Dodge 02 caravan help wanted
I recently bought a used one and am pretty well pleased but for one problem. It has a water leak on the passenger side from the A/C. What is causing this? I suspect a stopped up drain to the underside of the van but just don't know. I have a shop manual ordered but it will be a couple of days before it gets here. I would like to fix the problem NOW if possible. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks, Tom
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Sounds like the heater core. 0 -
Floyd621, Looks like you are trying to get your message count up. Please explain why you think it is the heater core when I said it was in the A/C part of the house. I have had no reason to run the heater nor is the water dropping hot. Tom 0 -
Is it leaking under the dash on the passenger side? Check your heater core. 0 -
tc...
if it is under the car, it is condensation. the part of the ac that makes the air cooler is called the drier. it pulls the moisture out of the air to cool it down. the water you see dripping from under the car is the water that has been removed. it is ok.
if it is inside, the coolant in the ac unit might have recently been recharged. the air is still being cooled by the removal of moisture from the air in the car, but isn't venting it appropriately. some condensation may be collecting in the vent ducts. you may see water droplets around the floor vents. if you do, 1 of 2 things are occuring. 1) if the ac was over charged, it could cause the drier to fail or 2) the drier is failing due to excessive use.
solution: replace the ac drier, recharge the system, drive cool.
if you find no moisture in the vents...drive cool...it's working properly.0 -
My Wife's ford did the same thing. I thought something was wrong with the A.C., Every time you turned the fan on water would start to drip. We took it to the garage and told the guy what it was doing, He
flipped the fan on, looked under the dash and said the heater core was stopped up, charged me $20.00 for looking at it and told me if I bought a heater core they would put it in for me. I got the heater core at NAPA for $22.00 and my cousin put it in for her. She never had any more problems after that. All I was saying was to check it and make sure it's o.k.0 -
You're on track with the drain tube.
Allen0 -
Yeah, I suspect a drainage problem since the water literally pours, well a steady drip, on the carpet. I am going to Indy next week and sure would like to get it fixed before I go since I will have a passenger sitting there. She might not like the wet foot treatment. Does anyone know where or how to check for a blockage? Thanks, Tom 0 -
The drain tube for the a/c evaporator on the caravans is located on the firewall, just about directly behind the power steering pump. It is a black rubber tube, about three inches long that faces straight down towards the ground. The bottom end of it is flattened and water seeps through the flattened end to drain. Often times they stick together where they are flattened, and to correct this you simply need to squeeze the ends of this area, causing the two halves to open up. Once you do this you should be able to see the water dripping, or running, from the tube end. Look closely on the right side of the firewall, down low and you will find this drain hose. swamp_thing 0 -
While I'm here on this post I might respond to this
quote:the part of the ac that makes the air cooler is called the drier. it pulls the moisture out of the air to cool it down.
and this
quote:if it is inside, the coolant in the ac unit might have recently been recharged. the air is still being cooled by the removal of moisture from the air in the car, but isn't venting it appropriately. some condensation may be collecting in the vent ducts. you may see water droplets around the floor vents. if you do, 1 of 2 things are occuring. 1) if the ac was over charged, it could cause the drier to fail or 2) the drier is failing due to excessive use.
Sir, with all due respect, if you don't know what you are talking about, why not stay out of the opinion business. The air conditioner drier has nothing to do with moisture coming from the vents. It is a sealed container filled with desicant that removes moisture from within the freon/oil charge of the system. Without the drier in the system any moisture that is inside the a/c system would freeze at the orifice tube or expansion valve, causing the system to not be able to function and eventually lead to probable compressor failure.
While the air conditioning system does also dehumidify a cars interior, it does so by collecting condensation on the cold evaporator coils, and this condensation is removed from the cars interior by dripping out of the drain tube as it runs from the coils. This same principle works with any a/c system, be it automotive, residential or commercial.
Hope this clears a few things up for you. swamp_thing0 -
Since you said it was on the carpet. I'm assuming that it's leaking on the inside.
