96 Grand Caravan 3.8L A/C Evaporator Replace

I need to replace the evaporator coil on my 96 Grand Caravan. Does anyone
know if the expansion valve and/or the filter drier should be replaced at
the same time? Secondly, if I decide to leave this repair until next
summer, will leaving the system empty of refrigerant cause other parts to
deteriorate...e.g the compressor, condenser etc??

I can't believe how common this repair appears to be for the
caravan......and talk about making it difficult to replace!! If so much
work is required to replace these things, why not make sure that the part
installed lasts the lifetime of the vehicle? Wake up Chrysler!! You should
be helping with the cost of fixing this common part failure.

BCM replaced $800
Evaporator - estimate $1200
Power steering rack - estimate $800.00

Can't wait to buy another Chrysler!!

"RoadRunner" > wrote in message
news:E0UJe.172347$9A2.49311@edtnps89...
> I need to replace the evaporator coil on my 96 Grand Caravan. Does anyone
> know if the expansion valve and/or the filter drier should be replaced at
> the same time?

No, not if the system had refrigerant in it already.

> Secondly, if I decide to leave this repair until next
> summer, will leaving the system empty of refrigerant cause other parts to
> deteriorate...e.g the compressor, condenser etc??
>

Yes, because since there's a leak, the normal changes in barometric
pressure is going to pump the system full of air and moisture.

> I can't believe how common this repair appears to be for the
> caravan......and talk about making it difficult to replace!! If so much
> work is required to replace these things, why not make sure that the part
> installed lasts the lifetime of the vehicle? Wake up Chrysler!! You
should
> be helping with the cost of fixing this common part failure.
>

They did - on the "1993-97 Grand Cherokee and Wagoneer, Concorde, Intrepid,
LHS, New Yorker, and Vision" they extended the warranty on one of their
dirty
little secret goodwill programs. If your evap failed in one of these cars
and you went
into the dealer and made a stink you got a freebie.

They didn't do it on the minivans - probably because A/C is a requirement in
a minivan - all that glass - they knew if they did then everyone would come
down on their necks.

Note also the 96 minivan is basically a first-year production model since
they
heavily redesigned them in '96. Thus it's going to have more problems.

Ted

On Tue, 9 Aug 2005, RoadRunner wrote:

> I need to replace the evaporator coil on my 96 Grand Caravan. Does
> anyone know if the expansion valve and/or the filter drier should be
> replaced at the same time?

Replacing the filter-drier is mandatory when the system is opened, and
failing to do so is foolhardy.

If the expansion valve is working properly, no reason to replace it.

> Secondly, if I decide to leave this repair
> until next summer, will leaving the system empty of refrigerant cause
> other parts to deteriorate...e.g the compressor, condenser etc??

Moisture + refrigerant remaining in the system (it's not going to be
"empty") = acid = additional corrosion.

> I can't believe how common this repair appears to be for the caravan

Corroded evaporators have become a great deal more common since the advent
of R134a...in many makes, not just Mopars.

> BCM replaced $800

Donno why you spent that much on a BCM.

> Evaporator - estimate $1200

Where are you buying your parts?

> Power steering rack - estimate $800.00

Where the HELL are you buying your parts?