Diagnosing a weird A/C problem

RodrickHeffley

RodrickHeffley

Member
I got my 4runner back from the shop last month and it suffices to say that I'm not proud of their work, so I've actually been fixing what they broke, and that leads us to the AC system.

I have new basically everything on the front end, so I don't believe it's a failure on that part.

My friend who works at O'Reillys tested the low end with a tester and it said it was overcharged, if that's true I don't know.

I started college last week and quickly found that I only have AC when I'm going downhill or the 4runner is facing downward, going uphill I have no AC.

What could the cause of this be? I'm thinking the shop didn't setup the AC properly so I don't know where to start or what to check first.

It'll blow "not cold" until I go downhill, I know the blower motor is fine, so it's just not blowing cold, or not blowing cold enough.

(Please help, I can't be sitting in 160 degree heat like this much longer (haha))
 
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Its always best to start out with a set of gauges on both the high and low side of the ac system to see what is actually going on.

Is your ac clutch engaging when the ac unit it?

As I have seen low refrigerate levels go higher pressure.

I cant say i have ever heard of AC working only Downhill...:/
 
brillo_76 said:
Its always best to start out with a set of gauges on both the high and low side of the ac system to see what is actually going on.

Is your ac clutch engaging when the ac unit it?

As I have seen low refrigerate levels go higher pressure.

I cant say i have ever heard of AC working only Downhill...:/
Click to expand...


I was thinking the levels were low, so I might try recharging first, then will look through everything else


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RodrickHeffley said:
I was thinking the levels were low, so I might try recharging first, then will look through everything else


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
If it's over charged and you charge you can blow the compressor.

Best to stick with the gauages first. As I blew a compressor several years ago.


If your pressure is even on both hi and low side you compressor is blown.

I always have die injected into my older systems to see where the leaks are as that would be extremely common in these older rigs.

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+1 to throwing a gauge on it and seeing whats up first. Adding another $20 can willy-nilly can be an excellent way to stare down the barrel of a $1000-2000 fix if you're real unlucky.
 
RodrickHeffley said:
Okay, so if they match then the compressor is bad? even if it is bad could it still be blowing cold air because it only does work like half the time when it is blown?
Click to expand...
If the pressures are the same and the compressor clutch is engaged then the compressor is done for. If you can record the pressures with the ac off and then with the ac on and working. Those pressures will help narrow down what’s going on. I’ve never heard of or come across what’s going on with your ac. Harbor freight has a decent set of ac gauges for cheap. Don’t quote me on it, but I think autozone/advanced/orielly’s may rent an ac manifold gauge set.
 
Bad Luck said:
If the pressures are the same and the compressor clutch is engaged then the compressor is done for. If you can record the pressures with the ac off and then with the ac on and working. Those pressures will help narrow down what’s going on. I’ve never heard of or come across what’s going on with your ac. Harbor freight has a decent set of ac gauges for cheap. Don’t quote me on it, but I think autozone/advanced/orielly’s may rent an ac manifold gauge set.
Click to expand...

I'll try to do that this weekend, we'll see what I find out
 
Watch this video and you'll get a good grasp of your AC system and how to properly charge it.

You might just want to have a different shop evacuate the system and recharge it for you. Or, have them evacuate the system capturing the refrigerant and then you recharge it yourself.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zlRE0Zeeyrc" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>


t
 
mtbtim said:
Watch this video and you'll get a good grasp of your AC system and how to properly charge it.

You might just want to have a different shop evacuate the system and recharge it for you. Or, have them evacuate the system capturing the refrigerant and then you recharge it yourself.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zlRE0Zeeyrc" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>


t
Click to expand...

I heard Jiffy Lube checks them for free so I was thinking about doing that then seeing what they say, but I'm worried they might mess something up in the process
 
RodrickHeffley said:
I heard Jiffy Lube checks them for free so I was thinking about doing that then seeing what they say, but I'm worried they might mess something up in the process
Click to expand...

I don't think I'd trust Jiffy Lube. I'd use Yelp to look for a shop with good reviews.
 
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