Manager Forum

VIN: 1G4CW52K1V4617359

1997 Buick Park Avenue

Trying to find instruction/diagrams to replace the EVAP Core, can't seem to find anything anywhere.

When I look up a 97 Buick Park Ave base or Ultra it shows it. Under HVAC system, removal and install, evaperator core, shows removal of dash and steering column. I did not input the vin just looked up quick estimate.

nickscarcare wrote:When I look up a 97 Buick Park Ave base or Ultra it shows it. Under HVAC system, removal and install, evaperator core, shows removal of dash and steering column. I did not input the vin just looked up quick estimate.

Yeah I can find it in prodemand but it doesn't give much information and no diagrams at all.

Click on the heater ac module, it will take you to that link, also the dash removal, and steering column removal. Some of these did not have much for info or diagrams.

If I may, I'll add how I do. If I need service info and there is little in the way of diagrams, I look up on OEM Parts Website and at least get a layout of the parts. While that is not always the best, it at least gives me an idea of where the fasteners are, etc.

Yeah, this was a complete mess, you have to remove the carrier in order to take out the Evap Core, 5 hours is really light on time. Mitchell Ultramate (collision estimator shows 7.5 hours)

I would add about an hour to that. Any vehicle 10 years or older I add for age.

steven kiser wrote:I would add about an hour to that. Any vehicle 10 years or older I add for age.

Well the problem with the estimator they're going off time of not taking out the carrier, but you have no choice but to take out the carrier and that itself is a 6 hour job plus taking out the EVAP Core

Yea, on some of them extra time needs to be added to have the labor covered. The 97 model year is a prime example of the labor guide not being realistic enough. And, as Steve said, I also add extra time because it is getting older, ya got to be more careful in not breaking things due to age. Been there, done that. If I was doing that job, I would be billing 8 hours of labor.

I ran a quick estimate on this job and came up with just under 1400.00. My labor for just replacing it was 7.5 them I added and hour for cleaning the ventilation system of and oil etc., The removal didn't allow for a system charge so I added that in also. No I do believe that there was a system installed in some of the better models with blend and temperature motors. If I'm correct I would replace the blend motor since it's on top of the heater box and If customer declined it I would make a note on the order and have it signed that it was read, explained and understood. Now I may be getting off base here but if it were in my shop just moving any of the under hood lines I would replace the O rings and lock springs. Depending on how long this took additional labor charge is added. My formula for that is if it takes one man hour to do this I would bill 1.75 hours.
The biggest issue with this vehicle is the chances of it returning with the a/c not working is pretty good so I would replace as many of the little bastard issues that would cause this. I'll stop after this warning. With all the ads about the shaker cans that will charge the system and stop little leaks what's the odds of this being done by this customer either by themselves or somewhere else? If my seals are broken on any system (I use shrink seals and record the numbers on the order for an identifying record) I test the refrigerant because one little sniff of that stuff will wipe out a 5k a/c machine in an instant. Again, good luck.

steven kiser wrote:I ran a quick estimate on this job and came up with just under 1400.00. My labor for just replacing it was 7.5 them I added and hour for cleaning the ventilation system of and oil etc., The removal didn't allow for a system charge so I added that in also. No I do believe that there was a system installed in some of the better models with blend and temperature motors. If I'm correct I would replace the blend motor since it's on top of the heater box and If customer declined it I would make a note on the order and have it signed that it was read, explained and understood. Now I may be getting off base here but if it were in my shop just moving any of the under hood lines I would replace the O rings and lock springs. Depending on how long this took additional labor charge is added. My formula for that is if it takes one man hour to do this I would bill 1.75 hours.
The biggest issue with this vehicle is the chances of it returning with the a/c not working is pretty good so I would replace as many of the little bastard issues that would cause this. I'll stop after this warning. With all the ads about the shaker cans that will charge the system and stop little leaks what's the odds of this being done by this customer either by themselves or somewhere else? If my seals are broken on any system (I use shrink seals and record the numbers on the order for an identifying record) I test the refrigerant because one little sniff of that stuff will wipe out a 5k a/c machine in an instant. Again, good luck.

So do you give a quote ahead of time? How do you know that you would have to take out the carrier before hand? Odds of her adding those shake cans is very unlikely, she's close to 90 and won't be driving much longer.

