I have a Dodge 2500 diesel - year 2001. Aside from an rare engine stutter (maybe the lift or injector pump hiccup), all has been really great! Economy and power has been within acceptable specs. However, tried turning the air conditioning on after not using it for about 3 months (Winter season). Initially, the A/C worked as good as ever for about one day. Now (seems like all of a sudden), Im just driving around with ambient air blowing - yes, the blower is functioning and the heater is OK too. I've checked all the fuses I'm aware of - side of dash on drivers side and behind right side batter in the engine compartment. I don't even see a fuse for A/C - just blower etc..
Could sure use some help/suport: Any ideas as to what the problem could be - is there something I can check before taking the truck to the dealer for service?

Thanks,
dodgerdog

 

It probably just needs a little refrigerant.
I would take it anywhere but the dollarship.

 

In the last year I have had to put on condenser and compressor.
Both times system was just "low" These things don't just lose freon. (for the nitt pickers refregrent)

Work was done at a shop owned by a family friend so no ripoff.

Totaled out at around 1100 for both (not at the same time). Truck is a 2001.5 with 65,000 on it now
(about 50,000 at the time of the last repair)

VERY disaponted with the quality of the air system.

But still the truck makes me

(but why does that line /|\ have to look so much like the
6.0l ford forums )

 

I have a 2001 also and last year the A/C quit working. I have a leak in the evaporator which allows the freon to leak down and when the pressure gets too low the ac will not work. Cost to fix was about $500.00 but I just bought the hose to fill it myself and bought a case of 1 pound freon cans at Sam's club for $26.00. My truck has a slow leak that needs about 1 can per month and two dollars a month is cheaper than $500.00, at least for now. You can buy the hose for about twelve dollars and one can of freon with a leak sealer for $5.oo and you may be set. Good luck!

 

I'm in the same boat as ken-c. Dealer added freon the first year, "fixed" the leak the second year, 3rd year it was not cold enough (out of warranty) so I learned to add freon myself. This year it would not cool at all. Figured it was dead. Just needed a full can of freon. Now it's ice cold.

No way I'm paying $500+ for a repair that may not last.

 

replaced my evaporator core last summer. not that bad of a job. core cost me about $150. I went ahead and replaced the heater core while I was in there.

a leak under the hood is less of a concern, but a leaking evap core is nothing to play with if you're just planning on topping it off... r134 is some NASTY stuff... hope you're not planning on having kids or that you've already got them and they don't ride in the truck w/ you. you don't want that stuff to touch your skin... never mind inhaling it as it blows out the AC vents! LOL!

if you've got a slow leak under the hood, just take an afternoon and replace all your seals. I went ahead and made new rubber hoses too. for just the seals, it'll be about $5-10. new hoses probably cost me $20-30 on top of that. and I'm good for another 225k.

Forrest

 

evaporator is common on these trucks. My gasser that i just sold got a new one a three weeks out of warr. The CTD got one a month before I bought it.

 

So the evaporator core is inside? That must be the unit by the heater core?

 

[QUOTE

VERY disaponted with the quality of the air system.

But still the truck makes me

(but why does that line /|\ have to look so much like the
6.0l ford forums ) [/B][/QUOTE]

I'm glad you said it! I thinking the exact same thing!

 

I have a leaking evaporator as well. I will be chaning it next week during spring break. I have yet to see a good how-to on replacing the evaporator on 98-02 trucks. I am going to try to take pictures as I go and write something up.

 

I've never done it and these instructions are for 1500, bet they'll work though
http://autoclinic.net/article/chrysl...evaporator.htm

 

there's really nothing to it... much easier than the same job on my old fox bodied Fords.

 

I have the same problem of losing freon about every two months, dealer put some sort of dye in the system. I havent run the truck on a warm day since to see if its low again. I figured that I'd let the ******* find the leak, then i'll bring it home and fix it. I may be back on here with this same how to stuff in a few weeks.
I hope the evaporator is easier to change than my Cherokee, a real nightmare.

 

I had tons of UV dye in my system... kept leaking down, but I couldn't find the leak!!!

then one night after adding more refrigerant and more UV dye, I found a nice little puddle of neon green oil on the passenger floor board! (gotta love rubber floor mats! )

Forrest

 

I found my dye by taking out the blower (3 bolts) and looking up with a blacklight. Couldnt miss all the yellow up there. That link for the evaporator replacement for the 1500 is pretty good but it seems he removed some things that i didnt have to. It really is not a hard job. Remember replace the heater core while your in there. You will be glad you did.