Cleaning evaporator on a 2013 F150

How to clean dirty AC evaporator without removing AC assembly.

[@Cj-xl3jv]

So fun story but I originally came across this video around 4 or 5 years ago when a bunch of us techs were stumped at a Ford dealer in Colorado. Tried this method and didn’t even charge the customer because of how easy the fix was. Early 2010’s till very recently F150/F250+ didn’t have cabin filters so dirt and sh*t just builds up in there. Thanks for the video, it’s helped out a ton of us!

[@rickcockream513]

Excellent video. Perfect instructions. I followed them to a tee. My truck is a 2011 250SD. I literally had my AC evaporator coil cleaned in as little as 15 minutes, counting cutting for the hole. Loving the AC now. Thank you.

[@everythingismediocre]

Is it still working? I'm about to do it. Was thinking of using AC coil cleaner though

[@bogus696996]

@@everythingismediocre yea, me too. Gonna do it today. Hows it working?

[@everythingismediocre]

@@bogus696996 it was unnecessary. Something else

[@bogus696996]

@@everythingismediocre ok. Thanks man I actually stuck a borescope camera in the box and mine os pretty dirty.

[@ernievlogs2691]

where does the water go when you wash it ?

[@BBarepockets]

I took my truck to the shop 2 days ago. They were going to charge me $1,000 to remove the dash and replace the evaporator. With your idea, I can open it up and clean it myself. Thanks man! You are AWESOME

[@okiedokiepushmowing9032]

Thanks man. I mow lawns in Oklahoma and it was killing us. This not only worked for the vents, but i broke that whole cutout off on accident and there's air coming out that hole like crazy. I'm just going to leave my glovebox off and that hole open. You're a lifesaver, possibly literally.

[@67cgc]

You can cover it with commercial ac aluminum tape

[@gagerogers5472]

Hey what was your doing exactly??? I live in Oklahoma and everything is working as it should but I have no air pushed through the vents it’s like it’s clogged trying to push air past something on all the vents

[@okiedokiepushmowing9032]

@@gagerogers5472 Yes its clogged. You either have to take the whole dash off, which I doubt you can find a mechanic to do even if you wanted to pay for it or follow the instructions in this video to get some relief. This is a major design flaw. The dust here causes the issue especially when using as a work truck.

[@gagerogers5472]

@@okiedokiepushmowing9032 so was everything working as it should on yours? And it just felt restricted?? Like weak air from the vents with everything thing on full blast and no air no matter which setting you choose??

[@ethanhowell4481]

@@gagerogers5472 yeah mine is cold on the condenser but barely blows out. Do you need to remove dash and if so what do I clean this Texas heat about to kill me

[@Domestic_Material_Engraving]

Great Job. I drilled a hole and used automotive coil cleaner which foams, your video was a great help!

[@jwykert513]

droid2084 what foam cleaner did you use?

[@rr4611]

That’s EXACTLY what I decided to do. Hope it worked for you. Didn’t necessarily want to cut a big flap but will if I have to.

[@cesarrivera86]

Awesome idea man, I’ll definitely be trying this on my 2014 F150 XLT. I’m running it on max all the time, it’s cool but not cold.

[@AyeLimiTz]

did it work?

[@westonverhulst]

I just tried this, had similar problem to @cesarrivera86 did, blows cool but not ice cold. No difference after cleaning it. @@AyeLimiTz

[@timothyjacobs67]

Got to love the shade tree mechanic... thank you!! Don't use silicone though it won't stick after time.. use a good AC duct tape instead..

[@pajarogrande420]

Well done sir! That's what ya call finesse!

[@olegs542]

What a freaking good Idea man.... Love it. Gonna do mine now:)

[@robertcordell7312]

Good stuff sir a gentleman and a scholar

[@isystemzi6268]

Definitely gonna try this, my ac won't blow cold while idling hopefully cleaning this will help

[@seanh1564]

Did this resolve the problem?

[@pitiantrax]

This fix you issue????

[@bogus696996]

@67cgc Did it your way. Cut hole, shot hose in there, didn't really do much to the dirty side, and I sprayed coil cleaner and let it sit a bit and hosed again, and again, and again. Finally pulled the blower again, stuck a hose up there with a high stream nozzle with a borescope camera attached, and sprayed it off as much as I could. Got it much cleaner that way. Pain in the ass, but its cleaner. Not perfect though, but I'm sitting at 31 degrees now. Thanks for the video, but its easier(not easy...pain in the ass) to just go through the blower hole with a hose and camera to get it clean.

[@jayrg9201]

Did this fix it completely ?

[@user-cc9mx1ds5f]

Box cutter and water. Genius!

[@leezyonehunnit5195]

You're f****** awesome thanks guy. I was a just about to pay the shop until I seen this

[@GWGarage.]

Thank you so much I pulled my fan out thinking it might be something in there but when I seen the core I was like..... 😳😬 how how how am I going to clean this. I did not want to take the dash apart. Thank you so much

[@rubberhamburger]

My 2011 SD has started to barely blow cold air. Air that comes out is ice cold. There's just not that much airflow. I assume a dirty coil is the culprit. Thanks for the idea man.

