AC sucks

Also, you can pick up a cheap thermometer with a metal probe end for checking air outlet temperature at your vents in the truck.

 

Short answer - R134a is not as efficient as R12, so a perceived reduction in the cooling ability of a newer vehicle vs. an older vehicle is entirely possible for any number of reasons.

The cooling power of my Tacoma's a/c seems like any other 4 or 6 cylinder vehicle I've ever driven - acceptable at idle speed but does better cruising down the road.

Also, I subscribe to the belief that auto air conditioning systems lose between 1-2 oz. of refrigerant each year through natural permeation of the rubber lines. So if your vehicle is 10 years old and theoretically doesn't have an a/c "leak", it's probably still about a pound low on refrigerant.

 

TLDR. Isn't AC supposed to blow and not suck?

 

I have used ac pro on my 05 getting same temps as my wife's 13 with only 24000 miles on it.Ps I'm sure but check your cabin filter make sure condenser is clean.Hey nothing is perfect.

 

So would you say that AC Pro helped at all? Or is it snake oil?

 

Not bad synthetic mixes in pulls old beat up gas out.Hey under a lot of pressure everything gets weak.Have not heard of a failure yet.Wally world sometimes K mart are the cheapest..

 

I have no issues with the dark grey 2nd gen I have. Granted it's only an access cab but it keeps it cool enough on high 90° days when the sun is beating on the truck. The recirculation is needed on the hot days but that's fine. For a dark-colored truck with little insulation it does well enough.

 

I have a 2012 taco v6 and the ac is garbage i thought it was just me.

 

Simple answer: buy the CHEAPEST R134a you can find. There is no "super R134a" and such stuff. There is simply R134a in a fancy can, possibly with a low pressure gauge, possibly with a trigger rather than a rotary valve, possibly with some UV dye in it to help you discover future leaks, and possibly with a little PAG oil in it. You don't need to add oil indiscriminately, ever. Too much is really problematic as it runs throughout the system, and it doesn't cool.

I just ordered some virgin R134a online for just under $4.00 per 12 oz per can, NO additives. There's NO R134a that is any better than any other R134a. That is TIGHTLY regulated and the chemical formulation is mandated by the EPA.. Just crap advertising.

 

What are you talking about? Refrigerant does not get "beat up" & adding more does not "pull old out". A properly sealed unit can last for many years. I have a 30 year old refrigerator that has never been serviced.

 

My 02 Mustang was dark grey with black leather interior, the AC was ice freaking cold and could freeze you out wearing a suit on the most hot humid days. My Tacoma's barely keep me cool in shorts and a T-shirt.

 

Where is a good source for the metal one on top?

 

Make sure you are running it on MAX AC when possible, as this will pull in air from inside the cab for cooling. Since the incoming air is already cold, the evaporator coil can extract any remaining heat and give you colder air.

Also make sure your cabin filter is replaced. 20k miles is right around the time to change it out.

I used to own a single cab F150 and it had the coldest AC on the planet. One reason for this is Ford had to pick an AC setup that would work for the expedition which had at least 3x as much cabin space. Since I was driving around with enough seating for 3 people, it took no time for the system to extract the heat from inside the cab.

I think Toyota did the exact opposite on the Tacoma. It's like they sized it to be adequate for the single cab, and anything bigger just has to suffer.

One thing worth looking into is if the 4Runner has an identical AC setup. If it has beefier components like a better compressor, bigger condenser, bigger evap, then some daring member here can try swapping components.

 

So did you ask her if she was cold or glad to see you?

 

That is just ONE thermometer. The piece on the bottom slides over the probe so that you don't get punctured when you stick it in your pocket or reach for it in the toolbox...

 

Take it in while under warranty. I had to recharge mine 2 weeks ago. Should blow 40 degrees at vents.

 

This is not a "general thing". I have a DCSB (07) and I can't run it on high/max for very long before it gets colder than I want to be. Mine cools just fine using outside air when it is 95. I generally run on lo or 2, with outside air, except when just starting up after it has been sitting outside... If my wife is riding, the temp knob will start to move up as well as she hates freezing air.

 

40 is not a standard. I ran across a chart online that gave some numbers like ambient cab temp 80, center vent 45. Cab temp 90, center vent 55. Etc. Once you have the cabin in the "comfort zone" you might begin to see 40 or so. The problem with that is that to get the air down to 40, the evap core has to be significantly colder. And that will freeze the evap core as air drops off moisture as it is cooled.

My son had a mustang that was blowing 30 degrees, but you could not run it on outside air at all, and you had to run it on high all the time to keep the frost at bay, and even that would not prevent freezing up.

Good A/C gauges have a chart on the gauge face show the temp that R134a boils at for a given low pressure number. at 26 psig, it will boil at 30 degrees F which is obviously a problem. at 30 psig it boils at 35. At 35 psig it boils at 40. The only problem is that as the cabin temp drops, so does the pressures, and you can drop into freezing territory quickly. If you avoid dropping below 30psig, you won't freeze, you just have to test carefully with high airflow through the condenser and with the cabin temp at whatever comfort point you choose. Under those conditions, if you stay above 30 psig, you will be good to go. Remember also that several things affect this. Fan on lowest setting moves the least amount of air and the pressures can drop. The Tx valve is supposed to help here by not dumping refrigerant into the evap core if the temp is below 35-45. But it is not super-accurate and it also changes over time. So it might inflate your temp a bit beyond what is needed. The Tx valve is adjustable on building A/Cs, I don't know if they are on our trucks, never having had one in my hand.

Fords are not a good comparison as they just spray refrigerant at a constant rate, regardless of evap temp. With those, you can (as my son did) turn it into a refrigeration system if you want.

 

I'd look at a local Air Condition / HVAC supply company or check with a Napa or other auto parts store.

 

Mine is decent - not great, but it's also very difficult to judge in AZ - the cabin usually starts out over 130 degrees, so any air conditioner is going to take some time to cool the interior down. One thing to check is the evaporator - I'm not sure if they're easily accessible on the 2nd gens (haven't even looked for mine yet), but if that is full of dust bunnies and other crud, that could affect not only airflow but also reduce the efficiency of the cooling also. If I knew where the evaporator housing was, I might give PG clean a try - it foams up inside the evap box, cleaning the fins and then drains out thru the drain tube. I wonder if anyone on here has tried it on a 2nd gen... Might go search a bit.