2013FSport

iTrader: (2)

All,
I'm curious what temperature is typical of Lexus vehicles when set to max cooling? Mine maintains 38 to 41°F. Is that is good as it gets?

IIRC my 95 Camry took it down to 32 33F.

The 350 has a sight glass which when set to max cooling shows no visible anything. Then when switched off, you see a stream of bubbles. I'm not sure it's real indicator of anything. Thoughts?

I have an R134 gauge set but haven't hooked up to as I've had Schrader valves leak from doing this. I've had the car since 2017 at 50,000 miles and I doubt anything was done to the AC then. It was on lease from 2013 to 2016 and transferred hands one time before I picked it up.

Im just curious if others are seeing lower temps, I may hook up to and top it off if the pressures indicate a need to do so.

Yamehoo

Mine down to 30.11 when parked in a shade and ambient temp was around 72F. Check your refrigerant pressure, it might be low. Also, it could be your compressor showing its age.

2013FSport

iTrader: (2)

Thanks Yamehoo

Have you ever looked at the sight glass? I'm asking more out of curiosity than function.

That said, I read some time ago that Toyota expects some amount of leakage per year.

I'll grab a can and toss the gauges on it, adding 134 if it needs it. I think the Tundra compressor died from low charge as it didn't carry the oil back to the compressor and it seized up solid while blowing 45° air.

I'd hate to see that happen again.

Yamehoo

Just checked my sight glass, solid no bubbles. If yours are low on refrigerant, fill it up and check your temp again. If your temp got down and you still have lots of bubbles, there maybe some thing in the system that is clogging up your refrigerant flow and creating bubbles or moisture is present in your system. The most common thing the clogs up your system is the dryer. Check that dryer out to see if there's a temp difference between the 2 ends of the dryer. Hope you can pinpoint the problem.

2013FSport

iTrader: (2)

I think something else is going on as I let it idle and had the misses hold it at 1800 RPM. The sight glass is a swirl of liquid.

Temp according to car and outdoor meter is 72°F. With the AC on high fan, and set to top vent, it blows 40°F. Initial gauge up shows suction 25 PSI / highside 160 PSI.



To me, that indicates low charge as the expected numbers are 35 / 40 and 145 / 160 PSI.


So, I pulled can and added some but all it did was bring the head pressure up and not really increasing the cooling capacity.

Best guess is I added 1/4 can, the vent temp dropped by 3 degrees and the suction dropped even lower while the head pressure at idle went to 170 PSI and the suction to 25PSI. However, when taken to 1800 RPM for a couple minutes it would go to 32 / 165.
And with the compressor off (cycling) 20/200. The thing is, it's 72F, the can never frosted with suction and can wide open so I never chilled it but it wouldn't take more easily so I disconnected.

Any thoughts?

Here the compressor just cycled off. I'm guessing this is normal and it's still low on charge. There was no change to sight glass behavior. 20 / 200 PSI.


Conclusion - it doesn't seem right. I've never seen a system not willing to inhale a can. I gave this one ample chance and the can never chilled.

2013FSport

iTrader: (2)

Revisting this as AC ain't that great. One person chimed in with dash vent temp of 30°F, thanks @Yamehoo Can anyone else report in?

Last month I added some refrigerant and pressures at ambient match where they should be. In use, head pressure is high and the coolest dash temp is 38°F. When car is heat soaked from the sun, she's blowing 60F for the first 5min at city street speed.

Anyone cleaned the condenser core? Is this a pull the radiator moment? And given some rodent issues in the car, there is certainly a possibility of pluggage at the evap. I may need to get eyes on both of them.

Yes, fans work as needed. FWIW - the Tundra blows 30°F...

After sitting where hi and low equalize, they match this chart.