Dodge Dakota (ND). Manual - part 1297

REMOVAL

WARNING: Refer to the applicable warnings and cautions for this system before performing the following
operation (Refer to 24 - HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING/PLUMBING - WARNINGS) and (Refer to 24 - HEAT-
ING & AIR CONDITIONING/PLUMBING - CAUTIONS). Failure to follow the warnings and cautions could result
in possible personal injury or death.

NOTE: The A/C compressor may be removed and repositioned without disconnecting the refrigerant lines or
discharging the refrigerant system. Discharging is not necessary if servicing the compressor clutch, clutch
coil, engine, engine cylinder head or the generator.

1. Recover the refrigerant from the refrigerant system

(Refer to 24 - HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING/
PLUMBING - FRONT - STANDARD PROCEDURE
- REFRIGERANT SYSTEM RECOVERY).

2. Disconnect and isolate the negative battery cable.

3. Remove the resonator from the engine.

4. Remove the serpentine drive belt (Refer to 7 -

COOLING/ACCESSORY

DRIVE/BELTS-DRIVE

REMOVAL).

5. Disconnect the wire harness connector from the

A/C compressor clutch coil.

6. Remove the nuts (1) that secure the A/C suction

line (2) and A/C discharge line (3) to the A/C com-
pressor (4).

7. Disconnect the A/C suction and discharge lines

from the A/C compressor and remove and discard
the O-ring seals and gaskets.

8. Install plugs in, or tape over all of the opened

refrigerant line fittings and the compressor ports.

9. Loosen the bolt (5) that secures the bracket (7) to

the accessory mounting bracket (4).

10. Remove the bolts (1, 6 and 3) that secure the A/C

compressor

(2)

the

accessory

mounting

bracket.

11. Remove the A/C compressor from the engine

compartment.

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PLUMBING

INSTALLATION

NOTE: Be certain to check the refrigerant oil level if the A/C compressor is being replaced. See Refrigerant
Oil Level in this group for the procedures. Use only refrigerant oil of the type recommended for the A/C
compressor in the vehicle.

1. Position the A/C compressor (2) onto the accessory

mounting bracket (4).

2. Install and tighten the bolts in the following

sequence:

•

Install bolt (3) and hand tightened.

•

Install bolt (6) and hand tightened.

•

Install bolt (1) and hand tightened.

•

Tightened bolt (3) to 40 N·m (30 ft. lbs.).

•

Tightened bolt (6) to 55 N·m (41 ft. lbs.).

•

Tightened bolt (1) to 55 N·m (41 ft. lbs.).

•

Tightened bolt (5) to 55 N·m (41 ft. lbs.).

3. Remove the tape or plugs from the opened A/C

suction line (2) and the A/C discharge line (3) and
the A/C compressor (4).

4. Lubricate new rubber O-ring seals with clean refrig-

erant oil and install them and new gaskets onto the
suction and the discharge line fittings. Use only the
specified O-rings as they are made of a special
material for the R-134a system. Use only refriger-
ant oil of the type recommended for the A/C com-
pressor in the vehicle.

5. Connect the A/C suction and discharge lines onto

the A/C compressor.

6. Install the nuts (1) that secure the A/C suction and

discharge lines to the A/C compressor. Tighten the
nuts to 23 N·m (17 ft. lbs.).

7. Connect the wire harness connector to the A/C

compressor clutch coil.

8. Install the serpentine drive belt (Refer to 7 - COOL-

ING/ACCESSORY DRIVE/BELTS-DRIVE - INSTAL-
LATION).

9. Install the resonator onto the engine.

10. Reconnect the negative battery cable.

11. Evacuate the refrigerant system (Refer to 24 - HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING/PLUMBING - FRONT - STAN-

DARD PROCEDURE - REFRIGERANT SYSTEM EVACUATE).

12. Charge the refrigerant system (Refer to 24 - HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING/PLUMBING - FRONT - STAN-

DARD PROCEDURE - REFRIGERANT SYSTEM CHARGE).