The information for replacing the evaporator core is in the repair information. The labor "guide" gives you the time to do the job if everything is perfect. On a 20 year old vehicle they need to understand and be told that it may need additional parts or labor.

brianp87 wrote:The information for replacing the evaporator core is in the repair information. The labor "guide" gives you the time to do the job if everything is perfect. On a 20 year old vehicle they need to understand and be told that it may need additional parts or labor.

Correct, but it left out having to take out the cowl as which needed to be done in order to take out the core.

Sauvageaus wrote:

steven kiser wrote:I ran a quick estimate on this job and came up with just under 1400.00. My labor for just replacing it was 7.5 them I added and hour for cleaning the ventilation system of and oil etc., The removal didn't allow for a system charge so I added that in also. No I do believe that there was a system installed in some of the better models with blend and temperature motors. If I'm correct I would replace the blend motor since it's on top of the heater box and If customer declined it I would make a note on the order and have it signed that it was read, explained and understood. Now I may be getting off base here but if it were in my shop just moving any of the under hood lines I would replace the O rings and lock springs. Depending on how long this took additional labor charge is added. My formula for that is if it takes one man hour to do this I would bill 1.75 hours.
The biggest issue with this vehicle is the chances of it returning with the a/c not working is pretty good so I would replace as many of the little bastard issues that would cause this. I'll stop after this warning. With all the ads about the shaker cans that will charge the system and stop little leaks what's the odds of this being done by this customer either by themselves or somewhere else? If my seals are broken on any system (I use shrink seals and record the numbers on the order for an identifying record) I test the refrigerant because one little sniff of that stuff will wipe out a 5k a/c machine in an instant. Again, good luck.

So do you give a quote ahead of time? How do you know that you would have to take out the carrier before hand? Odds of her adding those shake cans is very unlikely, she's close to 90 and won't be driving much longer.

This is the quote I would present the customer. It's not best nor worse scenario and the labor is always included sometimes the description is over written by me to better explain what is going on and sometimes giving the customer a feeling of getting their moneys worth. Also included is a disclaimer letting the customer know things may brake, crack, or come apart in pieces, etc . I try not to overwhelm but make sure everything is completely understood so I don't have to look into sad. watering eyes when bill is presented. Senior Citizens receive a 10% discount automatically and any other discount is deducted after that 10% not before. Well this wraps it up for me on this one.

steven kiser wrote:

Sauvageaus wrote:

steven kiser wrote:I ran a quick estimate on this job and came up with just under 1400.00. My labor for just replacing it was 7.5 them I added and hour for cleaning the ventilation system of and oil etc., The removal didn't allow for a system charge so I added that in also. No I do believe that there was a system installed in some of the better models with blend and temperature motors. If I'm correct I would replace the blend motor since it's on top of the heater box and If customer declined it I would make a note on the order and have it signed that it was read, explained and understood. Now I may be getting off base here but if it were in my shop just moving any of the under hood lines I would replace the O rings and lock springs. Depending on how long this took additional labor charge is added. My formula for that is if it takes one man hour to do this I would bill 1.75 hours.
The biggest issue with this vehicle is the chances of it returning with the a/c not working is pretty good so I would replace as many of the little bastard issues that would cause this. I'll stop after this warning. With all the ads about the shaker cans that will charge the system and stop little leaks what's the odds of this being done by this customer either by themselves or somewhere else? If my seals are broken on any system (I use shrink seals and record the numbers on the order for an identifying record) I test the refrigerant because one little sniff of that stuff will wipe out a 5k a/c machine in an instant. Again, good luck.

So do you give a quote ahead of time? How do you know that you would have to take out the carrier before hand? Odds of her adding those shake cans is very unlikely, she's close to 90 and won't be driving much longer.

This is the quote I would present the customer. It's not best nor worse scenario and the labor is always included sometimes the description is over written by me to better explain what is going on and sometimes giving the customer a feeling of getting their moneys worth. Also included is a disclaimer letting the customer know things may brake, crack, or come apart in pieces, etc . I try not to overwhelm but make sure everything is completely understood so I don't have to look into sad. watering eyes when bill is presented. Senior Citizens receive a 10% discount automatically and any other discount is deducted after that 10% not before. Well this wraps it up for me on this one.

Appreciate the tips/advice.

Job got finished and the customer had no complaints and was happy, so that's always a good sign.