Improve AC Performance for $6

I'm definitely doing this tomorrow, thanks for the pro tip.

 

Nice! I always power wash the heck out of what I think as the radiator.... because it naturally takes all the bugs and tumbleweed. AC runs great in a 2006 but might try this is I start having issues.

 

thx for the tip.......!

 

good tip, I just use the regular water hose to blow out the gunk might try this stuff, only thing I worry about is it might harm paint

 

Nu-Calgon makes the best coil cleaners available. But most condenser cleaners are Alkaline based and will strip paint if you are not careful, rinse thoroughly, and then rinse again. And when possible, rinse in the opposite direction the dirt entered.

 

the paint thing has me very leary, I think they do suggest using just water from a low pressure hose and soft brush to clean the fins

 

yes, and a visual inspection will tell you what direction to go in.

 

@Murphinator
"I used some Nu-Brite to do just this. I don’t know that I would recommend it as it is very aggressive (it will strip paint if you aren’t careful)...""

Wow, the chemistry of that stuff looks similar to oven cleaner, especially the older HD oven cleaner. You were smart to give the warning.

 

@Failure2Comply
@BillsSR5
I'm coming up with the Nu-Calgon product referenced and also Nu-Brite referenced in Murphinator's post quoted above to be the same stuff but different labels. Same caution is warranted

 

Yes. It is very strong, and definitely wear gloves and eye protection. It will irritate your skin immediately, even diluted 4 parts water to 1 part product.

It ate the black coating off my home’s AC coils outside (to be fair, it said not for powder coated fins, I can’t act shocked that it happened.) but it did not mess with the black on my transmission cooler. I rinsed it off after about 3 minutes. This stuff works fast. I used a pump up spray bottle with a long nozzle so I could get good control of where I was spraying it.

I agree with the warning above rinse it off, then when you THINK you are done, rinse again. The spray back while rinsing stained my powder coated bumper(right through the ceramic coating I had on it, yikes).

 

Did not read the replies yet; maybe they have useful info

but in response to original post,
#1: the other day I saw a thread claiming apparently there are some Toyota parts available that can mod the A/C to be colder and to be Mexico market or something, that are getting discontinued

#2: I have been told that 4Runner's come with an additional fan for the A/C condenser to help it cool at stand-still, due to Toyota thinking the 4Runner needs it seeing as it's an SUV vs a big interior cabin that needs cooling, versus a truck. I don't know if the 4Runner has additional vents/routes or pathways that the A/C cold air travels through, such as reaching the back seats and trunk.

#3: I've heard that R134a can gradually leak out. On my last car, I borrowed a professional A/C cart tool to recharge it myself. They're worth like $3-5k.
The thing recovers whatever A/C is inside when emptying it, and you can hold vacuum on it for a while to make sure the system isn't leaking. Well, the machine did not recover a lot. Not a full amount. So it was low.
Then it recycles that back in, plus a fresh new amount you obviously have to add, from a container. I added close to whatever the sticker under the hood specified as the capacity, along with injecting some quantity of compatible PAG oil.
That seemed to help the A/C temp.
I want to figure out a way to do this properly with the Tacoma eventually.

#4: Yes, A/C condensers (and other parts) get covered with dirt. But I honestly don't know if a coil cleaner is the best way to clean it, versus simply rinsing with water on a cold engine. Why? Because that cleaner stuff is usually acidic and works by removing a small thin layer of metal from the condenser fins. Sure, now it's shiny fresh bare aluminum, but there's also less of it since material has been removed. And as bare metal, it's susceptible to oxidizing over time from the environment.

Once when I used this same stuff, I bought a spray bottle of coil cleaner from a hardware store to compare, and have extra if I ran out of Nu-Brite. Well, I tried the spray bottle out of curiosity, and it didn't compare. It didn't seem to really do anything.

except on an Audi which offers 'service position' for the front bumper; where the front clip/support can swing out or extend forward. I used that feature to separate the coolers (condenser and radiator) to get better access and clean them from both sides in the driveway, followed with a hose rinse

 

I may have to give this a try with some Simple Green or something like it.
A few months back, I was travelling back and forth between southern Illinois and southern Indiana on the weekends. For a couple of weeks, the Mayflies in the Wabash River bottom were SO bad that I had to stop and scrape and then scrub my windshield so I could safely see. I imagine my condenser and radiator are somewhat clogged up as well.

Good post OP!

 

That's another thing
bugs get in there
idk the best way to remove them, maybe a small pick used carefully

I know "coil fin straighteners" tools exist, but supposedly they never work well in reality, and is better done carefully and slowly with a small flat-head screwdriver. Maybe a mini precise one.
But, the problem with that, would be that it would take forever. IDK if people would rather put a new part, or the cost.
I hear good ducts can also help. The air flowing past a duct is supposed to create a negative pressure (somewhat of a vacuum) that helps suck air out (such as from the underbody), which helps pull it in through the front.

Problem is, radiator replacement probably requires coolant drain. And condenser replacement would require an empty refrigerant system.
Speaking of empty systems, I think on Audi they have an inline little mesh screen filter called an "orifice tube" that can be changed, but also requires the system be empty first while doing so.

They say that an empty system can introduce moisture into the receiver/dryer canister, but I imagine that takes a long time of exposure in a humid environment. I hear that can be resolved (if it even actually happens) by putting a new canister (they have desiccant inside) or boiling out the moisture under vacuum.

 

Pump up sprayer and Dawn dish soap. Soak, let sit for a few, flush with garden hose.
I've used Nu Brite on condensing units years ago. It's more for taking corrosion off. No way I'm spraying it on a vehicle.

 

A foaming coil cleaner will do a much better job than water alone.

 

Nu-Calgon makes "Nu-Brite", along with many other formulas.

 

Airflow works by pressurizing the ducts, and then the air "Spills out" of the vents. Proper ductwork for good static pressure is the key.

 

had a bud pick me up 3 cans.....

closest Home Depot is 90 miles

gotta luv living in Podunk.......

Amazon has similar stuff but $10 can

 

Just ordered a can on Amazon, Ill knock this out when I grease and re torque my drive-line this weekend.

 

I used this stuff earlier this week. I don't know if it's made a difference or if it's just that I REEEAAALLY want it to make a difference. My Taco is black, and I think Texas is a mile or two closer to the sun during the summer.....

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Web-19-oz-Condenser-Coil-Cleaner-WCOIL19/301847065