OEM 2006 Dodge Caravan A/C Expansion Valve

2006 Dodge Caravan A/C Expansion Valve Parts and Q&A

• Q: How to Service and Repair an A/C Expansion Valve on 2006 Dodge Caravan?

  A: First, get rid of the refrigerant in the system and disconnect the battery's negative cable before working on the A/C expansion valve. Remove the wiper module's air cleaner housing, air inlet tube and drain tube from the right end. Remove the wire harness connector from the A/C pressure transducer, then release the bolt securing the liquid line to the receiver/drier outlet port and unconnect the liquid line, throwing away its seal. Close up the liquid line fitting hole with a plug or tape and close the receiver/drier outlet port in the same way. After that, take out the nut fastening the A/C expansion valve to the soft lines, separate the lines and discard the seals before you tape or plug the metal fittings. On a RG model, unconnect the wire harness from the evaporator temperature sensor and then loosen the two bolts holding the A/C expansion valve to the evaporator tube tapping plate and pull out the expansion valve, releasing and throwing away the seals covering the inlet and outlet tubing of the evaporator. Tape or stay open fittings and ports after opening them up. Should extra removal be necessary for RG models, take out the retaining screw and evaporator temperature sensor from the A/C expansion valve. During installation, make sure to replace the grease that was around the evaporator temperature sensor. If you took out the evaporator temperature sensor and retainer, install them again on the A/C expansion valve. Take off the tape or plugs from the inlet and outlet tube fittings of the evaporator and both openings on the back of the A/C expansion valve. Add a spot of oil to the new O-rings and install them around the inlet and outlet tubes on the evaporator and finally, put the A/C expansion valve onto these fittings. Place two bolts on the A/C expansion valve and into the evaporator tube tapping plate, then tighten them by hand to 11 N.m. In RG models, wire the harness from the HVAC system to the evaporator temperature sensor. Take out the tape or plugs from the rear section of the front liquid line, plus the suction line and both front ports of the expansion valve. Cleanly lubricate new rubber O-ring seals with oil, fit them into the front liquid line rear section and suction line fittings and then connect the expansion valve to the A/C liquid and suction lines. Connect the nut of the A/C liquid and suction line to the A/C expansion valve and tighten it to 23 N.m (17 ft. lbs.). Loosen the old O-ring seal from the rear of the liquid line fitting and from the outlet on the receiver/drier, rub some clean refrigerant oil on a new rubber O-ring seal and match the seal with the liquid line fitting before connecting the line to the receiver/drier. Attach the A/C liquid line to the receiver/drier with a bolt and tighten it by 11 N.m (97 in. lbs.). Make the wire harness connector secure to the A/C pressure transducer, reconnect the drain tube to the wiper module and add the air cleaner housing and air inlet tube. Attach the already prioritized negative battery cable, empty the refrigerant system and refill it with a charge.