AC Not staying cool

2002 Tacoma 2.7L 4x4 Manual. All stock.

My AC has not been getting real cold at idle - 56 to 60 degrees. Get's pretty cool going down the highway. I checked the L/H pressure tonight when the temp is 85 degrees and this is what I am showing which looks to be in specs? Did this at around 2000 rpms.

I replaced fan clutch last week hoping that would help, I have much better air flow under the hood now, but still not staying cold at idle.

I used gentle water pressure to wash condensor down and my vent temp went down to about 45 degrees, but climbed back up once it dried off.

Not really sure what to do next? Not real big on taking stuff to mechanics, but I understand AC's is sometimes one of those things better left to the pros.

Anything else I should be doing before I take it to a shop? Hope the picture attached correctly.
Thanks!
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I’m having this same issue and am replacing my fan clutch tomorrow to see if it helps.

You’re not giving me much faith

2002 3.4l extra cab 4x4

Ps. I added refrigerant but the high side fluctuates pressure after about 5-10 mins at idle

 

https://itstillruns.com/add-air-conditioning-mazda-miata-7967234.html

 

It's also possible you need a charge...

I have a 2010 and the A/C works better when the truck is moving than at idle. I had to have the evaporator core replaced just under a year ago when it started leaking. My A/C never actually quit working, but the leak developed sometime in 2017-2018. It would blow ice cold on the driver's side, kinda borderline warm out of the center right vent, and hot outside air from the far right vent. It took over a year before the stealership of all places found the leak my mechanic could not find. When fully charged it worked great, but it only lasted an entire summer, so I had the evap core replaced. The A/C was charged for the first time in June 2017, the second time in April 2018, and the third time in September 2018 (I guess the leak got worse). The dealer shop put UV dye in the system and that's how they found the leak.

Seriously though, the A/C in my truck will numb my fingers when the truck is moving, but it's not as good when the truck is stopped for an extended period of time. It still keeps the truck cool, but it doesn't have the same cold, crisp feeling that it does when the truck is moving. My truck has always been this way, as has pretty much every vehicle with R134a that I've ever been in. Some A/C systems cool better at idle than others. Also, ever since the evap core replacement, which subsequently required the A/C system to be evacuated and recharged, my A/C is blowing colder when stopped in traffic than it probably has since 2014-2015. I've had the truck since new (September 2009 with 20 miles), and the A/C started to blow warm for the first time in June 2017 (albeit only on the passenger side), at about 75,000 miles. As I said, I am OCD about this sort of thing and never let it get to the point that it quite blowing cold entirely. During a drive out to York this past weekend, there was seriously fog coming out of the center left vent!

 

I'm not understanding what that link is suppose to provide?

 

Jtakeda,
The clutch fan took about 20 minutes to replace, easy.... My truck definitely needed it, but it wasn't causing my problem.

Wilcam,
Are you suggesting I need to charge the AC? I have a can of refrigerant, I just thought my numbers were in spec.

Pennsilver,
I don't think this is me being a sissy. My wifes dodge durango is solid black and in the sun at idle for 15 minutes it will still keep me cold. I'm literally sweating from this truck if I'm at a stop light.

 

I never said you were being a sissy, it's just R134a, which is vastly inferior to R-12!

A Durango with working A/C? That's amazing! My uncle had a 2000 Dodge Durango that he got new (it was a 3-year lease) and the A/C never worked right...

Unless it's a 2011-newer Durango?

 

It is a 2015 Durango. And my 2001 Dodge cummins will freeze you out. Not saying either of these are superior. Simply stating that I have vehicles that I drive almost daily to compare my Tacoma AC to.

The sissy comment was me clarifying that no way is the AC working as intended. I understand it will get warmer at idle, but it is to a point that it is embarrassing for someone to ride with me because we will both be sweating at a stoplight.

 

A Cummins is different...

