When the A/C is on, there is water draining onto my driver's side floorboard?

Tiny
VANBANKE
  • MEMBER
  • 1997 FORD F-150
  • 4.6L
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 334,000 MILES
I have been told a drain line is stopped up and only way to fix it is to take out dashboard and 27-year-old plastic is too brittle. Can this line be unstopped some other way? It's too hot down here in GA to do without A/C!
Thursday, September 7th, 2023 AT 11:10 AM

6 Replies

Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,864 POSTS
No one should be telling you the entire dash must be removed. Head under the hood to the passenger side of the firewall and look for a short rubber hose with a 90-degree bend in it hanging down a few inches. It will not have a round hole on the end. It will be formed into a slit. Squeeze that hose to open it up and see if anything comes out. If nothing of value falls out, there's a wire ring holding it to a plastic spout which is part of the drain pan under the evaporator. Squeeze that ring to allow the hose to be pulled off, then stick something like a pencil into the tube to dislodge whatever debris is stuck in there. Also clear anything that is lodged in the hose.

You may have to do this from underneath and crawling behind the right front tire.
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Thursday, September 7th, 2023 AT 6:23 PM
Tiny
VANBANKE
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Thank you, I will try this!
Van Banke
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Thursday, September 7th, 2023 AT 6:51 PM
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,864 POSTS
I've been trying to find a drawing to show the tube of which I spoke, but apparently it's top secret. To add to the misery, in all the articles of instructions for replacing the AC evaporator or heater core in the housing behind the dash, no mention is made of removing that tube, which normally is a requirement.

AC systems are only expected to cool the air by roughly 20 degrees. The real comfort comes from them removing the humidity from the air. That is accomplished by condensing that moisture on the cold evaporator. That water has to go somewhere, and no one wants that to be on your feet. On all car and truck models, it drips onto a drain pan, then through the rubber tube and onto the ground close to the right front tire and makes a puddle on the ground. This is the first time I've never found a reference to that drain tube, but there has to be something there to clean out.

Please let me know what you find.
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Thursday, September 7th, 2023 AT 7:02 PM
Tiny
VANBANKE
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
I will be dealing with my truck after coffee this morning and will let you know what I find.
Van
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Friday, September 8th, 2023 AT 4:47 AM
Tiny
VANBANKE
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
I did not find this tube. I will carry these instructions to a trusted mechanic and see if he can deal with it. Failing that I will look for an auto A/C specialist shop.
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Friday, September 8th, 2023 AT 6:18 AM
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,864 POSTS
Dandy. Remember, there is going to be water condensing in the dash, and it has to go somewhere. I'll be here waiting to learn what you find.
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Friday, September 8th, 2023 AT 1:39 PM

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