I need to recharge my air conditioning. 2011 Tacoma. Any tips

I need to recharge my Tacoma's air conditioning before the summer heat hits. I've got some road trips planned. I've seen the recharge kits. Any recommendations as to a kit to use? I've seen plenty of videos but figured I get more information if I posted here.

Thanks.

Edited to add: It is a 2011 Tacoma with 195k on it. I've never messed with the AC system before. I don't think its leaking. It just is not cold. I've lived in California, Alabama, Florida and Texas: Places I've run the AC pretty much daily.

 

I’ve used AC Pro. Just follow the instructions. Hook it up to the low pressure side. Got the Saturn’s AC running for a year, (then I sold it).

 

How do you know the refrigerant is low?

 

Id recommend that you find the leak, than go ahead and fix it before recharging the AC.

 

If you have a leak you really should find and fix it first, your 2011 should have factory installed A/C dye that glows under UV light to aid in leak detection.

If the system is empty then a vacuum should be pulled on they system before recharging, don't use refrigerant with stop leak (which most of those quick charge can have).

Ideally the system should be charged with a machine so the proper amount of refrigerant is put in, you can charge with gauge pressures if you know what to look for but it's not ideal and you must have a manifold gauge set so you can read both high and low side pressures.

Never add more refrigerant than specified on the A/C label under the hood.

 

I would have a shop do an evac and recharge. Have them perform a vacuum test in between. If it fails vacuum test, then you would want them to add dye and charge the system. Then look for leaks. But that's just me.

 

A/C systems are serviced with machines not Walmart cans.

 

Yes it does not use refrigerant therefore would not need to be topped off unless something is wrong. Get the leak fixed first then evacuate and fill per the FSM.

 

The a/c in my 2015 quit blowing cold about three weeks ago so I added one of those cans from AutoZone(per advice from a mechanic I used to work with)and it’s been fine ever since.

 

I had a leak in my 2007 that only has 79,000 miles and it went on for 5 or 6 years. I'd refill it every summer and it would go out after a few months. I just recently had to replace the compressor and condensor after shop had finally found a leak near condensor. My compressor had totally locked up and not sure if this was due to it getting low often or not, but my recomendation to save time/money in the long run, would be to get a shop to find and fix the leak.

 

Mine, luckily, has never had a leak and the system has never been opened to test anything and it still blows cold, almost 500000 miles.

 

a machine evacuates the system recycling refrigerant. It holds it under a vacuum to both leak test, and boil out any moisture. It measures how much oil is removed and gives you the option to re-add that same quantity of oil with UV dye injected into it for use in future leak finding.
Then the machine is set to add whichever quantity of R134a the vehicle calls for. Most shops charge an hour for this because that’s how long it takes.
To my knowledge a can does none of this.

I have had customers come in because they added a can and now their AC doesn’t work because it has too much refrigerant and the pressure sensor automatically shuts it off.

the leak can later be looked for with a UV flashlight, yellow glasses to help see it and protect your eyes. Or a sniffer. Flashlight is for more visible places like hoses and condenser. Sniffer is for less visible places like evaporator.

pressurizing the system and spraying soapy water, etc is also one of the multiple other ways to find leaks.

I’ve heard on the 2nd gen of a pipe/hose (I forget which one) going bad, I believe in the engine bay.

If I had the ability now, I would replace my radiator and condenser preventatively. At 10+ years, 150k+ mi, the old parts have probably taken a beating from strikes through the front, as well as lots of dirt accumulation acting as an insulating layer that is hard to clean/remove.

last time I ever did a deep clean for something like that was an old Audi where the front end comes right off, which let me take off the old parts, lay them flat in the driveway, and apply foaming cleaner before rinsing them off to re-assemble.
Am due for rad mount bushings too which I believe come in a poly cab mount bushing kit.

compressors on any car usually only last like 10yr.
1. You have the oil inside getting dirty just like engine oil. But unlike engine oil it never gets serviced to change it.
2. Moisture can get in over time which also, doesn’t get serviced
3. Certain things (like you said, low charge) can make a compressor work harder, kick on more and longer, etc wearing it out earlier
4. I’ve heard even just the front clutch components of the compressor (kit) wear out by now