Check the heater core. Regardless of if your heater is on or not, water flows through it. They corrode and start leaking sometimes. Stop being a smart ass to Floyd cause it's reasonable to assume it could be the heater core. It may NOT be what's leaking but it's worth a check.
sheesh.0 -
Rob, it is possible that a heater core could be leaking and I for one did not make a comment on that part. Dodge used two different styles of heater control valve, one has 3 or 4 outlets for hoses. If it is the 4 outlet heater control valve, then when the heat selector is positioned on cold there is no flow of any water going through the heater core, so it would likely not leak. Also, a heater core that is leaking is going to do so even if the a/c is not turned on. Because of these two reasons I simply left that as not being a probable cause for his drip. swamp_thing 0 -
I haven't had time to check it out yet but it defiently IS NOT the heater leaking. Tom 0 -
Not only that, but if a heater core goes, you can smell the coolant in the air stream. 0 -
a bad heater core will smell like antifreee and your windshield will get slime on it. 0 -
swamp thing....
1)well,considering i used to sell them and was trained to diagnose these problems i do know what i'm talking about.
2)i was addressing the problem with the amount of info that was presented at the time
3) i have seen this many many times
4)why do you address the heater core when there is no indication of antifreeze leaking into the car?? do you smell something that the driver doesn't?
5) are you an ASE certified mechanic? if not, don't insult someone you are not qualified to insult. that was uncalled for and very unappreciated.
6) while agree it could be as simple as a plugged drain hole (so tc...check your drain holes too) my opinion is just as valuable due to my experiences as well as yours might be. but don't call someone an idiot or attack their knowledge level just because they may or may not have had the same experiences you have had.0 -
In May my daughter had hers catch on fire and burn up, totalled. with fire starting in the area you are speaking of.
checked the recalls and problems with the vehicle, low and behold there have been several vehicle fires from condensation dripping onto speakers and causing a short. This was the first time she had used the AC this year and the last in that outfit
I'll try to find the site/shortcut and paste it so you can look at it0 -
aramisvi, While you may have been a salesman for them, and was trained to diagnose them, I sir did in fact install and repair them for a living for about 25 years. Until multiple spinal surgeries ended my career I was indeed an mechanic. Now I won't dispute that what you say is in fact what you were trained to believe, but I do dispute it's validity. In my previous post I did thoroughly explain what the a/c drier was for and what it would and would not do. I only addressed the heater core because others here kept bringing it up, and if you go back through the entire thread you will see that as well. Now, if you choose to think you are so all knowing on the operation of an air conditioning system, which in fact I was certified to repair, then I might suggest that you take the time to investigate their actual operation further. If this offends you then maybe it is in fact that you have overstepped your abilities. I sir am quiet sure of mine. swamp_thing
From Polar Bear Inc site:
Drier - Sometimes called receiver drier or accumulator. When installed in the liquid line it is called a drier. When installed in the suction line it is called an accumulator. Its purpose is threefold:
A.) To trap moisture (water and gas will eventually create acids which will lead to leaks)
B.) To provide a space for liquid to collect in reserve for the evaporator OR in an accumulator system, a place to separate vapor from liquid, insuring that minimal liquid (damaging) gets back to the compressor
C.) To act as a filter and trap any foreign matter which may be in the system.
Although driers and accumulators can be remanufactured (or rebuilt) they are generally sold new because they are relatively inexpensive.0 -
The cooling in a car system comes from the same "science" that you have at your home.
Refrigerant is "moved", by the compressor, and is sent to a "metering device" in liquid form, where the pressure drop, causes it to "flash off", and change states in the evaporator, where heat is absorbed. The heat is then pulled back to the suction side of the compressor, in the vapor state, and heat of compression is added. It then exits the compressor discharge valves, and makes its way to the condenser, where the superheated vapor is cooled, causing another change in state, back to a liquid, to repeat the process. The "Drier" in a vehicle, is a combo drier, and accumulator, that absorbs moisture, and acidic oil, while protecting the compressor suction valves from compressing liquid refrigerant. The "drier", has nothing to do with the "cooling process" whatsoever, it can only cause a problem if there is an issue with it.