[@DesertAdventureRC]

Before I took it to shop, my truck 04 F150 new style has issue with air conditioning not blowing really cold so I took it to shop, they vacuum and recharged new Freon with dye but when I picked it up from shop, nothing changed really COLD so I thought maybe evaporation core is dirty and not really good flow…

[@DJDoubtIt81]

I recommend blowing with air first then hose it out.

[@jesusnyy]

How do you seal the hole or the cut after maintenance

[@amplexorj]

I tried this yesterday. Didn't notice any results until today when my blower shut down completely. FML
Update: I took the fan motor out and it was full of water. Apparently I was a bit overzealous with the water hose. Be careful. Spray a little and let it drain before spraying a little more. I installed a new one and all was well again.

[@edwinao7522]

Did you notice results after you got the new fan installed?

[@josephcook7585]

What do you squirt the water into the evaporator with? A spray bottle?

[@cujet]

Thank you. My F150 has mold on the evaporator and nothing has worked so far. This will allow me to get in there and wash it out.

[@jessenuno4228]

any updates ? does your a/c smell ?

[@ricco2.449]

jesse nuno mine does when you turn it on, wondering if doing this will get it done

[@edthegreat6793]

Shotby_danny did it work?

[@ricco2.449]

EdTheGreat nah haven’t tried it I don’t want to mess anything up you know

[@sepresley1]

nice job....that is quick and easy

[@1518joefil1]

Nice! I also have a 2013 that is getting a bit odorous from mold/mildew. No worries about water getting back into the fan/blower using this method?

[@67cgc]

I have not had a problem with that. The motor is sealed.

[@flexing1013]

That's a dam good how to and thanks!!!

[@edthegreat6793]

I just did this. I have a 2011 fx4 and it wasn’t that dirty but I i still rinsed but to be honest I really can’t tell any difference. Seems like it cool the same I might just try to rinse the other side threw the blower side.

[@bogus696996]

@67cgc - What were your symptoms? My blower seems to be blowing fine, but the air coming out the vents just isn't as cold as it used to be. Its more like cool now. Similar to your symptoms? BTW, Thanks for the vid. I will attempt this myself if need be.

[@moseley2007]

He had low volume coming out of the vents. No cabin filter in the truck so the coil got clogged

[@Sheeeeeeeeeeeeiiitt]

Any idea why I have heat/cool on driver side but only cool on passenger side regardless of the setting? 09 F150 with dual climate control. Also the ac would turn on own it’s own and as of lately when I start the truck radiator fan is wide open. Also the temperature reading on the dash gives inaccurate readings vs a standard temp gauge. Unsure if any of the issues are correlated. No codes and no overheating per cluster gauge and live data. Thanks for any feedback.

[@LPerez]

@@Sheeeeeeeeeeeeiiittfigure this out? As far as one side blowing different than the other would be a stuck blend door.

[@DesertAdventureRC]

I have same problem with my 04 F150 new style, air conditioning has volume amount of Freon and pressure are good from what the shop said, they check everything on air conditioning compressor. I am confused not understanding why my cabin in air conditioning not blowing cold enough so I thought maybe it was evap coils get dirty….. I stressed

[@3fff]

Helpful tip... Thanks

[@txnickel]

Do you have to remove the drain plug?

[@67cgc]

No, it should be open all the time, if no water runs out it's clogged and needs cleaning

[@Sami_Alblehe]

Thanks man for the help

[@bruhmandude555]

Hey would going through the thermosister work?

[@jamesh1018]

What were the symptoms leading up to you doing this? Only curious because my ac clutch won't engage and the fans run super high.

[@EZBMX713]

You have another problem check for r134 because it will go into safety mode if not enough this is for fog/smoke coming from vents

[@jamesh1018]

@@EZBMX713 this is long fixed.

[@lennylexi3346]

@@jamesh1018 what was it? The expansion valve?

[@jamesh1018]

@@lennylexi3346 yes that's what it was.

[@lennylexi3346]

@@jamesh1018 Thanks James, just ordered one

[@a7md707]

Yea cg, what about the other side of the evaporator? I cut the side of the unit & it was clogged with dirt

[@bullrun44]

Well done brother!

[@lukegerard9009]

Thank you for this!

[@jadestone8002]

How did you clean it? W/ a water hose or a air hose? how would one use the foam someone referred to?

[@67cgc]

I used a water hose with a spray nozzel

[@ronniegonzalez1554]

I also have a f150. Where does the water go when you clean it? Is there some type of plug? Where is it located? Neep help.

[@BenParten]

Ronnie Gonzalez it will drain out through the firewall behind the engine. No plug to remove.

[@whatitdewcabron]

Is it the same set up for a 2014

[@castalionrtv7083]

The better video buddy

[@RicoMtz85]

My ac blows cold but I hear lots of water slush on the dash ac water is not draining, will this method work

[@scrap_metal_magic]

I take it you do this when the vehicle is off?

