The rest of the story...........

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a thread about the rear A/C unit in our Chrysler T&C intermittently sounding like a jackhammer, machine gun, motorcycle, take your pick.

Our local NAPA shop was stumped, they'd never heard it before, but they found the system was a bit low on refrigerant, so they topped it off and the noise went away.

For three days. Then came back with a vengeance. I've had my fingers in vehicles since I was 12, and I've never heard a sound like that in a vehicle. Nor had anyone else I talked to. Then I ran into a local former Chrysler dealer I've known for years. (Former, because he was a small town dealer who lost his franchise in the shakeup several years ago. He stayed open as an independent used car dealer and repair shop). I mentioned the noise to him, and he said, "I know exactly what you're talking about. I've heard it before. It's the rear expansion valve. We had another one once that made the same noise and drove us nuts for a month".

So, since he told me what the noise was I felt obligated to let them fix it. They replaced the rear expansion valve and, sure enough, no more noise.

Now here's where it gets interesting. Last May 2, the NAPA shop replaced the rear evap core because it was leaking. Yesterday I was at the parts counter at NAPA buying a set of spark plugs for my pickup and mentioned the outcome to the Shop Manager. He said they'd replaced the rear expansion valve along with the evap core, and told me if I could get the old part back from the Chrysler shop he'd turn it in on warranty and maybe get some money back.

So--I got the old part back and from appearance you'd have a hard time convincing me it was new in May. In fact, it had enough long term crud on it to be the original one in the vehicle. I dug out my bill, and they did charge me for the expansion valve among other parts in May. I gave it to NAPA without making any comments, but it will be interesting if they try to turn it in on warranty. Particularly since the part number stamped on it doesn't match the current NAPA number for the same part.

I'm not making any accusations yet, I'll wait for the outcome. And for the record, several of the guys at the NAPA shop have worked for me in different situations, including the one who did the A/C work.

Stay tuned.

Not a bit surprising to me.

Goose the expansion valve may have originally have came with the evap. core. So it could look different than the one you would get when you order just the expansion valve. As for the condition and your suspicions that it was maybe not replaced??? Can't answer that for you.

Some shops will do anything,years ago my mom had her car worked on at a local shop the next morning the battery wouldn't crank the car.I came over to check it out raised the hood and
the battery in it was not the battery I had put in about 6 months earlier different brand,could see where the cables were messed with etc.I went up to the shop and raise He** after awhile
a guy that worked there admitted he swapped batteries and I got her battery back.Told her never to go there again and I 'spread the word' they didn't stay open too long after that.

My guess is, if the NAPA guys did not replace it, and realize now that they charged you, they will claim it was warrantied and give you back the cash for the valve.

If they charged but did not replace it, their best bet is to say it was returned....

Hopefully it is not the case and they did replace it, and it is warrantied.

I bought a JD R Diesel in 1989. The generator was not charging. Took it to a starter/alternator shop to have it checked out, they rebuilt it, and said the regulator was also bad, but they were out of 6V regulators. I went to NAPA and got one (their Echlin brand), and the shop put it on and rechecked. Everything was good. That shop closed up, owner retired, and six months later the darned thing stops charging again. So I take it to another shop, and when I picked it up they had installed a new regulator. I asked why and was told it was bad. I said I wanted the old one to take to NAPA to see if their was any warranty. Fellow laughed at me and said "that thing was ancient!" and was given and old rusted out United regulator that looked like it had been through both World Wars. He never fixed anything for me after that!

It's also possible that the Chrysler dealer did not keep the defective expansion valve from your car, so they gave you one they did have from a different car. How long ago did the Chrysler shop work on it?

I'm shocked that the dealer wold give you ANY part after-the-fact and claim it came off of your car. It's not like they categorize all their used/old/defective/broken parts around there.

Wife's dad was a good mechanic and taught her to always get the used parts back. So one time she had to have a part changed (I'm thinking water pump) and she asked for the old part. When she got back to her dad's place some weeks later, he said it wasn't even for her vehicle.