trying (& failing) to add r134a to my Toyota Yaris

[GunsMadeAmericaFree]

We have 2 Toyota Yaris's, a 2012, & a 2013. My wife drives the newer one. Recently, we noticed that hers seems to be having trouble keeping the car cool. It seemed that the fans, especially the center ones, were not blowing as much. I took this to my mechanic, he looked it over a bit, & suggested I try recharcing the a/c first, to see if that would help. He was thinking the pressure might be low.

I remember buying an "AC Pro" kit at Walmart about a year and a half ago, to recharge the AC on our van. I liked the kit because it had an extra long hose and a gauge for seeing the pressure.

I hooked it up to the 2013 Yaris with the AC running, and was able to see the gauge going back and forth between 25 and 45 pounds while the ac was running, cycling on and off. I had purchased a 12 ounce can of r134a for 5 bucks, thinking I might only need to add a little. (the original can that came with the kit was about 16 ounces)

I hooked up to the low pressure port. I could see the gauge going back & forth between 25 & 45 pounds. However, every time I pulled the trigger to add pressure, it went to zero. Is there a chance that the "AC Pro" kit I bought only works with "AC Pro" cans from walmart? I know they are the newer self sealing cans. However, I really don't see anything that looks like it will come down and pierce the can to open it up when I screw the can up onto there. It all seems pretty strange.

Can anyone recommend a long hose with metal connections that will work with the newer self sealing cans of r134a? Now I'm wondering if something is messed up on the "AC Pro" kit, which has plastic connections.

Thanks for any hints!

 

[pcgeek11]

You need to take it to someone that knows how to work on A/C Systems. You can do more harm than good with those shitty AC Charge Cans.

If the A/C Charge is low you have a leak, R134a doesn't disappear from a sealed system. Get it checked, if it has a leak get it repaired then a proper evacuation and A/C Charge. You will be much happier.

 

[Steltek]

@pcgeek11 is right. My mechanic friend (who specifically refuses to do vehicle AC system work anymore even though he is good at it and even has the equipment to do it) calls those things AC death cans, because that is what is eventually going to happen when you use them.

If the AC system is leaking, it is going to leak down again (and the leak will probably worsen over time). Plus, the system is likely now contaminated which will reduce its efficiency. If you plan to keep the vehicle several more years, it is worth taking it to somebody who has the equipment to fix it properly.

The seals on the AC compressor in my 1994 Chevy Silverado blew out last summer because my out of state sister took it to a mechanic where she lived (without telling me) that used one of those things on it. Since the entire system is vented now, I'm just going to buy the equipment/parts and fix it myself later this summer.

 

[GunsMadeAmericaFree]

Is having it alternate between ~25 to 45 psi pretty regular for a system? It is blowing really cold air, just not actually blowing it out as hard as it used to. I suspect a fan issue.

 

[deadlyapp]

If the air itself is cold, then your AC system is probably fine and perhaps like you said, you've lost one of the blower duct actuators or a fan itself.

When the AC went out on my ford explorer, the air never would get cold. You could re-charge it and it would get it cold for a short period of time, but would leak back out quite quickly.

I don't remember the range, but yes when the compressor kicks on the pressure drops quite a bit.

 

[pcgeek11]

If it is a fan speed issue I would look at the connector for the speed control resistor pack and the connector for the fan motor. If it has burned terminals that will increase resistance and slow fan speed.

This is a known issue with many Toyota's with Delphi A/C parts.