Our AC system SUCKS

I thi

way better than mine for sure!

 

Hmm wonder if this is my issue. You had cold air driving and noticeably warmer air at idle ?

 

Idling for 25 minutes.

 

I just pulled my AC vent thermometer out to start measuring my temps (AC blows great even in Phoenix heat) mostly out of curiosity. I tested it vs a high quality meat thermometer and it was about 10* off! Have you all checked your thermometers? I'm going to try to find a better quality one, any recommendations

 

Oh wow. That’s pretty off. So what is it really blowing ?

 

Just went threw this with my truck. First hot summer since I bought the truck.
1st I recharge the system.
But then figured out the ac won't fully kick on till you start driving.
Turn the AC on full but will not fully kick on till you start driving.
Really annoying.

 

I know a few pages back we were talking about a different refrigerant. So from some googling, it seems like the new 1234yf fluid that newer cars are switching to may be flammable? Of course it’s a big game of they say it isn’t harmful while the other side is yelling it’s a fire hazard..

The one thing it seems to have in common with the “industrial r134a” discussed earlier is I think they are both propane based. I don’t know I would try it in my taco, but maybe a different vehicle just to see.

I agree on the thermostat, I might have to see if the matco or snapon one costs $200 or less. The one I am using is a cheapo Amazon one so wouldn’t surprise me if it is junk.

Also what does everyone think about this? Possible snake oil?
https://www.es-refrigerants.com/products/w/id/152/t/air-enhancer/related/true/details.asp


And as far as the the different model year differences in the ac system, maybe it’s something as simple as they didn’t install either the right amount of oil or refrigerant? Maybe somehow moisture was getting into the ac systems at the toyota factory for certain models?

I know this is a lot of ideas all over the place, it’s friday and I’m bored af at work today.

 

Exactly.. I had to take it back 2 times and had the manager stand outside with me, with the truck on idle and a/c blowing and getting warm.

 

Insulated cup, crushed ice and water. Should read 32f.

 

I was reading today that there's a nut which can calibrate my thermometer, I'll calibrate and report my results

That's exactly what I did, my meat thermometer was spot on and my AC thermometer floated around 40*

 

AC thermometer is junk, get another one.

 

So I found my 10 inch fan, I put it on my Jeep years ago to help cool the V8 while crawling. Ordered an 8 inch fan for my Tacoma and a switch and relay. I will post pictures as soon as it is all installed.

 

Awesome can’t wait to hear how it works.

I’m about to order a 12” spal

What fan did you get?

 

More data with hood seal removed

Yesterday it was 95 degrees out and the truck was idling for over an hour with the fan on. The truck stayed at 60 degrees the entire time. This is a 10* improvement over with the seal installed. The trucks engine temp was also 185*. Before it would idle at 190-194*

Later in the day it was 90* out and the truck was idling for about 20 minutes with the pusher fan on. It stayed at 54 ish degrees, then I turned the fan off and it jumped to 60 and stayed there.

Bottom line is the fan seems to help a bit if the ac has already really cooled down, but if the vent temp is high the fan doesn’t help too much in bringing the temp down.

 

What hood seal do you speak of? The one by the hvac intake?

 

I just ordered a cheap "A Team Performance" 8 inch fan from Amazon. And a switch from CH4X4 to fit in the hole on the left of the drivers side. a 10 inch fan looked like it might be tight so I went with the 8 inch. the fan was $25 and the switch was $19. So if it does not do well I will not be out a lot of money. I can alway's upgrade the fan later but since it is not running all the time I think it will hold up.

 

UPS brought my fan and switch today, Going to wait until the rain is out of the forecast before I remove the grill and fab up some mounts.

 

Sending my truck in today to get the AC charge checked out. Mostly because I grabbed my thermometer and popped it in my work truck and it blows colder than my taco. This bugs me considering it has the same motor as my taco, but is 9 years older and has around 6x as many miles as my truck. I can’t remember if it has ever been recharged, while the taco was recharged last year. Maybe I’ll get it back and it will work great, if not I am going to look in to making a valve to close off the coolant to the heater core. Not sure how practical it would be but I feel like it might be part of the problem.

 

Have any of you cared to check if you're fan clutch is still operating correctly? Reason I question it is if it is bad it isn't pulling the sufficient amount of air at idle to cool the condenser properly which would explain it only getting cold while moving

 

But that would in turn have negative effects on Coolant temps which people don't seem to be having.