A/C on tacoma not holding R134A

Carl_z33 · Jun 18, 2019

jsi said: ↑

All these people advising against fixing your own system and I'm going to go 180 degrees and say do yourself. My wife's car had the AC system from hell. I took it to shop after shop and they could never fix it so it would stay fixed. Finally I got pissed and said FINE! I'll do it myself. Bought all of the tools I needed from Harbor Freight, including the vacuum pump for a bit over $200. Then after watching an untold number of youtube videos I finally traced the leak to the compressor. I spent more on shop fees than the cost of the tools to do the job.
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I’ve taken my truck to shops before to get shit “fixed” & 9 out 10 times they have no idea what the issue is. I’d 100% rather work on my own stuff then take it to a shop that will only try to rip you off. So I know what work has been done to my truck

I just found the issue on my truck in less than 3 minutes & went to my local auto store to buy the new hose & finished the job in 30 minutes.

Bebop · Jun 17, 2019

Carl_z33[OP] said: ↑

Took me 30 minutes to replace the hose & refill it with the 134A. Not bad for someone who “doesn’t have tools” or “experience” working on Tacoma’s

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When you refilled it, did you pull a vacuum on the system to remove the air that entered the system?

PennSilverTaco · Jun 17, 2019

oni06 said: ↑

And just an FYI ... these trucks don't use freon.

They use R134a / HFC134a
Click to expand...

I think the first Toyota truck to use R134a was the 1993 T-100.

PennSilverTaco · Jun 17, 2019

Carl_z33[OP] said: ↑

I’ve taken my truck to shops before to get shit “fixed” & 9 out 10 times they have no idea what the issue is. I’d 100% rather work on my own stuff then take it to a shop that will only try to rip you off. I know what work has been done to my truck & I will do it right, not a half ass job

I just found the issue on my truck in less than 3 minutes & went to my local auto store to buy the new hose & finished the job in 30 minutes.
Click to expand...

Jimmyh · Jun 17, 2019

Bebop said: ↑

When you refilled it, did you pull a vacuum on the system to remove the air that entered the system?
Click to expand...

Not properly in 30 minutes.

mackw10 · Jun 17, 2019

PennSilverTaco said: ↑

This sounds like a more extreme version of what started happening to me in 2017. Long story short, my evaporator core developed a leak and had to be replaced...

My dad bought the truck new in September 2009, and gave it to me as an early Christmas present in December 2016. In June 2017, after more than 7 years and about 75,000 miles of trouble-free service, I realized that the A/C was blowing ice cold out of the two left vents, kinda cool out of the middle right vent, and hot, humid outside air from the far right vent. The middle left vent was not quite as cold as the far left vent. I brought it to my dad's mechanic about a week later, and he pressure-tested and vacuum-tested the system, but couldn't find a leak. He charged it with R134a, and it worked fine for the rest of that summer.

Fast-forward to an unseasonably warm Saturday in April 2018. My then-girlfriend and I were driving to a car show in New Jersey, and I realized the far right vent was blowing warm. Luckily, my girlfriend didn't mind. A few days later, I brought it do my dad's mechanic, who again could not find a leak but charged it. Over the course of the new few months, I noticed that the performance of the A/C was dropping again.

I figured that I had a slow leak somewhere, but there was also another problem. All clues pointed to the blend air door actuator thingy, and I ordered the part from the Toyota dealer (got a surprisingly good deal). I ordered the part in late July or early August, but it ended up taking a few days to get there.

The Carlisle Truck Nationals are held every year on the first full weekend in August. I have been entering my truck in this show since 2016. Unfortunately, a record-setting heat wave hit most of Eastern Pennsylvania that weekend. Luckily, the A/C in my Taco kept me sufficiently cool despite operating at only 65% or 70% capacity. The part arrived the Monday after the Truck Nationals, and I installed it myself, with no improvement.