Reciever dryer can saturate with moisture
Orifice tube (if it has one) can clog but I don’t see that a lot

I did have a schrader valve start leaking on me though during a service and ran to Oreillys for a $10 kit to replace it

a/c machines are universal. It’s not impossible for a Toyota truck to have an evac charge done at your buddies BMW shop, etc - which might be what you have to do given the machines being $1k-$5k+ usually only get bought by shops.
Though I have seen people use kits that came out in recent years for hundreds of dollars that do have things like a compressor, scale, etc

gradual loss of R134a over a long time is normal. The system isn’t a perfect 100% seal. It’s not unheard of for a car after 10+ years that came with 550g to pull up with 300g in it.
The PAG oil quality out there on the market also varies, some are better than others. I think a bottle of good universal synthetic is like $20


One option for doing your own work. Saving on labor. IF the engine is compatible. Is a bypass belt.
so that if you have somewhere evacuate your refrigerant, you can change the compressor at home and still drive with a shorter “bypass” serpentine belt.

because if you put a new compressor you don’t want a belt spinning that thing without refrigerant.
It’s not really until it gets fully charged again, that it can work without damage. Because the PAG oil becomes aerosol particles that circulate within the refrigerant.

book time at a shop besides 1hr evac and charge, just to do the compressor, is probably at least 2-3hr at $100-200+/hr
they can’t warranty parts and labor on everything if you did the job but if you did it properly nobody cares.

knowing oil quantity of the compressor is tricky. Manuals usually say. They’re supposed to come in the box plugged sealed. But sometimes during shipping plugs fall out, letting some oil spill. I’ve heard a good rule of thumb is like +10-15mL oil for that is acceptable if in doubt. I’ve also seen dudes *never* add oil during a service. And some if it remains in the system.

not saying buy an A/C machine. Idk if they even sell the big shop R134a things to people.
Cheapest I ever saw a Robinair was $1000 because this “shop” thought it was “broken” because they could not figure out how to do a little oil change on the little compressor.

I think rule of thumb is 40 deg temp differential from ambient outside on r134a. In other words, if shit is normal, the temp at your vents coming out is gonna be 40deg cooler than what they suck in. Whether you’re in an 80deg garage,
Or AZ hot af 105deg where now your AC might not feel as cold.
There’s cooking style thermometers to put on vents for that. Or even laser ones to point in the vent to read faster.

another thing that just adds more use to the compressor over its life, is Defrost heat. Because Toyota designed the compressor to still kick on during that, to remove moisture so your hot air to the windshield blows dry

 

I’ve had compressors lock up 3 times, twice because I’m ac stupid and used the cans. Once because it wasn’t working and a passenger messed what the knobs and caused it to seize. Of course it happened while recovering from shoulder surgery and I couldn’t fix it.

I have got the cans to work but you’re really rolling the dice you might mess up and put too much. Plus if you need to add, you have a leak that should be responsibly addressed.

 

A/C is a crutch. Just yank that thing out and you can throw a 370z belt on it to bypass the pulley. Women find the sweat attractive.

Thank me later.

 

Long live wing windows! When real men designed vehicles with a way to direct airflow over your nads, because it was the right thing to do.

 

I wouldn't recommend using a recharge kit. I see it as the same thing as using the green slime in your tires to fix a flat, sure it works now but you're asking for trouble in the long run as you cant guarantee how much refrigerant you put in your system. It's not too difficult to do your own flush and fill. Take your car to an automotive AC shop and have your system evacuated then follow below:



You can rent all the tools from any auto parts store and in 4ish hours (or longer depending on how long you pull the vacuum), you can recharge your system with the correct weight of R134. Prior to your recharge, you may want to replace the gaskets at the firewall and clean out the filter along with addressing any leaks you might have. Use a little PAG oil on the gaskets if you replace them. As far as any AC system is concerned, the Tacoma's AC system is very DIY friendly. You might be suprised at yourself.

-J

 

Check the high side rubber to metal hose pipe. If it’s grungy it’s probably where the leak is. I just replaced mine since that was the source of my slow leak. An hvac system is sealed and never should need to be topped off.