AC recharge
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Singtoe
New member
I have. It's easy. Buy a can and charge on the low side. If the can comes with a hose, it will only fit on the correct port.
There is a sight glass that you can see the level of your freon. It is on the drier in the front of the condenser. Keep adding freon until you see the bubbles go away, then stop.
There is a sight glass that you can see the level of your freon. It is on the drier in the front of the condenser. Keep adding freon until you see the bubbles go away, then stop.
BigFishAllDay
New member
I just did it last week on my '97. I picked up a can of refrigerant (R-134a) that included a pressure gauge for $35. The instructions had me add refrigerant to the low side until a certain pressure was achieved on the gauge. The pressure you are shooting for is dependent upon ambient temperature according to the instructions on the can.
I just followed those instructions and the results were dramatic. Before the recharge, my A/C blew just barely colder than the outside air, but afterward it gets downright chilly to where you have to turn it down after 10 minutes or so.
BTW, I was at Harbor Freight last week and they had the same can on sale for $20 I think. Not sure if that is still going on, but figured I'd mention it.
I just followed those instructions and the results were dramatic. Before the recharge, my A/C blew just barely colder than the outside air, but afterward it gets downright chilly to where you have to turn it down after 10 minutes or so.
BTW, I was at Harbor Freight last week and they had the same can on sale for $20 I think. Not sure if that is still going on, but figured I'd mention it.
BigFishAllDay
New member
Enjoy the cold A/C man, also one more thing... The low side port where you add the refrigerant is the one on the passenger side of the engine, about a foot in front of the firewall.
And this is the one I saw at Harbor Freight... I guess it was $25, not $20... but still a better deal than the auto parts stores...
18 Oz. Arctic Freeze Refrigerant with Dispenser and Gauge
And this is the one I saw at Harbor Freight... I guess it was $25, not $20... but still a better deal than the auto parts stores...
18 Oz. Arctic Freeze Refrigerant with Dispenser and Gauge
BigFishAllDay
New member
Singtoe,
My understanding is that the A/C system is a sealed system. The only reason that you should ever have to recharge it in the first place is if you have a leak, correct?
I put the whole entire can in mine and barely hit the pressure that they were calling for on the instructions. I'll have to take a look at that sight window and see what mine looks like, but I figure if the A/C system has gotten to the point where it's not even blowing cold air you can pretty much assume that you have a leak somewhere and that most if not all of the freon has leaked out of the system.
If you're blowing nothing but hot air, and assuming the system holds 20 oz, then 18oz should get you right back where you need to be.
My understanding is that the A/C system is a sealed system. The only reason that you should ever have to recharge it in the first place is if you have a leak, correct?
I put the whole entire can in mine and barely hit the pressure that they were calling for on the instructions. I'll have to take a look at that sight window and see what mine looks like, but I figure if the A/C system has gotten to the point where it's not even blowing cold air you can pretty much assume that you have a leak somewhere and that most if not all of the freon has leaked out of the system.
If you're blowing nothing but hot air, and assuming the system holds 20 oz, then 18oz should get you right back where you need to be.
Singtoe
New member
It is a sealed system, but they all leak. Rubber hoses always lets some Freon leak out. You also loose very small amounts at the compressor seals too.
Ever wonder why an old 2 liter bottle of an Un-opened Coke can taste crappy or flat verses and old can of coke. The CO2 gas has permeated through the plastic bottle but doesn't leak out of and aluminum can.
Coincidently, this is why soda out of a can taste so much better then out of a plastic bottle. But to better that even more is to get Soda in a Glass bottle because it doesn't permeate the gas out and it doesn't get the metal flavor from the can. I miss the days when we could get coca-cola in a refundable glass bottle. Uhhmmm.:tongue:
Anyway. The AC system is optimized at 20 oz. You probably start losing effectiveness at 10 to 12 oz. There is not enough freon to compress into liquid thus the mild cool or semi cool feeling at the vents. The issue is when you add 18 oz to the existing 10 or so oz in the system, you are flooding it with freon. Basically the low side will contain liquid freon and cause issues pumping it through the compressor.
halo32c
New member
Just filled mine back up. You can tell when it is low by the sight window. If it's frothy then you need to add till it's clear with no bubbles.
Picked up a can of 134a with gauges at pep boys for 33 bucks...
BigFishAllDay
New member
Just to clarify.... when I said:
By "you're" I didn't mean YOU, I should have said "If the truck is blowing..." Just wanted to clear that up so it doesn't come across like I was saying YOU were blowing hot air.
I understand your point. And it makes perfect sense as a warning to not overfill. However, I'm pretty sure that mine was empty and that I did not have an existing 10 oz in the system. It wasn't at the point where it was starting to lose effectiveness.... It hadn't blown cold air in about 2 years.
