OEM 2003 Dodge Caravan A/C Expansion Valve

2003 Dodge Caravan A/C Expansion Valve Parts and Q&A

• Q: How to Service and Repair an A/C Expansion Valve on 2003 Dodge Caravan?

  A: The first steps of servicing or repairing an expansion valve are to defrost the refrigerant system and remove the negative battery cable. Eliminate the air cleaner housing from the proper side of the engine compartment and take away the drain tube connected to the wiper module drain. Cut off the headlamp and dash wire harness connector link to the transducer on the rear section of the front liquid line and unscrew the fitting to the top of the filter-drier, disconnecting the liquid line from the filter-drier outlet port. Apply a plug or tape to the liquid line fitting after opening it and also at the filter-drier outlet port. Lose the nut and disconnect both the suction line and liquid line fittings from the expansion valve stud, then move the lines elsewhere, releasing the seals from each fitting. Again, put plugs or tape on the openings of the suction line and liquid line fittings and both expansion valve ports. Open the two screws that hold the expansion valve in place and pull off the HVAC connector that wires to the temperature sensor on top of the valve. Remove the expansion valve from the tubes leading to the evaporator inlet and outlet, remove its seals, plug both ends and attach tape to the open expansion valve ports and both ends of the evaporator. To fit the new evaporator, remove the plug from all four openings in the expansion valve as well as the tape or plugs from the event tube fittings, grease the new rubber O-ring seals with clean oil and mount them on the inlet and outlet tube fittings of the evaporator. Put the expansion valve on these fittings and tighten the screws to 11 Nm (97 in. lbs.). Fit the HVAC wire harness connector onto the evaporator temperature sensor once more. Uncover the tape or plugs from the liquid line rear section and suction line on the expansion valve's ports, put clean oil on the new rubber O-ring seals and then set them into position on these two parts. Again attach these fittings to the expansion valve and tighten the NUT that holds them to the stud on the expansion valve with 23 Nm (17 ft. lbs.) of torque. Unwrap or pull out the tape or plugs from the liquid line rear area fitting, as well as from the timer or filter-drier outlet port. Then take a clean, lubricated rubber O-ring and put it on the liquid line fitting. Connect the liquid line fitting to the filter-drier outlet again and tighten it with the screw to 2 Nm (18 in. lbs.). Connect the headlamp and dash wire harness for the A/C pressure transducer; reconnect the drain tube to the wiper module drain; install the air cleaner housing, reconnect the battery's negative cable, evacuate the refrigerant system and charge it with refrigerant.