Toyota Stalking, er...um, SPOTTING with Charlie™ (Land Cruiser and Lexus LX/GX Edition)!

I don't think so, pretty similar to mine then haha. Mine is a 94 LE Sedan

 

Also, how hard would it be to put a dual HVAC system in a North American 80-series? I have a 1997 US sales brochure in my collection, and rear A/C is not listed as an option. Seems kinda stupid that a vehicle only marginally smaller than my dad's GMC Yukon (which does have rear A/C) wouldn't have it as an option. If I bought an FZJ80, it would do the two things my truck can't do; Those two things are seat more than 2 adults comfortable and actually do legit off-roading. I would want my friends and/or family to be comfortable in the backseat on long summer trips! How affective is the A/C in your 1993 in terms of keeping the whole cabin cool? I know that yours has R-12, so I'd imagine that it performs better than a 1994-1997 model since those have R134a...

 

It would be a lot of work to retrofit the system, need some JDM interior panels and whatnot. I wouldn't bother. The AC kicks ass and can easily freeze you out, even when I was in AZ it was very powerful still. I need to recharge it this year, has a leak somewheres. Glad I have tanks of R12

 

What about 1994-1997 models? Are the R134a systems any good?

 

1994 was a split year, some are R12 still. The 134 system is noticeably weaker and people on MUD complain about it, they have come up with some solutions I'm told though.

 

MUD?

 

IH8MUD, the insufferable forum of land cruiser owners

 

Yet certain 1994 Toyotas I've seen have R134a, and certain 1993 models from certain brands have R134a as well, including...

• Chevy Camaro/Pontiac Firebird
• Jeep Grand Cherokee
• All Nissans
• All Volvos
• Certain Mitsubishis (Specifically a 1993 Pajero that I saw at this same dealership)

 

Sounds like they're all a bunch of wussies!

 

Also, all Chrysler minivans beginning for the 1993 model year; The vans were extensively redesigned for MY1991, and had R-12 for both 1991 and 1992, but according to the 1993 sales brochure Chrysler, Dodge, and Plymouth versions of the minivans had R134a. My aunt and uncle had a 1994 Grand Caravan SE that they bought brand new and owned for ten years; My uncle had to have the system recharged a couple times, and was absolutely positive that van took R-12. However, when I bought the 1993 sales brochure and read the fine print about CFC-free A/C systems being standard that year, I texted him a picture and proved him wrong. My uncles lives in California but his dad owned a citrus farm in a Texas border town, which he later inherited upon his dad's death, and a lot of the farm vehicles had R-12; This fleet included a 1983 Chevy El Camino with a rare factory 350 diesel. By the late 1990s and early 2000s, R-12 was hard to come by stateside, so he would bring the vehicles into Mexico to get the A/C recharged since regulations were looser there and R-12 was still plentiful! He insisted that he brought the Caravan into Mexico at least once to get the A/C recharged, which may in fact be true, but I can tell you for a fact that no Chrysler minivan newer than 1992 uses R-12. I would guess that the cost of R134a and labor associated with recharging the system is cheaper in Mexico than it is in the United States, however...

My Tacoma obviously uses R134a, and my mechanic charges less than $100 for simply recharging an A/C system.

 

In Mexico I'd bet they aren't charging with 134 or 12, bet they have a bottle of Propane tapped for use as refrigerant. It's cheap and more effective at heat transfer than even R12.

 

I know about propane being used as an A/C refrigerant; However, what happens if you rear-end somebody and the condenser is ruptured?!?!

 

Honestly nothing in most cases, the charge is so little, even if it ruptured and vented right onto an open flame it would likely just make a tiny jet of fire and poof out very fast. New fridges and AC units for home use are using R290 and Cyclopentane one is pure propane (no smell) and the other is very similar chain of hydrocarbons.

 

Also, isn't propane better for the environment than gasoline? Pretty sure I've seen a propane-powered beer delivery truck, and propane-powered city buses...

 

It has its own environmental burdens but the byproducts of burning it are certainly lesser. It's less energy dense though, so you end up burning more of it to make the same power that gasoline delivers.

 

1996 FZJ80; My mechanic is replacing a busted shock absorber...


April 22nd, 2022:

Doylestown, Pennsylvania

 

Looks really clean

 

May 13th, 2022:

Doylestown, Pennsylvania

 

@Speedytech7
@Taco critter

2000 J100


May 14th, 2022:

Carlisle, Pennsylvania

 

May 17th, 2022:

Warrington, Pennsylvania