A/C problems, please help! Thank you in advance!

[f0rest]

Hello readers,

I should be under the right discussion but feel free to move my topic if not.

What I have:

Toyota 4runner 1991 SR5 V6 3.0L Engine it's has a manual transmission.

I am having the following problem, my A/C does not blow cold. So I went and bought a bottle of Refrigerant because I thought I was just low on it. I loaded it up and within 5 minutes it was blowing cold air, I put everything away try it again still cold air. Two days later I try it and no cold air comes out, so I am guessing a leak? I leave it where it is because at the time I could not deal with it, and I move to a different state, here I am now with as much time as I need, I buy another bottle and try the same exact thing, this time no cold air comes out, I try to fill it but it won't let me. So I go on the internet and it looks like there is a AC Compressor Clutch which needs to engage so when I add the refrigerant it can go in. I go to check out YouTube videos and everyone shows and explains how to do it on their car, and how to manually engage the ac compressor clutch by removing the fuse and giving it power with a wire, problem is I open my fuse box (under my hood) and I don't see anything that says A/C on it, all I have is (ALT 80A, 15A EFI, 7.5A Charge, 15A Dome, 15A HAZ - Horn, 10A Head(LH), 10A Head(RH), AM2 30A, AM1 40A) Aside from that box I have a second smaller box which has the following on it (FAN NO1, FAN NO2, FAN 30A) so my question is where is my A/C fuse? As well as how do I know if my clutch has engaged? The examples they have shown on YouTube are on small cars which you can see everything around the engine, but mine are right up front and all are ROLLING when car is running and the AC is on, blowing on max on cold as well as open doors, there is one at the bottom in which it's head isn't moving but it looks like that one isn't it because the examples I've seen on other cars it's always a black plastic looking circle but the one I have is straight metal coming out the actual "wheel" so please if you understand let me know, if you need any pictures, just let me know I will take them and upload by tomorrow. Thank you in advance, I really appreciate it!

 

[santanvalleydirt]

Hello readers,

I should be under the right discussion but feel free to move my topic if not.

What I have:

Toyota 4runner 1991 SR5 V6 3.0L Engine it's has a manual transmission.

I am having the following problem, my A/C does not blow cold. So I went and bought a bottle of Refrigerant because I thought I was just low on it. I loaded it up and within 5 minutes it was blowing cold air, I put everything away try it again still cold air. Two days later I try it and no cold air comes out, so I am guessing a leak? I leave it where it is because at the time I could not deal with it, and I move to a different state, here I am now with as much time as I need, I buy another bottle and try the same exact thing, this time no cold air comes out, I try to fill it but it won't let me. So I go on the internet and it looks like there is a AC Compressor Clutch which needs to engage so when I add the refrigerant it can go in. I go to check out YouTube videos and everyone shows and explains how to do it on their car, and how to manually engage the ac compressor clutch by removing the fuse and giving it power with a wire, problem is I open my fuse box (under my hood) and I don't see anything that says A/C on it, all I have is (ALT 80A, 15A EFI, 7.5A Charge, 15A Dome, 15A HAZ - Horn, 10A Head(LH), 10A Head(RH), AM2 30A, AM1 40A) Aside from that box I have a second smaller box which has the following on it (FAN NO1, FAN NO2, FAN 30A) so my question is where is my A/C fuse? As well as how do I know if my clutch has engaged? The examples they have shown on YouTube are on small cars which you can see everything around the engine, but mine are right up front and all are ROLLING when car is running and the AC is on, blowing on max on cold as well as open doors, there is one at the bottom in which it's head isn't moving but it looks like that one isn't it because the examples I've seen on other cars it's always a black plastic looking circle but the one I have is straight metal coming out the actual "wheel" so please if you understand let me know, if you need any pictures, just let me know I will take them and upload by tomorrow. Thank you in advance, I really appreciate it!

I literally just got this problem fixed on my 2nd Gen 95 3.0. It ended up being a bad A/C belt. The belt was old, slick, and didn't have enough traction to start the A/C. Sometimes it would catch and the it would blow cold, sometimes it wouldn't and it'd be hot. Have any horrible noise come out?

 

[Peevedkitten]

I literally just got this problem fixed on my 2nd Gen 95 3.0. It ended up being a bad A/C belt. The belt was old, slick, and didn't have enough traction to start the A/C. Sometimes it would catch and the it would blow cold, sometimes it wouldn't and it'd be hot. Have any horrible noise come out?

