Dodge Repair: 2000 Dodge Durango AC question, torx bolts, dodge durango

Question
2000 Dodge Durango, 5.9, 2 wheel drive, rear air.

The ac has quit cooling when idling. I've checked the electric fan and it is working. The high/low readings at idle is 50(low), 150(high). If i rev the engine in park to 2000RPM, the low side will drop about 5 and the high side reaches 190. When the engine returns to idle, the pressure reverts back to the original readings. I was going to replace the compressor, accumulator, front orifice, and rear ac expansion valve. The problem is that I do not know how to separate the aluminum hard lines. I thought they were spring lock disconnect, but it looks like the two hard lines were connected at the factory with an aluminum band. Any suggestions?

thanks,
Ray Sweeney


Answer
Nearly all of the lines on the Durango are either solid aluminum which have 13mm head nuts hold them to another component or they are spring locked to components.  The only exception to this is the expansion valves themselves which use a combination of torx bolts and again 13mm head nuts.

If you're attempting to seperate rubber lines from metal ones then that is not the proper disconnect point.  The hoses are crimpped together using special equipment and cutting these lines or otherwise damaging these crimped fittings will lead to expensive line repair or replacement.

Everything you're dealing with is either spring locks or nuts and bolts.

Are you sure it's got a full charge?  150 on the high side at idle is pretty low.  If you had a blockage then your low side would be very low if not pulling a vacuum.
Doug