I have a 2000 Grand Caravan with rear A/C. I have smoked two clutch assemblies. Tried to turn the compressor and would barely move. Replaced the compressorand it turned fine off the engine. Installed it on the engine, still turned easily. Vacuumed the system, still turned easily. Charged the system and the compressor got very hard to turn. The clutch will not engage automatically. I can manually cycle the clutch with a jumper. Haven't run it much at all,don't want to burn up another clutch. Had issues before with leaks and have used leak stop in the past. I put a new reciever/drier on when I installed the compressor. Replaced theevaporator core in the dash. Thecondensor core in front of the radiator hasn't been replaced.
Is there any possibility that it(thecondensor core)could be stopped up?

Any help/suggestions would be appreciated.

 

It sounds like an expansion value problem. An evaporator should not clog but a clogged expansion value would act just like you describe.
Bad news it is hard to replace. you have to vac down the system and not sure about this but it might require pulling the evaporator core as the expansion valve is attached to it.

 

Put a new expansion valve on the front when I replaced the compressor. Never have replaced the rear expansion valve. With the compressor being hard to turn, could the new one and the old one in the rear both be plugged? Or will just one of them cause the compressor to be hard to turn?

 

If you lost the charge on the system, or ran the system while it was near empty, it is possible you blew most of the oil from the compressor up into the system. Now you have it running, with refrig and the oil is returning. You may be better off removing the 134a from the systemm then pulling the hoses from the compressor and blowing high pressure dry nitrogen through the high side line regulate it to 300 psi. This would clear most of the oil trapped up in the system, and hopefully blow any of that sealant out you put into the system----then start fresh with a clean system. Evac as low as possible--150 micron, then charge to required poundage, and start. If you have an IR temp gun, shoot the suction lines just after the txv and compare temps. if either one isn't working, it will show up as a significantly higher temp.