Fed up, I called the dealer and told them that I was bringing my truck in to have the A/C looked at. I drove the truck to the dealer, and on the way there, the A/C started blowing colder than I could remember out of the far left vent while getting warmer across the other three vents (with the far right being the worst). I dropped the truck off at the dealer, told them I didn't want it back until the A/C was fixed, got my free loaner car, and left. The next day, the dealer called me, and told me that my truck was about a pound low on refrigerant. They had been unable to find the leak, but they had recharged the system to factory specs and added UV dye. I was told to bring the truck back in two or three weeks, by which time the dye would have circulated and revealed the leak.

The A/C worked great during those few weeks, and when I finally brought it back, it ended up being the worse case scenario. The UV dye revealed a leak in the evaporator core. Replacing this part involved removing the entire dashboard and would cost almost $1,600 (Lesson learned; NEVER use the dealer). I shopped around a bit, attempting to compare prices at other dealers. After a woman from Sloane Toyota called me back wanting to buy my truck and sell me a new vehicle (while mentioning NOTHING about my A/C repair inquiry), I stuck with Thompson (the dealer that has done numerous oil changes, inspections, and warranty repairs on my truck). I did not have the money to pay for the repairs at the time, and my dad felt bad about me having leaky A/C, so he paid for it. My truck was out of commission for about two days, but it's been about nine months and the A/C is still working perfectly, so Thompson fixed it.

Have your system charged by a mechanic or Toyota dealer and have them add UV dye (this will be $125-$150 total). I'm guessing your problem is also the evaporator core. My leak was slow enough that I could have gotten away with simply charging it every year, but I am OCD and wanted it fixed. It sounds like you have a much faster/larger leak, and if the evap core is indeed leaking, you're gonna have to replace it if you want your A/C system to hold a charge. I look at it this way; Yes, this repair will probably be a thousand bucks at a bare minimum, but a brand new Tacoma with no options is more than $25K.

Would you rather have working A/C in a truck that's otherwise fine (and I'm assuming paid off), or a brand new truck with five or six years of payments?
Click to expand...

I had this exact issue, including the fact that nobody could find the leak. When it was finally tracked to the evaporator core, I ordered the part from Rock Auto and replaced it myself. Took it to a local shop and had the refrigerant evacuated, replaced the evaporator at the house, then took it back to the shop and had it vacuumed and charged. Yeah it's a pain in the dick to rip the entire dash out, but take your time and save a ton of money.

Anyways... Glad it ended up being a simple fix for you OP.

Clearwater Bill · Jun 18, 2019

Glad you found the leak and changed the part. Thankfully it wasn't part of the evap system.

I assumed you didn't have a vacuum pump, a gauge set (hi/lo), know how to calculate an oil charge to replace what was lost and what the working pressures/charge amount should be for the refrigerant. My assumption was because someone with all those tools/skills typically doesn't ask a question like yours.

My apologies.

Stay cool.

Sandman614 · Jun 18, 2019

Carl_z33[OP] said: ↑

How does one simple question imply I don’t have the tools or experience in fixing a vehicle?

I am definitely not an expert at A/C shit, but don’t be trying to talk down on anyone.

Clearly this is something I’d probably be better off taking it to someone who is experienced with A/C stuff, but it never hurts to ask. I prefer fixing my own stuff before getting raped by a shop.
Click to expand...

that's the spirit! Fight the good fight!

Taco'09 · Jun 18, 2019

Carl_z33[OP] said: ↑

Took me 30 minutes to replace the hose. Not bad for someone who “doesn’t have tools” or “experience” working on Tacoma’s

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How much did that hose cost?

Bebop · Jun 18, 2019

Clearwater Bill said: ↑

Glad you found the leak and changed the part. Thankfully it wasn't part of the evap system.

I assumed you didn't have a vacuum pump, a gauge set (hi/lo), know how to calculate an oil charge to replace what was lost and what the working pressures/charge amount should be for the refrigerant. My assumption was because someone with all those tools/skills typically doesn't ask a question like yours.

My apologies.

Stay cool.
Click to expand...

