ac help....i give free high fives

I'm finally going to get around to replacing my ac compressor next weekend, going to order all the stuff tonight. I just have one important question, I hear all over that its common practice to replace the dryer when you replace the compressor. Problem is idk were the dryer is located? TacomaPrime was nice enough to pm a few months back saying that some AC shop he went to told him our system is more or less sealed and only needs to be replaced if the condensor is replaced. Is there good truth in what that shop told him. Ive looked through the service manual for the drier with no luck, i uploaded a couple pages of it. Thanks for any help

This is what i plan on buying

Compressor:

$523 Delphi A/C Compressor - CS20055

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

 

free high fives guaranteed to anybody with advice, can pm picture of hand with 24hrs of help

 

I pulled up a breakdown of the parts from Page Toyota and it does not show that system having a dryer. I did AC work for about 10 years in the 80's and it was always advised to install a new dryer and after all the parts are installed pull the system down with a vacuum pump to get the moisture out of the system then install the freon with and oil charge. It take a little work but you can make a pump from a old refridgerator compressor as long as it still works.Hope this helps.

 

thank you, im planning on having an ac shop vacuum and recharge the system, after i get everything installed. so since their is no dryer, do you think im fine just replacing the compressor since flushing and evacuating the system should clear it out, or should i replace the condensor or something else just in case. i would hate to redo this shortly. And im going to plan on making a write up for this since i couldnt find one anywhere

 

You need to flush the system to remove any metal that is in the system. Replacing the condensor would not be a bad Idea. If the old compressor came apart internally you have to flush that metal out of the system or you will have bought a pump for nothing. AC shops today may have a pressure flush to get the metal out with out replacing everything so check with a good reputable shop. US cars had dryers and orifice tubes that would catch most of the junk.

 

i took it and had an estimate done about a month ago the told me that the compressor overheated and the clutch assy warped. they also told me that they may have to replace the expansion valve which was a "7 hour" job and the dash has to be removed, but they wouldnt know whether or not it was bad until after the compressor and condensor was replaced and Blackcat thanks again

 

Our dryer is in the condensor. And it's sealed in. So the only way to replace it is to replace the condensor. At least thats what the shop told me when they replaced my compressor. I had bought a new dryer from Amazon, but ended up returning, and my AC works perfect now.

 

yea i reread over our pm's and was looking all through ac section in the service manual especially the breakdown of the condenser and couldn't find it anywhere????? and the fact that Amazon and a few other places sell a dryer for the truck confuses my brain

 

Thanks for the High Five. Hope it was all helpfull. AC work is and can be expensive. Its really a crap shoot as to how far to go. The shop want to replace as much as possible to cover their butt and not have to buy you a compressor. The expansion valve is in the heater box under the dash and could take some time to replace.

 

the expansion valve, how will i know wether it needs to be replaced? does it clog and the system wont work at all?

 

The expansion valve controlles the flow of the refrigerant and does it with a internal temp buld. Expansion valves can cause the AC to not cool properly and in your case could have caused the compressor to everheat. I have been told you can clean them but in your case and the time to get it out might as well replace it. I rally dont know of a test for them other than poor cooling. On US cars they were not hard to change and not real expensive.

 

FYI I just checked the cost on the Page Toyota web site. List on the valve is $92.86 and your cost would be $69.95. Not a bad price and that gives you a reference price if they say it needs replaced. Page Toyota is located in Michigan and they have good prices and service. I order all of my Tacoma parts from them. No complaints.

 

The accumulator/drier is integral to the condenser. If you look at your condenser, the accumulator/drier is the cylindrical column on one side of the condenser. That column is full of desiccant to remove moisture from the refrigerant.

If your compressor tanks then it will send debris throughout the system. The condenser is a parallel flow heat exchanger, which means that the debris cannot be efficiently flushed from inside of it.

Also, once you crack open the refrigerant lines to replace the compressor, the desiccant will soak up moisture from the air entering the open system.

For both of these reasons, replacing the condenser when you replace a failed compressor is recommended.

You also will want to replace the expansion valve and flush the evaporator and the refrigerant lines. The evaporator is a plate and fin heat exchanger and doesnt lend itself to be efficiently flushed, but it's buried in the dash. You have to balance your tolerance to completely disassemble the dash versus your faith that flushing will sufficiently remove debris from the condenser. This can be done from the engine side of the firewall. No interior disassembly is required.

 

FYI...I had a former Toyota Tech, who left after 25 years cause of corporate bs, tell me to have the system completely emptied & dried but to add Ice32 when recharging. He said the system would run colder, not needing so much fan (inside the cabin) and the compressor would not be running as much. I'm going to give it a try soon.