Is the AC belt the lower accessory belt? I was to tired when I was under the runner last.

 

[santanvalleydirt]

Is the AC belt the lower accessory belt? I was to tired when I was under the runner last.

No clue, lol. Went to a shop, didn't have time to do it myself. They did have to put it on the lift though, so I think it is.

 

[f0rest]

I literally just got this problem fixed on my 2nd Gen 95 3.0. It ended up being a bad A/C belt. The belt was old, slick, and didn't have enough traction to start the A/C. Sometimes it would catch and the it would blow cold, sometimes it wouldn't and it'd be hot. Have any horrible noise come out?

Hey santanvalleydirt thank you for replying to my post. Yes back when I filled it the first time and it blew cold it took a good 3-5 minutes and it was more than a horrible noise but it eventually stopped, and it was still blowing cold, until two days after when I tried again, and it was not blowing cold at all. But now when I tried to fill it up it does not want to even blow cold so that's why I researched and people said to look into the compression clutch but like I mentioned before all the examples I saw were on Hondas or some low cars which had a lot of space between the engines and you can clearly see if it runs or not but my Toyota doesn't, I can see all of the BELTS for sure, and they are all spinning, but isn't the AC compression clutch engaged when a plastic thing is spinning as well? I don't have it on that circle that's why I am asking which belt is it and how do I know it's running? Because even with the AC switch off the all belts are still spinning.

 

[f0rest]

And also which one is the Fuse for the A/C? What is the name? I don't have one under my hood nor inside? Is there a specific name? Would you like pictures of both fuse boxes? Please I need to fix this because I moved from Washington to Florida, and I am using the Toyota for my daily and it is pretty hot here hahaha! I have some money, but would not like to spend it on something I could probably fix with some guide.

 

[santanvalleydirt]

Hey santanvalleydirt thank you for replying to my post. Yes back when I filled it the first time and it blew cold it took a good 3-5 minutes and it was more than a horrible noise but it eventually stopped, and it was still blowing cold, until two days after when I tried again, and it was not blowing cold at all. But now when I tried to fill it up it does not want to even blow cold so that's why I researched and people said to look into the compression clutch but like I mentioned before all the examples I saw were on Hondas or some low cars which had a lot of space between the engines and you can clearly see if it runs or not but my Toyota doesn't, I can see all of the BELTS for sure, and they are all spinning, but isn't the AC compression clutch engaged when a plastic thing is spinning as well? I don't have it on that circle that's why I am asking which belt is it and how do I know it's running? Because even with the AC switch off the all belts are still spinning.

I don't know anything about fuses unfortunately...maybe a Google search to find it. And I'm not sure which belt, I didn't even look, everything seemed to be in running condition, but the shop found that the belt was too loose and stripped, and would just free-spin, with out ever activating the A/C system. It looked like it did, but it wasn't catching. It did cause that horrible squealing noise, and a new one fixed my whole problem.

 

[f0rest]

I don't know anything about fuses unfortunately...maybe a Google search to find it. And I'm not sure which belt, I didn't even look, everything seemed to be in running condition, but the shop found that the belt was too loose and stripped, and would just free-spin, with out ever activating the A/C system. It looked like it did, but it wasn't catching. It did cause that horrible squealing noise, and a new one fixed my whole problem.

Okay thank you! And may I ask how much did it cost you for the belt and for it to be replaced? Thank you in advance.

 

[santanvalleydirt]

Okay thank you! And may I ask how much did it cost you for the belt and for it to be replaced? Thank you in advance.

It was $136, but the belt itself wasn't too expensive. Mostly the labor. If you know a good place or have connections probably could be way less.

 

[f0rest]

It was $136, but the belt itself wasn't too expensive. Mostly the labor. If you know a good place or have connections probably could be way less.

Oh okay, I could probably take it apart and replace it myself hahaha, thank you for your reply and I will first take it to a shop for a free estimate and for them to tell me if that's what is wrong with it!

 

[santanvalleydirt]

Oh okay, I could probably take it apart and replace it myself hahaha, thank you for your reply and I will first take it to a shop for a free estimate and for them to tell me if that's what is wrong with it!

Awesome. They couldn't even do a normal A/C check BECAUSE of the belt, and that's all the actual problem was.