I’m sure he purged the refrigerant into the atmosphere to kill some penguins too.

TexasWhiteIce · Jun 18, 2019

PennSilverTaco said: ↑

This sounds like a more extreme version of what started happening to me in 2017. Long story short, my evaporator core developed a leak and had to be replaced...

My dad bought the truck new in September 2009, and gave it to me as an early Christmas present in December 2016. In June 2017, after more than 7 years and about 75,000 miles of trouble-free service, I realized that the A/C was blowing ice cold out of the two left vents, kinda cool out of the middle right vent, and hot, humid outside air from the far right vent. The middle left vent was not quite as cold as the far left vent. I brought it to my dad's mechanic about a week later, and he pressure-tested and vacuum-tested the system, but couldn't find a leak. He charged it with R134a, and it worked fine for the rest of that summer.

Fast-forward to an unseasonably warm Saturday in April 2018. My then-girlfriend and I were driving to a car show in New Jersey, and I realized the far right vent was blowing warm. Luckily, my girlfriend didn't mind. A few days later, I brought it do my dad's mechanic, who again could not find a leak but charged it. Over the course of the new few months, I noticed that the performance of the A/C was dropping again.

I figured that I had a slow leak somewhere, but there was also another problem. All clues pointed to the blend air door actuator thingy, and I ordered the part from the Toyota dealer (got a surprisingly good deal). I ordered the part in late July or early August, but it ended up taking a few days to get there.

The Carlisle Truck Nationals are held every year on the first full weekend in August. I have been entering my truck in this show since 2016. Unfortunately, a record-setting heat wave hit most of Eastern Pennsylvania that weekend. Luckily, the A/C in my Taco kept me sufficiently cool despite operating at only 65% or 70% capacity. The part arrived the Monday after the Truck Nationals, and I installed it myself, with no improvement.

Fed up, I called the dealer and told them that I was bringing my truck in to have the A/C looked at. I drove the truck to the dealer, and on the way there, the A/C started blowing colder than I could remember out of the far left vent while getting warmer across the other three vents (with the far right being the worst). I dropped the truck off at the dealer, told them I didn't want it back until the A/C was fixed, got my free loaner car, and left. The next day, the dealer called me, and told me that my truck was about a pound low on refrigerant. They had been unable to find the leak, but they had recharged the system to factory specs and added UV dye. I was told to bring the truck back in two or three weeks, by which time the dye would have circulated and revealed the leak.

The A/C worked great during those few weeks, and when I finally brought it back, it ended up being the worse case scenario. The UV dye revealed a leak in the evaporator core. Replacing this part involved removing the entire dashboard and would cost almost $1,600 (Lesson learned; NEVER use the dealer). I shopped around a bit, attempting to compare prices at other dealers. After a woman from Sloane Toyota called me back wanting to buy my truck and sell me a new vehicle (while mentioning NOTHING about my A/C repair inquiry), I stuck with Thompson (the dealer that has done numerous oil changes, inspections, and warranty repairs on my truck). I did not have the money to pay for the repairs at the time, and my dad felt bad about me having leaky A/C, so he paid for it. My truck was out of commission for about two days, but it's been about nine months and the A/C is still working perfectly, so Thompson fixed it.

Have your system charged by a mechanic or Toyota dealer and have them add UV dye (this will be $125-$150 total). I'm guessing your problem is also the evaporator core. My leak was slow enough that I could have gotten away with simply charging it every year, but I am OCD and wanted it fixed. It sounds like you have a much faster/larger leak, and if the evap core is indeed leaking, you're gonna have to replace it if you want your A/C system to hold a charge. I look at it this way; Yes, this repair will probably be a thousand bucks at a bare minimum, but a brand new Tacoma with no options is more than $25K.

Would you rather have working A/C in a truck that's otherwise fine (and I'm assuming paid off), or a brand new truck with five or six years of payments?
Click to expand...

The real question is, what happened to the girlfriend?

