Hello,
I have a 1998 Lexus LS400. It is in very good shape but the air is giving me problems and the lexus mechanic (private) has stated I need a dryer and a new evaporator. These two parts are of course very expensive. I just recently got the car and it was tested / filled with freon so I dont know how long the charge will last. I was told the evaporator was leaking pretty good. I was wondering if I were to just put some freon in peridocially maybe that would be a fix versus the big expense. I guess it is hard to say how long the charge will last?? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks,

 

Hello,
I am new to this and I saw that I posted on the home page but thought maybe I should post here as well. Have a LS400 got recently. Mechanic said I need an evaporator and dryer. Said leaking pretty good. Very expensive of course. Not sure how long the current freon charge will last? Any thoughts about if I can put a gan of freon in every once in a while? Thanks for your comments in advance. Todd

 

you made 2 threads

 

It's very hard to say how long the freon on your car will last. To replace evaporator on the 98 LS is a big job because the dash have to come out due to dual a/c system.

 

yup... agreed with vvt-i... if your evaporator is leaking, its only a matter of time before the refrigerant leaks out... even though its R134a, that stuff still isn't good for the environment - you should really get it fixed... the dryer we replace just because the system was opened and moisture could have potentially gotten in...

good luck...

 

There is no cheap alternative to replacing the evaporator lines and the drier. Im currently looking for one for my Sc300 and the dealer seems to be the only place that has them. Its gonna run me about $703 for the Evaporator Pressure Regulator aka EPR and $73 for the drier unit that connects to it. I was trying to find a used one but the problem with that is used doesn't necessarily mean that it will work. There may be leaks in the used one so you have to run test on them. That can be expensive especially for lines that you may not get because they are defective. Its best to just buy a new one and spare the head ache.

 

Driers are usually cheap, like $30... what is an Evaporator pressure regulator?

what parts are you needing and why? Is this EPR you are talking about actually a thermostatic expansion valve?

 

Epr is another name for evaporator lines. That's what the diagram that the mechanic gave me referred to them as. And the drier I found online for as cheap as $7

 

Why do you need the lines? unless one is leaking, there shouldn't be a reason to replace them... I am thinking EPR is actually referring to the thermostatic expansion valve, which is attached to the evaporator... Expansion Valves are $25 at Napa... an expansion valve technically is a pressure regulator, but in all my years, never heard it referred to it as that...

 

I recently saw this Epr on a website and they referred to it as A/c evaporator suction discharge lines.

 

Unless that line is leaking, there is zero reason to replace it... it is just a high pressure line - nothing mechanical to it...

 

Where is the EPR on 1997 LS400?
What is part #?
Freon is full compresor run as normal. But blower put out hotair only.
Thank you for advise.