OEM 2001 Dodge Caravan A/C Expansion Valve

2001 Dodge Caravan A/C Expansion Valve Parts and Q&A

• Q: How to Service and Repair an A/C Expansion Valve on 2001 Dodge Caravan?

  A: Pull the refrigerant from the system and unplug the negative battery cable before working on the expansion valve. Unattach the air cleaner housng form behind the engine cover and separate the drain tube from the wiper module drain. Take the headlamp and dash wire harness connector from the A/C pressure transducer off the fitting on the front liquid line rear section, then remove the screw and disconnect the liquid line from the filter-drier outlet port on top. Take off the seal from the liquid line fitting and use a plug or tape to cover both the liquid line fitting and the spot where the filter-drier connects. Pull out the nut holding the suction line and liquid line fitting to the stud on the expansion valve, take off those fittings and throw away the seals on the fittings. Another reminder: cover or tape the opened fittings and both expansion valve locations after you are done. Unplug the wire harness connector for the evaporator temperature sensor from the top of the expansion valve, remove the two screws holding the expansion valve to the evaporator tube tapping plate and take out the expansion valve from the evaporator inlet and outlet tube fittings, tossing the seals. Insert plugs or tape over all the opened evaporator inlet and outlet tube fittings and both expansion valve ports and then carefully remove the evaporator temperature sensor from the expansion valve. For step four of installation, fit the evaporator temperature sensor onto the expansion valve, uncover tape or plugs from the evaporator inlet and outlet tube fittings and both expansion valve ports, insert fresh rubber O-ring seals on the evaporator tubes and seal all ports on the expansion valve, lubricate with some clean refrigerant oil along the edges and use compressed air to purge air from the system. Lay the expansion valve onto the fittings, place the tapping plate above the evaporator tube, hold it in place and tighten both screws to 11 Nm (97 in. lbs.). After that, install the connector for the evaporator temperature sensor into the wire harness. Remove the tape or plugs from the front liquid line rear section and suction line fittings for the expansion valve and both ports on the expansion valve, clean each rubber O-ring seal with neat refrigerant oil and attach these new O-rings on the aforementioned connections. Attach the liquid line and suction line fittings to the expansion valve once more and use a 23 Nm torque setting to tighten the nut binding the fittings to the stud on the expansion valve. Take away the tape from the liquid line rear section fitting of the filter-drier and the filter-drier outlet port, use clean refrigerant oil to grease a brand new rubber O-ring seal and slide it onto the fitting's threads. Attach the liquid line fitting again to the filter-drier's outlet and screw it firmly in until it reaches 2 Nm (18 in. lbs.). Attach the headlamp and dash wire harness to the A/C pressure transducer, join the drain tube with the wiper module drain, put in the air cleaner housing and restore the negative battery cable connection. After testing the system, turn off the pump, evacuate it and charge the refrigerant.