I've talked to a lot of 1998-2003 Durango owners, and I have not heard good things about the A/C. The problem with my uncle's 2000 is that ice would develop on the condenser, thus rendering the A/C inoperable until the condenser thawed. A HVAC tech on YouTube who goes by the username "HackFreeHVAC" and lives in Arizona, had a 2001ish Dodge Durango last I checked. The A/C in the Durango just wasn't up to his standards, and he tried all sorts of mods to make it blow colder, including using refrigerant lines from a Trane central air-conditioner in place of the factory lines. The A/C blew cold, but no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't make it blow as cold as the A/C in his 1996 Mustang GT.

 

Durango's are now dead to me....

I'm just simply wondering if any other shade tree mechanics like myself would check anything else prior to taking it to a shop?

 

wood check FSM..

 

you have your answer but did recognize it...

"I used gentle water pressure to wash condensor down and my vent temp went down to about 45 degrees, but climbed back up once it dried off. "

modern auto AC condensors are made up of lots of really small tubes and they get blocked not allowing the gas to shed its heat. The condenser is the garbage collector of the system.

you have a set of manifold gauges all you need now is a vacuum pump and you can do the job yourself. If you go to a shop they are going to want to replace everything to reduce the chances of a come back. If you do do the job yourself look at the o rings on the lines very very carefully... sometimes the o rings the come with the component look correct but are just a bit to small to seal properly.

 

Another cause is years of dirt getting on the evaporator coil.

heater valve not closing allowing the hot coolant through the heater core

 

4/30/13
Dealer
Baxter Toyota of La Vista
103,875
Repair Order Number: 0282946
DEFAULT, COOLING SYSTEM SERVICE, EVAC AND CHARGED AND ADDED DYE TO A/C SYSTEM.

my cooling lasted just shy of 16yrs from the factory so your 2oo2 has mine beat out a whole year!

if you are not keen on taking to 'professional' to get the whole system evac and checked for leaks you can probably buy the machine they use, ... not sure how much it is and then use it again to check the system in 15~17yrs (perhaps sooner) and/or loan it out,etc. to others to recoup the sunk cost of the machine. I am not sure about the Fed Regulations on DIY and destroying the precious ozone layer way up in the atmosphere. Perhaps that crisis has been solved and planet-wide destruction has been avoided

 

High side pressure looks a little high to me, low pressure seems a little low.

http://rechargeac.com/how-to/ac-system-pressure-chart


Could be a messed up expansion valve, which is on the evaporator under the dash.

 

High does look high and Low looks low.... Whats the Low side rising to and falling to?

I have a mini cooper which was barely blowing anything earlier this summer. I hooked up the manifold gauges and they literally did not move while the compressor was always running. I put a good 8oz of freon into the system and began raising and falling. You should get a good 30 psi rise on the low with a correctly charges system between compressor kick ons.

 

My compressor isn't kicking off and on much, constant run. I am seeing it drop probably by 30 when I rev it up.

Should the low side be 40-50 when running at 2000? It will probably jump up to 60 or 70.

I am going to research more on the expansion valve. Thanks for this idea.

 

Has anyone replaced an old condenser and did it make a difference?

It seems like even a 10% reduction in cooling efficiency from dirt on the fins or blockages might have a noticeable impact on a hot, sunny day. A fine layer of dirt or corrosion on the fins that can't be easily washed off might act as an insulator.

The freon may be low in this case. I'm just wondering if old condensers contribute to weak AC performance.

 

Drz I think it just doesn’t allow it to dissipate the heat. So driving around my ac temp is 52 degrees and it takes forever for it to get there. Sitting still it climbs up to mid 60s and is just unbearable.

I’m adding me Freon and re cleaning condenser. then if that doesn’t fix it off to shop. I have a feel they may tell me condenser.

 

Has the system been opened before (Where it lost all the freon). Sometimes the Dryer needs to be replaced if it gets too saturated with water. Count on doing this if you swap condensers as well.