[@garofalo1707]

What were your symptoms for cleaning?

[@AyeLimiTz]

what did you use to clean it with?

[@ivantovar5017]

I have an 05 f150 do you know if its in the same spot as yours! I've been trying to find a diagram bit have been unsuccessful!

[@jesusguerrero6069]

Yes is the same

[@ivantovar5017]

@@jesusguerrero6069 Thanks alot,I appreciate it!

[@scottskinner7761]

I’m still getting cooling but my air flow is reduced badly. Can anybody comment on the increased volume of air after they did this fix? Did this increase your air flow?

[@shellyannette7928]

So do u just stick the water hose in there and spray it

[@67cgc]

Yes, I used a spray nozzle for higher condensed pressure. Give it short burst and allow it to drain before squirting again.

[@tcwcustoms9485]

Rats got into my AC system and idk where to even start, this may be a good start though.

[@DadsGotADeal]

Genius!!!!

[@MoneyManHolmes]

Thanks for the tip! That image stabilization software makes me want to throw up though.

[@67cgc]

Ya but as "shakey" as I am it was a must. lol

[@zapatainc123]

Genius

[@ronnietucker8426]

Awesome hack

[@jesusmariscal1215]

Does this help for nasty smells from ac?

[@ricco2.449]

Wondering the same

[@markharvey3923]

Is in the coil in same place on F250?

[@rickcockream513]

I have a 2011 F250 and it was in the same place as is in this video. Hope his helps.

[@joselugo8705]

hay que sacarlo donde esta tapado por el otro lado saca el blower motor

[@smartmajed]

Hi
Is this work with f150 2013 limited?

[@moseley2007]

09-14 is all the same

[@johnmoorman3719]

I did this but my knife went to deep and busted the evaporater lol. So I had to replace it. Let me just say it was not a fun job. 2010 lariat

[@ah4800]

Did you use a sword

[@ccn2739]

Literally just did this man, think you could coach me through how you rectified this problem? I could leave you my secondary email to message me if you like. Pretty frustrated right now.

[@johnmoorman3719]

@@ccn2739 there's a video on TH-cam about it. That's what I went by. It's not horrible just so time consuming

[@ccn2739]

Alright I appreciate it, care to link the video you used? How much cost should I expect to incur? I saw a bunch of what I'm assuming green freon come out...

[@romerodavid3622]

how did you know where to cut that awesome I about to do this

[@67cgc]

I looked at the parts schematics then lots of looking and figuring. Lets not leave out a little "luck" to. lol

[@bogus696996]

did you do it? how did it work?

[@romerodavid3622]

Yes I did it. It blew colder

[@joshderoche5284]

Man. I know this is an old video but I am grasping for help. I get great air flow out this hole I cut per your video. And it’s super cold! But at the vents I’m not getting hardly any air flow. I have replaced both vent door actuators and those are working. Somewhere in between this and the main vent I have something going on. Can you give any guidance here?

[@fabiangovea8641]

If you cut a hole the majority of the air will come out from there. You have to seal the hole in order for it to go back through vents. I had to use a plastic welder to seal hole. Once I did that the air came out through vents

[@joshderoche5284]

Fabian Govea yes I understand that. But my actual vents on speed 4 cool feels to be about 2% of actual air flow it should be. Does that make sense?

[@bogus696996]

@@joshderoche5284 you have to seal the hole you made...do you understand?

[@joshderoche5284]

bogus696996 yes. The hole was sealed. I believe I have a bad dam door. Internally. This is my best guess.

[@bogus696996]

@@joshderoche5284 how did you seal the hole, and how clean were you able to get the condenser

[@CabanaD]

Probably use some brake cleaner in there if you didn’t want to use the full force of water from a hose.

[@bogus696996]

dont use brake cleaner. you'll smell it for months

[@caseytbss]

Use aluminum wheel cleaner.

[@tonyroberts7407]

Can I do this on 2009 ?

[@MTZProject]

Yes

[@chrisharp9288]

how much water did you use and how hard did you spray , did it get on carpet

[@67cgc]

Chris Harp I used a garden hose with a nozzle at full pressure

[@67cgc]

Chris Harp yes you will get a little on the floor but it should drain out the drain plug

[@bogus696996]

@@67cgc so any problems since the cleaning?

[@aqabapirates364]

I tried this method today but till now no results

[@aqabapirates364]

@Camera Man STFU I tried this method and nothing happened the issue is in the ac door and I fixed it so STFU again

[@st0pth3h8]

Not trying to be funny but air hose or water hose?

[@67cgc]

I used water. Either will work. I personally think water is better because it will carry the dirt and grime out the drain hole.

[@isystemzi6268]

Damn shouldn't have tried this smh!

[@matthewdennis1770]

What happened?!

[@everythingismediocre]

Why? What year is your truck?

[@whatitdewcabron]

F150 5.0

[@whatitdewcabron]

??