My AC system on my 86 4rnr is empty due to a leak that I isolated to either the evaporator or the expansion valve inside the evaporator box.

My question is how hard is it to remove the evaporator and do I have to remove the dash or can I remove the evaporator box with just the glove box removed.

I searched and cannot find any posts on removal/replacement of the evaporator on this year range (86 to 89) 4 runner.

 

Remove the glovebox and lower glovebox support bar. You'll have to disconnect a few wires and maybe the one HVAC cable going to the recirc/fresh air blend door. There's a few screws with 10mm heads that hold the evaporator box into the truck. Just keep removing them until it's loose, there's a lot. Under the hood you'll need to remove the two hard lines. Make sure you use a good fitting wrench. The fittings are aluminum and soft. They are easily rounded off. Related to that, make sure you oil the threads when you put it back together. Aluminum galls quite easily.

 

Thanks for the info. I removed The evaporator yesterday and it was pretty easy. I found my leak - bad o-ring on my expansion valve.

Reconnected evaporator in engine bay and injected air to locate leak.

Sprayed with soapy water. Lots of bubbles here.