job but it can make a serious mess and even crush various things from overexpansion. Spraying it into a mold may be the best way to go with that stuff, if you could ever get it out of the mold.
MountaineerTom
LJ Enthusiast, Retired USAF Weapons Loader
Supporting Member
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I have no idea as to what type if foam that is, but it looks like that really hard type of foam.
I’ve seen at Michaels (the craft store) some real hard type of foam. It’s a greenish color and I think it’s used to to stick fake flowers in for flower arrangements. It looks like you could take a knife and shape it to what ever shape you need. Maybe something like that would work?
No idea how it would hold up to getting wet with condensation though.
I’ve seen at Michaels (the craft store) some real hard type of foam. It’s a greenish color and I think it’s used to to stick fake flowers in for flower arrangements. It looks like you could take a knife and shape it to what ever shape you need. Maybe something like that would work?
No idea how it would hold up to getting wet with condensation though.
You could use closed cell insulation (the type used to insulate cold piping) and create a frame to put around the evaporator for support. I believe there is also something similar that is heat tolerant to use with the heater core.
Few days later... Waterproof styrofoam used to insulate house foundations and hot knife for styrofoam. Cheers!
MossGreen98!
Member
Nice fix. for anyone else looking at this, you want to have the styrofoam in there. If the evaporator sits on the plastic it will cause water to condense on the underside of the heater box and then collect and drip into your interior. I added AC to my Jeep and the foam was not there because my heater core had leaked so much over the years, it disintegrated the foam... looking to make a similar fix
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