Caravan A/C

I bought a 2001 Caravan last year and now I find the A/C is not putting out particularly cold air. I can hear it "working" so I assume the system is OK. Is it usual for a system to need a "recharge" without the freon leaking out and if it DOES need a recharge does that mean there likely IS a leak somewhere??
Thanks Lansdowne
PS: I am pretty much a novice as you can probably tell.

The system should produce air 30-40 degrees below the ambient temp. If it doesn't the most likely cause is low refrigerant. If it's low it's because the refrigerant has leaked out. Not uncommon at all. Every spring I have to get mine recharged because it leaks out over the winter. Have them put a dye in the system when you have it reserviced so they can detect where the leak is. If you're lucky they will find it and fix the leak. In my case, they can't find the leak. I just live with it.

If you let it go long enough the system eventually won't turn on. It has a safety feature that won't let the compressor turn on if there isn't enough refrigerant in the system. It keeps the compressor from eating itself.

Thank you very much for the advice. I guess I just hope it doesn't cost me an arm and a leg......what with gasoline prices it costs a fortune now to drive a vehicle..... (I'm in Canada)-taxes, taxes,taxes
Thanks again
Lansdowne!

A recharge at least here in the states is usually less than $100.

If you're stuck for cash you can buy a kit and service it yourself. A "topoff" kit plus refrigerant would cost around $15-20 USD. A full blown kit with gauges would cost around $40 USD. The A/C system can be dangerous to work on though. Follow the directions to the letter.

Hope to God you don't have a toasted compressor and this http://www.allpar.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=36870 problem.

I'm not a novice...more like a third year apprentice ;)

I'll be tackling the evaporator job once the wife starts *itching come summertime. Thats what's wrong with mine.

Lansdowne, are you from Richmond BC?

I lost AC last summer and the dealership recharged it (97 Voyager with the 3.8L). They put dye in the system and tell me that it's leaking from the evaporator. New evaporator, other parts and labour...$1500 CDN.

I think I'll take my chances with the AC and just get it recharged in the spring.

Anyone have experience with chemical sealants? I've read a few threads suggesting that might do the trick. Others have said that sealants will just bing everything up.

Thanks.

Yes, I have used the sealant on a leaking evaporator with excellent results.

It was not a Caravan, however, it was my wife's '98 Volvo. It lost its charge, we took it to our friends who run the local Volvo dealership, and they pronounced the evaporator leaking. The cost to put a new one in was beyond the ability of the English languange to describe. Because I am handy, he suggested I try it myself, but it would not be a job for the faint of heart since every part of the dashboard has to be removed. I flinched. I tried a commerically available ac sealant from Pep Boys. I figured if it didn't work, well what was the harm? The dealer gentlemen told me horror stories of using the sealant, and stories how it destroys/mucks up his ac service equipment. He told me to stay away from it at all costs.

Unbelievably it worked perfectly, sealing up the system for 2 years until we sold the car. Ha!

My dealership told me that same. That it mucks up their ac flushing equipment. Is that really my problem?

I had it recharged last summer after owning the van for only a few weeks. Who knows how long it has been leaking. I'll have to take it somewhere else to get it recharged though. By law (Canada only maybe?) a mechanic is not permitted the recharge a known leaking system.

Talking to Canadian Tire, that's their normal 2nd second. The 1st being to recharge with dye to see where the leak is of course. If that's the case, I might as well get them to try the sealant if/when I need my next recharge.

At $150 per recharge (annually), I still come out ahead compared to a $1500 coil replacement. I don't plan to own this van for more than 5 more years.

Thanks for the info! Much appreciated.

One tip to keep your AC costs down (at least in the United States) is to get EPA certified to work on your AC and buy whatever freon you want by YOURSELF.

Simply register to take the online AC course, pay the money (for me it was $35) and take the online test. Pesto, you're an EPA certified technician!

there is freon you can buy in Canada, I bought some myself here in Windsor , Ontario from Parts Source. Its called Red Tek 12a. You can buy the kit to put it in for $20. You may have a Parts Source in Richmond, I used to live there too, across from Landsdown Mall.

Great. Thanks for all of the info. I might look into getting certified...lol.

I used to live in a condo in that area as well. Had to move on as the family grew though. Small world.

Thanks again!