 

[Peevedkitten]

Oh okay, I could probably take it apart and replace it myself hahaha, thank you for your reply and I will first take it to a shop for a free estimate and for them to tell me if that's what is wrong with it!

Take a look in my build thread. I am in the process of swapping my fan pulley bracket and removing the accessory belts was one of the things I had to do. I did a write up and took pictures! If it's the belt I think it is then I didn't get a picture but I promise you can figure it out as soon as you look up under the front of the truck. It's just an adjuster and pivot bolt, I even circled the correct bolts in the pictures I did take. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns and I'll grab some more pictures for you.

 

[grumpin]

On my 87 runner, I jumpered the low pressure switch to get the compressor to engage. Just long enough to confirm the clutch worked. On mine the switch is under the dash. Then found my leak (the condenser by visually inspecting everything), replaced it and the receiver/dryer, all the o-rings and added oil and refrigerant after evacuating the system with a pump and gauges. Just adding refrigerant most likely isn't going to solve the problem. Might have to find a good A/C shop.

 

[f0rest]

Hello, a quick update here. I went and bough all three new belts I'm in a position which I do not understand, I have a picture (see below) I have removed all bolts how do I pull this out? I need to remove the Fan thing in front of it, because I was stupid enough to get my wrench stuck in there.... Now there is no way I can get it out without me taking that thing out which I have no idea how to do? Is it stuck or is there anything else holding it except the four bolts I have taken off?

HERE IS THE IMAGE! Current problem!

Thank you in advance!

 

[f0rest]

Hello, a quick update here. I went and bough all three new belts I'm in a position which I do not understand, I have a picture (see below) I have removed all bolts how do I pull this out? I need to remove the Fan thing in front of it, because I was stupid enough to get my wrench stuck in there.... Now there is no way I can get it out without me taking that thing out which I have no idea how to do? Is it stuck or is there anything else holding it except the four bolts I have taken off?

HERE IS THE IMAGE! Current problem!

Thank you in advance!

Please someone help me out? I took out the four bolts which I didn't have to but my instrument got stuck on there so now I can't remove it without removing the following up there? How do I pull this out? Is it stuck or something? I don't see anything else holding it? Maybe a center bolt but it does not seem to have one! Please help me out here!

 

[Peevedkitten]

Please someone help me out? I took out the four bolts which I didn't have to but my instrument got stuck on there so now I can't remove it without removing the following up there? How do I pull this out? Is it stuck or something? I don't see anything else holding it? Maybe a center bolt but it does not seem to have one! Please help me out here!

If you have all 4 bolts removed the fan should just come out. It looks like you have the box end of your wrench stuck on the nut? That picture is huge and I'm on a small screen so it's hard to see. You should be able to slide your wrench over the stud and just remove the nut by hand then remove your wrench. After that the fan should just slide off the studs.

There wasn't a center bolt on mine. In the future use the open end of the wrench for tight clearance area's. It's a pain but it does the job and you can just slide it out afterwards.

 

[flyinhawaiian01]

Yep, I'm with him ^^^

Just give it a few taps with a mallet or a very careful pry to pop it away from the water pump, it'll just pop off. Make sure ALL the nuts are off or at least really loose before you go whackin' on it!

 

[f0rest]

Okay I got the wrench out!, I put in the new belts, everything is back in place, but the A/C Clutch still does not Engage! Can someone explain more in debt how to manually jump start the clutch? Thank you in advance.

 

[f0rest]

Okay I got the wrench out!, I put in the new belts, everything is back in place, but the A/C Clutch still does not Engage! Can someone explain more in debt how to manually jump start the clutch? Thank you in advance.

Anyone? Anything you need just let me know, I can take pictures of whatever needed just give me detail please!

Thank you in advance!

 

[96pearlrunner]

Jump pressure switch "plug" not the switch with a paper clip. I believe the pressure switch for your model is behind the glove box. When you're low on refrigerant the switch will kickoff the compressor clutch to prevent damages to the compressor because its source of lubrication is by way of refrigerant. If you're compressor clutch kicks on then you know you have low or leaking refrigerant. They sell refrigerants that contains dye so if u have a leak you can snoop around with a u.v. light. Anytime you open up the system you wanna replace the receiver/dryer and put it under a vacuum to remove any moisture.You should really invest in a manifold gauge set. Makes a/c diagnosing easier. Those plastic gauge that comes on those refrigerant canisters don't really cut it. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. Its been a minute since I messed with the heating and a/c system.