BlackGT99 · Jun 18, 2019

Carl_z33[OP] initial post: ↑

i have added Freon 2x already & it stays cold for a few days but then it starts blowing hot again. Only the driver side vent is somewhat cold. Passenger side is like room temp.

Any idea what might be wrong? Or how can I go about resolving the issue
Click to expand...

Sucks! You should probably stop dumping refrigerant into our atmosphere ha. Def do the dye test with UV light like the above user posted.

PennSilverTaco · Jun 18, 2019

Tcomaboy said: ↑

The real question is, what happened to the girlfriend?
Click to expand...

It's complicated...

She has no driver's license, has no job, is not in college, and lives with her parents. I like women who are least somewhat independent. I live with my parents (I am saving for a house), but I have a driver's license, a job, and college degree. This girl also started showing signs of mental problems that weren't immediately present when I first met her. The worst part is that I drive past her house everyday when I leave my house, and I'm still friends with her on Facebook...

Bebop · Jun 18, 2019

PennSilverTaco said: ↑

It's complicated...

She has no driver's license, has no job, is not in college, and lives with her parents. I like women who are least somewhat independent. I live with my parents (I am saving for a house), but I have a driver's license, a job, and college degree. This girl also started showing signs of mental problems that weren't immediately present when I first met her. The worst part is that I drive past her house everyday when I leave my house, and I'm still friends with her on Facebook...
Click to expand...

Sounds to me like you did a good job cutting away from that one.

PennSilverTaco · Jun 18, 2019

Bebop said: ↑

Sounds to me like you did a good job cutting away from that one.
Click to expand...

Yup! I feel bad about it, but the following emoji describes what that relationship turned into...

I'm still friends with her parents on Facebook as well, but we never talk. I actually deleted the ex-girlfriend from my Facebook friends, but literally within hours she sent me a new friend request. My mom convinced me that it was best to remain Facebook friends, kinda like Don Corleone with the whole "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer" thing...

Bebop · Jun 18, 2019

PennSilverTaco said: ↑

Yup! I feel bad about it, but the following emoji describes what that relationship turned into...

I'm still friends with her parents on Facebook as well, but we never talk. I actually deleted the ex-girlfriend from my Facebook friends, but literally within hours she sent me a new friend request. My mom convinced me that it was best to remain Facebook friends, kinda like Don Corleone with the whole "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer" thing...
Click to expand...

From experience I wouldn’t have any contact with her whatsoever. Things might end up backsliding, and a lot of times if you do backslide that’s when chicks tend to get “accidentally” knocked up.

TireFire · Jun 18, 2019

You supposed to take it to a shop to get purged and then DYI all you want. I’d wanna pull vacuum at least overnight after having had a leak. There’s a god video on YouTube explaining the whole DYI even with where you rent the tools.
Maybe I’ll libk it later if I feel like it.

Edit: here:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Pdq8JAlct6s

Bebop · Jun 18, 2019

hx989 said: ↑

You supposed to take it to a shop to get purged and then DYI all you want. I’d wanna pull vacuum at least overnight after having had a leak. There’s a god video on YouTube explaining the whole DYI even with where you rent the tools.
Maybe I’ll libk it later if I feel like it
Click to expand...

Shops are all thieves according to the OP. Shops must be really nice thieves to have state of the art recovery gear for air conditioning.

TireFire · Jun 18, 2019

Bebop said: ↑

Shops are all thieves according to the OP. Shops must be really nice thieves to have state of the art recovery gear for air conditioning.
Click to expand...

I understand the hesitation to go to a shop and as I said I would only let them purge the refrigerants. Cuz I’m a treehugger like that.

Edit: Also cuz I’m cheap

Edit 2: OP, why did you replace the line and not just the leaking o-ring?

CurtB · Jun 18, 2019

Bebop said: ↑

Shops are all thieves according to the OP. Shops must be really nice thieves to have state of the art recovery gear for air conditioning.
Click to expand...

I've been a thief for 40 years, thank heaven I've retired. Before I got my EPA license in '95. I killed many a penguin.

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