The drain is plugged, or the evaporator is matted with dirt, or low on refrigerant, and freezing up. If that were the case you would have a significant drop in your airflow through the vents when it occurred, and the water would only come after the evaporator thawed out, overwhelming the drain tube. Sounds like the tube!0 -
It is probably water from A/C condensation, and it is probably caused by a mouse nest.
If you can, get in there and find the plastic box which the A/C heat exchanger is inside. The heat exchanger looks like a radiator. The mouse nest will be in there. The water is dripping from this box.
I had this happen last year to both of my trucks.
I have Nissan pickups. I had to remove the glove box, then remove a piece of sheet metal about 18" by 18". Then I had access to the plastic box. There is an oval thing about 3" by 2", some kind of sensor. I removed that and then I could get my hand in there and pull out the mouse nest.
If it is a mouse nest, there is a way to prevent them from returning.
On your dashboard, you have a switch which either gives you fresh air, or recirculates air. If, when your car is parked, you leave that switch on "fresh air," it is a pathway to the exterior, and the mice come through there. They smell the water in that plastic box, and they climb up in there for a drink, and then stick around to build a nest. Set the switch on "recirculate" when parked, and the mouse can't get in. I figured this out on my own, my mechanic here didn't know about it, and the guys on the Nissan forum, who are pretty sharp, didn't know about it, either.
I have been leaving my switches on "recirculate" for the past year, when parked, and I have gotten no more mouse nests, thank God. My problem is, the thing is dripping now with the a/c on. That drain tube must be clogged, I looked in there and saw a couple little leaves in there. I think I have it unclogged, will test in a half hour.0 -
Seems some People know it All. As they say, the TURDS always float to the top. With all that Knowledge these people need to be in Washington trying to get this Country back on it's Feet or it's going to be known as The Former United States Of America in a Few Years. Thats the Answer for everything, All they have to do is Contact you guys. By the way, If you are so Smart whats the Rarest Model 70, going by Numbers Produced? And No Winchester Experts please, These guys seem to know it all so this shouldn't be any problem. How many of you will have to Break out Book's to find out?, I Bet you Cheated you way thru School too didn't you? 0 -
I for one claim to know nothing about what is the rarest model 70, but if I was guessing I would say you don't own it. Now, as for the things I do know I have no problems with defending them. If I stick to the things I know and you stick to the things you know then we will both be giving accurate information. By the way, welcome aboard I think.[:)] 0 -
Mark, very accurate explanation of the system and how it works. Air conditioners in fact remove heat, they do not create cool. Thanks for your input. Allen, your possibility is also quiet valid but I suspect it is more prone to happen on some models than others. The ultimate answer is the drain is plugged by something. I would still start by checking the drain tube before tearing into the evaporator housing is my only suggestion.
Edit, due to the downhill spiral this thread seems to be taking I will say no more on it. TC, do what you will with what you have been presented here. swamp_thing0 -
I gave my opinion, and opinion's are like a-holes, everybody has one. I just said that was the problem with my wifes car. Used to be everybody had an opinion in this country, I thought that's what being free meant. Guess I was wrong, by the way it's the 300 savage. 0 -
The rarest Model 70 is the one I have. You see, I don't have one. What could be more rare ??
THE TRUE CURE FOR YOUR A/C PROBLEM:
Sometimes, little bittie people are left dormant in A/C ducts when your car is manufactured. Later in the life of your car, something causes them to waken, and begin to urinate in the ducts. Since they are little bittie, the urine has no smell. The cure is to maintain a high concentration of cyanide gas within your car at all times.
I usually charge a moderate fee for this advice, but since you are a BFM (Brother Forum Member), I will not, at this time.
Happy motoring.
Doug0 -
tccox: I fixed mine, by blowing compressed air into the drain tube. But, as I said, I had already checked in that box and made sure that there was no mouse nest.
The way I diagnosed the problem in the first place was, when I saw that fluid dripping from that box, I stuck my hand down there and several drops fell into my palm. Then I tasted it. It was water, so I knew it was from the a/c.
Had it tasted like antifreeze, different solution altogether.0
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