Crappy AC, OEM refrigerant kit?

My AC blows cool at best these days, is there a place I can get Toyota refrigerant to pump the system with or should I just have the dealer do it? I've heard to stay away from the crap they sell at vatozone

 

I don't think mine has ever blown too damn cold and I have had her since 04....

 

Freon is like water, it doesn't matter where you get it from its still the same water and that's the way Freon is.

is a chemical mixture that is the same no matter what name is on the can.

that said, adding Freon should not be attempted if you don't know what you are doing (obviously if you think there is a Toyota brand of Freon you don't know enough to try adding your own freon) so go to any garage advertising a/c checks and have them check pressures and add any if you need it.

its not unusual for vehicles to need a can of Freon added after a few years.

my 04 was a can low and has no leaks that can be found, but being 11 years old, I cant complain if one can of Freon leaked out in all that time.

 

^this!!!!

and to add, it's not unusual for vehicles in southwest usa to not come with enough freon right out of the factory/dealership! most vehicles are fitted for AC to work around 85-95 degrees, here it gets over 110 every year, 125 some years, so you need to add a few PSI.

but either way, have your vehicles AC serviced by a certified and licensed shop. they will make sure there is nothing wrong with your system to begin with.

if your questionable about their merits, ask to see their ASE certifications. or ask a NAPA auto parts who their better shops are.

 

I can`t say about other states

Here in Pa your taking your vehicle in because the AC does not work.

The first thing they have to do by a law is check for leaks and repair which can get quite expensive pulling the covers so one can see the evaporator coil can be quite expensive.

Like anything else it comes down to how well you are known to the clueless walk ins things can get real expensive.

Manifold gauges and a vacuum pump are a given.

want to hang out the AC service sign then you need a recovery system as well.

Remember Freon is a brand name of DuPont they are all Refrigerants It has sort of become the generic term for refrigerants

 

I've read that the AC "kits" that come from parts stores have other unnecessary agents in them. Can't remember where I read it but I know I did and it was from some pretty knowledgeable people.

For instance: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/reviews/B007USCM7E/ref=cm_cr_pr_redirect_aw?ie=UTF8

I'll probably just take it to Toyota and have them do it.

 

The only thing I heard, is that you want to use straight Freon with none of the additives like stop leak. There's some on Amazon pretty cheap. DuPont iirc. But yeah, I'd take it to a reputable place to have it checked and done professionally. They are pretty finicky systems and unless you know exactly what you're doing or have the correct tools, it's not worth the risk. I was determined to do mine myself. But it's just too much work to mess with. I'd rather pay a shop to have it done right the first time. And hopefully have it warrantied at the same time. There's a nice family owned shop ima take mine to when I get a chance. See what they say about the efficiency as mine isn't all that great either. I installed some efans and there's barely any increase in efficiency. A little better in stop and go but not enough for me to have spent the money on the fans.

 

yes, just avoid anything with stop leak, leak detection dye, oil added, or anything that says its got additives that make it colder the regular Freon, and just buy the straight standard regular Freon (which means it is also the cheapest Freon).

if you aren't sure what you are doing it is a good idea to just pay a shop to do it but the bad thing about going to shops is if you have a leak, they remove your Freon and you have no a/c until the leak is fixed so you are at their mercy to pay them whatever they want to charge you to fix it, which is usually $100 just to change a 25 cent o-ring.

if you do it yourself you just add Freon at the beginning of each summer if there is a slow leak somewhere you cant find and fix and you don't HAVE TO fix it right then and there or be left with no a/c at all. many people have gone in with a/c not cooling well only to have them remove the Freon because of leaks and if you don't pay on the spot to fix it you have no more a/c.

 

As advertised and designed an AC system is sealed. The system does not 'use' any freon whatsoever, it will come off the floor with the exact amount as it goes to the junkyard. In theory the only way you can lose pressure is if there is a leak. And all systems have lubricant added to them with a charge. There is no other way to lube the moving parts in a sealed system, so again in theory as the freon leaks out, so does the lubricant. Adding just freon will change the coolant/lube ratio to the detriment of moving parts, and you won't stop any leaks so you'll be recharging again over time. If you go to the dealer for a to off, assuming they will do that without doing a diagnosis first, they will be adding lube along with the gas.

Most leaks are pretty much too small to find, by the time you SEE a leak, it's a hole in a line that has to then be replaced along with condenser and other parts.

The off the shelf cans are pretty easy to use and have a pressure gauge so you *should* be able to see if you're actually low or not. I've used them a couple times in the last couple decades. Easy $20 fix even if its only a 5 year bandaid. I've never had to do the same vehicle twice.