96 Gd. Caravan A/C Noise?

Hello,

Has anyone had their AC compressor go bad on these vans? Just using
the AC after recharging (got low over winter), as I've done before.
But, now when the AC is turned on, the compressor makes a grinding
noise that sounds like the bearings, or something like that. I've
owned this van since '99, and havent had a problem like this before.
Anyone?

Thanks,
Bill

 

How often do you have to recharge? To me more often than every few years is
not normal. You have 2 distinct possibilities here:

1. Oil is lost with the refrigerant as it seeps out so too many refrigerant
only charges without adding the proper oil for your system will result in
the compressor being oil starved and damaged.

2. You have massively overcharged the system and the noise you are hearing
is actually liquid refrigerant slugging the compressor. Not sure how likely
this is on a Chrysler expansion valve (TXV/TEV) system.

 

I charged it this week, but havent had to for I believe about 3 years
now. It's something I've done in the past, but this time the noise.

 

Don't forget that part of A/C servicing is vacuuming out the accumulated
water, not just recharging refrigerant. If the accumulator gets filled, the
system gets very unhappy (leading to A/C death...).