AC Dead

[Cezar]

I've had a leaking evap core for a long time. I've been topping things off and limping it along, was planning on limping along this year. It made it through the winter still blowing cold somewhat so the system can hold some pressure.

Yesterday I decided to evacuate the system, put a vacuum on it and refill to try to get another good year out of it. This did not go well. I added about 2/3 of a can on the system and got the compressor to engage and........it's not pumping. Zero compression ratio between low and high.

So either the compressor is btfo, and needs replaced, or the clutch is btfo and needs replaced.

Since the system has been limping along for so much time I think I'd rather just redo the entire thing. This is too big of a repair for me and I'm busy this time of year so I will be having a shop do it.

I want the system completely rebuilt. New compressor, new condensor and evap, new lines, new TXV, schrader cores, new o-rings, new actuators, new everything. I will maybe allow the hard lines to be reused after a flush but I want this system back to factory fresh.

Questions:
- Is there anything simple I should check before condemning this system?
- Is there anyone within an hour or so of Louisville KY that would be good to do this job?
- Have there been any new developments in the "entire dash assy must come out" that I'm unaware of?

 

[Drcoffee]

How do you know the evaporator is leaking? If the compressor failed, maybe the leak is there. But for the compressor to have lost compression, Im guessing that the internals have contaminated the whole system. You will need to pull the dash and replace the evap and flush the lines. I would sell it

 

[Cezar]

How do you know the evaporator is leaking? If the compressor failed, maybe the leak is there. But for the compressor to have lost compression, Im guessing that the internals have contaminated the whole system. You will need to pull the dash and replace the evap and flush the lines. I would sell it

Evap leak is a widespread issue on these cars, but I know it's an issue on mine because I get stop-leak on the cabin filter and occasional r134a aroma inside the cabin. Or did anyway before it died fully.

I'm aware the dash needs to come out. I don't care if the whole system is contaminated if the whole system is getting replaced.

I would sell it

I'm not going to find another 4runner for the value of mine + a new one with working AC for less than the AC repair will cost. My truck's in great shape and has lots of miles left in it. I'd swap an engine or tranny in it as well, if needed. Actually I'd rather be dealing with a blown engine, the AC is a bigger headache.

Anyway. Working a couple different shops to figure out where it's going to go. My first choice decided to play games and not give me an estimate, which, by the way was only due dilligence. They talked themselves out of the job with that as I was planning to drop it off saturday.

Buddy recommended a shop run by a friend of a friend and I know they do good work, only downside is it's a 1.5 hour drive each way. Looks like that's where it's headed.

 

[Cezar]

Welpppppp I've been jerked around by four separate shops now trying to book this repair. This is eerily reminiscent of a situation I had a while back with my house AC. All the AC shops in my area were bought out by venture capital and we were staring down the barrel of having to spend 15k to replace a 3-year old heat pump that quite literally 28 hvac shops (I still have the spreadsheet) refused to even quote a repair on.

Long story short I now know how to repair and install home AC.

I'm getting identical vibes to that situation. "Sure we'll give you a price once you drive an hour each way to get the car in our hands so we have leverage over you to deploy"

"Why do you require the physical car to provide an estimate? I'm giving you an exact list of parts, the entire system is being replaced, and you can quote book time on the job"

- A Question that no shop I have spoken to can answer truthfully.

SO. I have cleared my schedule and I will be doing this job DIY.

(Also, almost pulled the trigger on a Tahoe. I changed my mind when I learned that evaporator is a dash-out job on those too!)

 

[AuSeeker]

Welpppppp I've been jerked around by four separate shops now trying to book this repair. This is eerily reminiscent of a situation I had a while back with my house AC. All the AC shops in my area were bought out by venture capital and we were staring down the barrel of having to spend 15k to replace a 3-year old heat pump that quite literally 28 hvac shops (I still have the spreadsheet) refused to even quote a repair on.

Long story short I now know how to repair and install home AC.

I'm getting identical vibes to that situation. "Sure we'll give you a price once you drive an hour each way to get the car in our hands so we have leverage over you to deploy"

"Why do you require the physical car to provide an estimate? I'm giving you an exact list of parts, the entire system is being replaced, and you can quote book time on the job"

- A Question that no shop I have spoken to can answer truthfully.

SO. I have cleared my schedule and I will be doing this job DIY.

(Also, almost pulled the trigger on a Tahoe. I changed my mind when I learned that evaporator is a dash-out job on those too!)

If you DYI it, please do a tutorial on the job if possible!!

 

[Cezar]

Working on a list of steps so I can break down the process.

- Remove fan shroud, condenser
- Remove accessory belt
- Remove Compressor
- Remove Dash accountrements
- Remove stereo
- Remove remote start
- Remove dash
- Run new lines
- Drop steering column
- Unmount cabin fusebox
- Remove airbox
- R&R airbox and cores
- Replace recirc actuator
- Replace blend door actuator
- Vacuum test, then vacuum
- Charge system
- Drain and refill coolant

I still need to rewatch the tutorial a few more times, but I think this is most of it. Not in order. LMK if anything is missing.

Looking to order parts today. Still need to track down a good OEM heater core and evap core.

In other news my garage is getting a deep clean and all new lighting, which will help with the work.

 

[IVD4R]

Evap leak is a widespread issue on these cars, but I know it's an issue on mine because I get stop-leak on the cabin filter and occasional r134a aroma inside the cabin. Or did anyway before it died fully.

I'm aware the dash needs to come out. I don't care if the whole system is contaminated if the whole system is getting replaced.