Edit... I did locate the method for checking the refrigerant level in the FSM... I think I'll check it out tomorrow just for peace of mind.... (http://www.ncttora.com/fsm/1996/SIL...toypdf/02rmsour/2002/024runne/ac/acsy/ovi.pdf)
I guess what you're looking for at the sight glass to indicate the correct level of refrigerant is: "when air conditioning is turned off, refrigerant foams and then stays clear"
By "you're" I didn't mean YOU, I should have said "If the truck is blowing..." Just wanted to clear that up so it doesn't come across like I was saying YOU were blowing hot air.
I understand your point. And it makes perfect sense as a warning to not overfill. However, I'm pretty sure that mine was empty and that I did not have an existing 10 oz in the system. It wasn't at the point where it was starting to lose effectiveness.... It hadn't blown cold air in about 2 years.
Edit... I did locate the method for checking the refrigerant level in the FSM... I think I'll check it out tomorrow just for peace of mind.... (http://www.ncttora.com/fsm/1996/SIL...toypdf/02rmsour/2002/024runne/ac/acsy/ovi.pdf)
I guess what you're looking for at the sight glass to indicate the correct level of refrigerant is: "when air conditioning is turned off, refrigerant foams and then stays clear"
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Singtoe
New member
The AC has to be running when you check it. At the begining, you will see foam, but as the system continues to work, the bubbles clear up and turn to straight liquid.
If it continuously has bubbles, then you need more freon.
Singtoe
New member
coinball
New member
Has anyone replaced all the O-rings in their AC system as preventive maintenance and then had it recharged?
I think my system is leaking from the O-rings on the dryer where the glass sight is (it appears wet and has some dirt accumulated on it). My AC went from nice and cool the other day (when I met Singtoe) to not cold at all today.
I think my system is leaking from the O-rings on the dryer where the glass sight is (it appears wet and has some dirt accumulated on it). My AC went from nice and cool the other day (when I met Singtoe) to not cold at all today.
BigFishAllDay
New member
I won't be checking to see if I need more at this point... I'll be checking to see if I added too much.
Yeah, sorry, I thought that the system being ON was implied.
To Clarify...
Test conditions:
Running engine at 1,500 rpm
Blower speed control switch at ”HI” position
A/C switch ON
Temperature control dial at ”COOL” position
Fully open the doors
....then.... "when air conditioning is turned off, refrigerant foams and then stays clear". If this is the case you have the correct amount of refrigerant....
if....."Immediately after air conditioning is turned off, refrigerant in sight glass stays clear"........ You have too much refrigerant.
That's straight from the FSM btw. I'm not making this up, honest!
Singtoe
New member
Wet areas are a sign of leakage. If yours is not cool all of the sudden, you might have a big leak, maybe even a crack. I find that o-rings seldom go bad unless the line unfastened and fastened back up. Check for any big leaks. Also check to see if you still have freon in your system. If it is totally gone, then you might have an actual hole some place in the system.
FYI, I have all the tools to pull a full vacuum and recharge the system in the advent that you have to replace a line or a condenser..
LittleCaesar
New member
Does anyone know what the correct readings (in psi) is for the low and high sides? I have a gauge set from HF that I have used on other cars but never on the 4runner.
A/C Manifold Gauge Set
Take some soapy water in a sprayer and spray around an area that you think might possibly be leaking. Schrader valves can stick open and leak (only seen this with American autos) or the o-rings in them can go bad. A dye test removes any guesswork.
A/C Manifold Gauge Set
Take some soapy water in a sprayer and spray around an area that you think might possibly be leaking. Schrader valves can stick open and leak (only seen this with American autos) or the o-rings in them can go bad. A dye test removes any guesswork.
Socco
New member
Thought I'd give my 2c worth on this... CHARGE BY PRESSURE! The sight glass is there to give you a "window" as it were, into the system. You can have no bubbles and have A) No gas B) Enough gas or C) Too much gas. The FSM is posted now, so use it to your advantage. If you have wet spots that attract dirt around fittings etc, that is the oil from the A/C system. Whenever you have an oil leak, you have a refrigerant leak.
Singtoe
New member
The funny thing with reading gauges is that you will have a different reading for the same system at different temps so giving you a diffeneitive number is hard to do.
This is how I work the gauges. On my gauges, there is an inner circle marked in degrees Fahrenheit. I try to get the low side to around 33 to 36. If the number is lower the 32, You will have moisture freezing to your evaporator blacking air from flowing through it. It the number is higher then 38, the cool air doesn't feel so cool.
The High side number will correlate to the temperature of the condenser. Really not to important. Usually 190 to 210 and in general, that is the temp of the condenser. (to hot to touch or hold on to). The main reason for the high side is see the pressures being built up and not spiking. It the high side is really high and the low side is really low, the orifice or venturi valve is clogged or frozen. If the pressure are both equal then the venturi valve is stuck open. and so on and so forth.
Will someone post some photo as where to look at the sighting window, Do you need the engine to start to do the re-fill. What side should I use (L)side or the (H)side. My (L)side is near the the RAD I think.
My (H) side is near the FW on the passenger side.
Car info:
1998 4runner limited
v.6 4x4
Thanks
My (H) side is near the FW on the passenger side.
Car info:
1998 4runner limited
v.6 4x4
Thanks
