95 Dodge SMB Starcool ?s

[walib]

Just got back from a week in the mountains in NE Oregon. Awesome!

However, I had some AC issues. The first day of the trip, the AC wouldn’t blow cold and it was over 100! The next day I tried it and, low and behold, cold(ish) air. Whew. Still working the rest of the week, but not as cold as I think it should be. Here are the questions:

1. Would an undercharged AC system possibly cause this? My general mechanic couldn’t figure out the needed amount last time he worked on it so I suspect it was underfilled.

2. Speaking of capacity, the Starcool II manual says “the refrigerant capacity is indicated on a label under the hood”. There is nothing attached to the underside of the hood at this point. However, there is a label (looks like a Dodge label?) on a part of the engine that says “ATTENTION. R-134a A/C REFRIG. SINGLE UNIT 1.14Kg. (2.5 LB). DUAL UNIT 1.70Kg (3.75 LB) PART NO. 82300101. SP10PAG-COMP. OIL PART NO. 82300350”. Is this the info that the Starcool manual is referring to? Should my mechanic have gotten the necessary info from this? What is the needed capacity/pressure needed?

3. When I take off the grill under my fridge to do the filter maintenance that the manual says I should, I see no foam filter, just the silver fins of the unit. I also have never seen a picture of the filter. Can you help me figure out very specifically what to do here? Anyone have a picture or two of how it should look?

[BrianW]

You didn’t say whether you are running the Starcool on shore power or while driving. Be aware that the system has a much higher BTU cooling rating when on 12vdc driving than it does on 110vac on shore power. When properly charged our 1998 Starcool would get really cold in the back while driving, so much so we really couldn’t turn the blower past setting one.

My filter on my old 98 Ford van’s Starcool was just kind of a piece of foam behind the grille that deteriorated over time.

Somewhere I have a photo of the refrigerant sticker that was under the hood. If nobody else posts it I’ll try and find it on my computer (it’s probably posted here on the forum somewhere too). A Dodge system may likely have a different charge capacity than a Ford system.

When filling the refrigerant you need to have both the van AND Starcool AC systems on and running IIRC to make sure the refrigerant makes it through the full system and not just into the OEM part. Of course, you’ll need to use the correct amount of refrigerant, too.

[Scalf77]

I believe Starcool III came out in 1996, that would put you on a previous version. I don't really know what the differences are. You might want to contact Sportsmobile for conformation.

This is the sticker that is on the Starcool III version


-greg

[Pntyrmvr]

#2 question- that sticker is the factory Dodge sticker and has no bearing on a Starcool unit.

[walib]

That’s the info I was looking for on question #2 thanks. I contacted Sportsmobile support and they haven’t gotten back to me in most of a week. Anyone?

[walib]

Mostly interested in while driving.

[walib]

Sportsmobile SW got back to me:
- 5.5 lbs of refrigerant is the correct pressure for my 95 Dodge.
- the foam filter goes in front of the Starcool’s evaporator fins and they are sending one to me. Great service IMO

[daveb]

I've attached a label to the schredar valves showing the correct amount to put in and make sure the shop knows there is an aftermarket system on my van.