[nealg58]

Our Grand Caravan started having A/C issues early this year. It has over 165000 miles and has been looked at by two different repair shops. If you hit a bump or give the van a 'shake' like closing the hood, the A/C starts cooling. If you hit another bump or give the van another shake, it stops. The Freon level has been checked and the condenser has been replaced but it still has the issue. I have done some troubleshooting myself and have checked the voltage output of the relay that supplies power to the compressor clutch and it is rock solid. Even when hitting bumps or shutting the hood. Before this I changed both the relay AND the fuse that supplies power to the relay. I told the last repair shop of my findings and they brushed me off. Should just the clutch assembly be replaced in the compressor or should the entire compressor be replaced? This was my wife's van until someone decided to make an illegal turn in front of me and totaled my 2003 Chrysler Voyager. She now has a newer 2012 Town & Country with excellent A/C.

Neal

 

[marvinstockman]

I would guess either a loose or bad electrical connection or a compressor clutch with a plate gap that's too wide.

 

[nealg58]

I've thought of that Marvin. I haven't had a chance to check the ground connection yet. I have also thought of an issue with the shaft that connects the clutch to the piston(s) inside the compressor. If somehow the shaft was broken but the pieces were still in contact that each 'bounce' could cause them to slip or make enough of a connection to work. One of the comments that the maintenance person at the last repair shop said was 'the compressor keeps cycling just sitting there idling. You must have either too much or not enough Freon.'

 

[marvinstockman]

Neal, one of the first things the shop should be doing is determining the state of charge in the AC system.

 

[Carbuff2]

I haven't had a chance to check the ground connection yet.

Easy diagnostic is to connect a jumper cable between the engine block and battery negative. See if that changes anything.

There are Topics here about the poor grounds caused by the clip-on braids at the RH trans mount. We supplemented our ground with a hefty cable.

 

[nealg58]

Marvin,

They double checked it and found it the Freon levels were good.

Carbuff2,

That is one of the things I am going to check over the next couple days when I am off work. I have suspected either a loose ground on the wire going to the clutch or the ground between the block and battery is not reliable. I have no other issues with lights flickering or battery charging.

Neal

 

[Carbuff2]

Here is a list of grounds (for the flickering) Say THANKS to Special_Edy

Dodge trike Ignition pulse not working.

I am building a trike with a 2002 dodge grand caravan as the drive train. This was my daily driver for over 10 years. I cut away the body leaving the entire front intact. Removed dash leaving wiring intact. Motor ran fine until I started cutting out unwanted circuits. airbag squib lines replaced...

www.chryslerminivan.net

 

[nealg58]

Thanks to Special_Edy and Carbuff2. I have a PDF copy of the dealer service manual so that should help in locating the ground wire for the compressor clutch.