I'm not going to find another 4runner for the value of mine + a new one with working AC for less than the AC repair will cost. My truck's in great shape and has lots of miles left in it. I'd swap an engine or tranny in it as well, if needed. Actually I'd rather be dealing with a blown engine, the AC is a bigger headache.

Anyway. Working a couple different shops to figure out where it's going to go. My first choice decided to play games and not give me an estimate, which, by the way was only due dilligence. They talked themselves out of the job with that as I was planning to drop it off saturday.

Buddy recommended a shop run by a friend of a friend and I know they do good work, only downside is it's a 1.5 hour drive each way. Looks like that's where it's headed.

Apt!

 

[Cezar]

Does anyone know what is up with the AC hard lines on this car?

I ordered a suction and discharge hose but those are the only things that come up when I search. There are hard lines under the hood but I can't find a part for them.

I guess I can flush them but I'd be interested in replacing them..

 

[Moist]

Does anyone know what is up with the AC hard lines on this car?

I ordered a suction and discharge hose but those are the only things that come up when I search. There are hard lines under the hood but I can't find a part for them.

I guess I can flush them but I'd be interested in replacing them..

I think these might be some part numbers for those lines. Toyota just has them labelled as AC line. They also have these listed for the 4.0 V6. I'm not sure there is a difference though.

88710-35540
88716-35620

Suction Hose:
88704-60370

Suction Pipe:
88707-60180

Discharge Hose:
88703-35010

Hope these help!

 

[88Center]

Tutorial for replacing Blend Door Actuators

Replacing AC Servos / Actuators

 

[fnsquirrel]

Welpppppp I've been jerked around by four separate shops now trying to book this repair. This is eerily reminiscent of a situation I had a while back with my house AC. All the AC shops in my area were bought out by venture capital and we were staring down the barrel of having to spend 15k to replace a 3-year old heat pump that quite literally 28 hvac shops (I still have the spreadsheet) refused to even quote a repair on.

Long story short I now know how to repair and install home AC.

I'm getting identical vibes to that situation. "Sure we'll give you a price once you drive an hour each way to get the car in our hands so we have leverage over you to deploy"

"Why do you require the physical car to provide an estimate? I'm giving you an exact list of parts, the entire system is being replaced, and you can quote book time on the job"

- A Question that no shop I have spoken to can answer truthfully.

SO. I have cleared my schedule and I will be doing this job DIY.

(Also, almost pulled the trigger on a Tahoe. I changed my mind when I learned that evaporator is a dash-out job on those too!)

Sometimes people that answer the phones don't know anything about your car so they need to research the job themselves first, but they don't want to waist time doing that if you're not there in person. :-(

 

[fnsquirrel]

Does anyone know what is up with the AC hard lines on this car?

I ordered a suction and discharge hose but those are the only things that come up when I search. There are hard lines under the hood but I can't find a part for them.

I guess I can flush them but I'd be interested in replacing them..

I never replace hard lines unless you see a problem. Obviously if you were talking about plastic "hard" lines, that would be different. Otherwise, those metal hard lines may outlive your entire vehicle.

 

[Cezar]

I think these might be some part numbers for those lines. Toyota just has them labelled as AC line. They also have these listed for the 4.0 V6. I'm not sure there is a difference though.

88710-35540
88716-35620

Suction Hose:
88704-60370

Suction Pipe:
88707-60180

Discharge Hose:
88703-35010

Hope these help!

They do help, thank you!

 

[Cezar]

Tutorial for replacing Blend Door Actuators

Replacing AC Servos / Actuators

Thanks!!

 

[Cezar]

Sometimes people that answer the phones don't know anything about your car so they need to research the job themselves first, but they don't want to waist time doing that if you're not there in person. :-(

Well, being charitable, it's just all around "easier" for them to make customers do extra work, and provide leverage on the deal on the mechanic's behalf before they have to lift a finger.

It just isn't how I operate. Part of it is stubborness, and part of it is I'm pretty busy and I live in a rural area so "swing by with the car" is a minimum 2 hours of driving and coordinating with my wife, who is even busier than me, on childcare. If I'm to get the usual 3 bids on a job, "swinging by with the car" becomes a multi-week event.

The sucky part is I'm not even price sensitive on this job. I was willing to go up to 3k on it which is 2k in labor. I just needed to be able to do basic due diligence before dropping the car off.

The reality is there is a supply/demand curve in this area/for this type of job that favors the mechanic, so as a result they don't have to win jobs; the work comes to them. See also: electricians, plumbers, roofers, carpenters, etc.

 

[Cezar]

Starting on this project tomorrow.

Can't find the dessicant that was supposed to come in the compressor/condensor kit. I wonder if it's "installed" in the condensor in a plastic bag..

 

[vr4z06gt]

The desicant bags are 'very similar', across many toyota from the 4th gen years until now. I replaced my evaporator core last summer. I went to Napa for the descent bag..."while im in there and the system is open" type of eplacment. Its not hard to do...but does require vacuuming the system down again. Anyways, Napa didnt have the 4th gen bag, but they did have a modern lexus rx bag, the actual bag is the same. Just the pipe seal is different. We just reused the old seal.

My advice is take out the entire dash as one unit vs disassembling it....SOOOO much easier. I didnt take a ton of photos along the way, but tried to describe and document on thread I started.

 

[Cezar]

I got here in 2.5 hours. Not too bad so far.

 

[Cezar]

Few more hours.

Removing the support bar just about broke me. Way way harder than removing the dash.

Ladies and gentlement, we got him.

 

[Cezar]

BTW I found the dessicant. It was installed inside the condenser in its rightful spot.

Would have preferred it to be sealed in plastic but I suppose the condensor is technically sealed from the factory with plastic plugs.Oh well, it's fine I am sure.