PLUMBING

24 - 187

CONDENSER-A/C

DESCRIPTION

The A/C condenser (1) is located in the front of the
engine compartment behind the grille. The A/C con-
denser is a heat exchanger that allows the high-pres-
sure refrigerant gas being discharged by the A/C
compressor to give up its heat to the air passing over
the condenser fins, which causes the refrigerant to
cool and change to a liquid state.

The A/C condenser is equipped with tapping blocks for
the A/C discharge line and the A/C liquid line (2) and
mounting provisions for the power steering cooler (3).

OPERATION

When air passes through the fins of the A/C condenser, the high-pressure refrigerant gas within the A/C condenser
gives up its heat. The refrigerant then condenses as it leaves the A/C condenser and becomes a high-pressure
liquid. The volume of air flowing over the condenser fins is critical to the proper cooling performance of the A/C
system. Therefore, it is important that there are no objects placed in front of the radiator grille openings at the front
of the vehicle or foreign material on the condenser fins that might obstruct proper air flow. Also, any factory-installed
air seals or shrouds must be properly reinstalled following radiator or A/C condenser service.

The A/C condenser cannot be repaired and, if faulty or damaged, it must be replaced.

REMOVAL

24 - 188

PLUMBING

1. Recover the refrigerant from the refrigerant system

(Refer to 24 - HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING/
PLUMBING

STANDARD

PROCEDURE

REFRIGERANT SYSTEM RECOVERY).

2. Disconnect and isolate the negative battery cable.

NOTE: It is not necessary to remove the hood
latch from the upper radiator support when servic-
ing the A/C condenser.

3. Remove the upper radiator support and position it

out of the way (Refer to 23 - BODY/EXTERIOR/
RADIATOR

CROSSMEMBER-UPPER

REMOVAL). .

4. Disconnect the A/C discharge line and the A/C liq-

uid line from the tapping blocks (1) located on the
right end of the A/C condenser (2) (Refer to 24 -
HEATING

AIR

CONDITIONING/PLUMBING/

LINE-A/C DISCHARGE - REMOVAL) and (Refer to
24 - HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING/PLUMBING/LINE-A/C LIQUID - REMOVAL).

5. Remove the screws that secure the power steering cooler (3) to the A/C condenser and position the cooler out

of the way.

6. Remove the four bolts (4) that secure the A/C condenser to the radiator (5).

7. Carefully push the radiator rearward and lift the A/C condenser out of the engine compartment.

INSTALLATION

NOTE: If the A/C condenser is being replaced, add 30 milliliters (1 fluid ounce) of refrigerant oil to the refrig-
erant system. Use only refrigerant oil of the type recommended for the A/C compressor in the vehicle.

1. Carefully push the radiator (5) rearward and posi-

tion the A/C condenser (2) into the engine compart-
ment.

2. Install the four bolts (4) that secure the A/C con-

denser to the radiator. Tighten the bolts to 4.5 N·m
(40 in. lbs.).

3. Position the power steering cooler (3) onto the A/C

condenser and install the retaining screws. Tighten
the screws securely.

4. Connect the A/C discharge line and the A/C liquid

line to the A/C condenser (Refer to 24 - HEATING
& AIR CONDITIONING/PLUMBING/LINE-A/C DIS-
CHARGE - INSTALLATION) and (Refer to 24 -
HEATING

AIR

CONDITIONING/PLUMBING/

LINE-A/C LIQUID - INSTALLATION).

NOTE: Make sure that the cable for the hood latch
is correctly routed.

5. Install the upper radiator support (Refer to 23 - BODY/EXTERIOR/RADIATOR CROSSMEMBER-UPPER -

INSTALLATION).

6. Reconnect the negative battery cable.

7. Evacuate the refrigerant system (Refer to 24 - HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING/PLUMBING - STANDARD PRO-

CEDURE - REFRIGERANT SYSTEM EVACUATE).

PLUMBING

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