AC issue

HI...To add to that, what is the surrounding temp + what is the genuine temp (on full solicitation) at a middle board vent? On the off chance that low 40sF it's doing it's thing, very little more to do.

Loud? It's conceivable a grip is loud or a spring to make it default is frail - or some other explanation obscure. Most are NOT so boisterous however on the off chance that calm enough can see them.

It effectively could be glad that it's cool enough so requires some investment out so it doesn't freeze up. That is a default most do if not plain hot 90s or more, low motor RPM full burden on A/C they stay on.

What do you wish to do? You could want another grip IDK if accessible independently cost if so is near another blower that is working? Next may not so AYOR or pay for totally different one.

IDK of any that are annoyingly loud however have seen broken 1 of three springs it actually worked so twisted that to hush up was a clatter not a "snap" endured till that entire vehicle croaked.

Your call - spend more or permit it to work since it is - it's old so what amount would you like to contribute now?

 

Hello JethTran
Did you used a translator software to write your message?
You may want to try a different translation software.

 

I've got a 2008 Gen 2 Prius, purchased in January of this year, AC didn't work. I had it recharged a month ago, it worked for a day ... The next day when I turned it on, I got a white puff of smoke out the dash vents, and an AC "refrigerant" smell ... The AC no longer worked.

I'm assuming the AC evaporator core in the dash sprung a leak? I SURE hope not after seeing how much of a job it is to get to and replace!

I've seen other accounts of others having this problem with a Gen 2 Prius ... Is this a somewhat common problem? I can get an evaporator core from Rock Auto for about $50 ... If the problem is somewhat common, I might want to avoid a factory replacement core.

I probably won't get into it until spring ... It's September, and I'm in Ohio, but I'd like to know what I'm getting into ahead of time.

The other problem is that there's a smoky film on the inside of the windshield that I CANNOT seem to get off! (makes it hard driving into the sun). I'm assuming it's Freon from the AC / defroster vents. I've tried Windex, dish soap and water, REALLY difficult to get off!

 

The film on the inside of your window it’s not the Freon it’s the oil.

you can think of the refrigerant as pure rubbing alcohol or electrical contact parts cleaner even if you sprayed it on your nice person when it dried it would leave no film

but when you have a very big leak from the evaporator it comes out like a WD-40 can spraying out oil the refrigerant carries the oil out as a mist

if you think you’re going to attack this job you better research it very very well and think carefully.

The book time on this job is 7 1/2 hours for a mechanic who does this type of work every day

I’ve seen young mechanics who have anywhere from 1 to 4 years of experience take that full 7 1/2 hours to about 12 hours the first time.

If I had to do my own Prius I probably would not I would take it to my local garage Luscious Garage and let one of their guys do it for me.
I’m not into letting other mechanics lay their hands on my car or do anything or touch anything on my car.
But when it comes to this evaporator I have better things to do in life. It would be interested in that when I was 17 years old to about 21 years old one those kind of jobs I lost my interest in.

 

Thanks for the info ... So, from what I've shared do you believe it IS the evaporator core? ... And is it a somewhat common problem? Just trying to get some kind of confirmation before I tear into this next year.

I have done quite a bit of research on it already ... And when I bought the car, the display didn't work, so I've already had the top part of the dash apart when I replaced the capacitor.

I simply can't afford to pay someone to do it, (I'm retired on SS!) ... So I'm going to HAVE to do it! ...If I want AC! I used to own a race car shop in the late 70's ... So ... Although I DREAD doing it ... I can!

 

What if it’s not the evap?

 

That's why I'm trying to confirm it BEFORE I tear into it!

Although the mechanic that charged the AC said he smelled Freon inside the car too after charging it, and saw a puff out the dash vents. I did read a post on another forum somewhere, and they had the exact same problem with a Gen 2 Prius ... white puff of smoke, loss of AC ... His did turn out to be the evaporator core. That's why I asked if this was a somewhat common problem.

I took it back to the garage that charged it, and they said there's is no leakage anywhere else (or the dye would have shown the leak) ... No leaks under the hood ... further confirming that it's leaking in the dash somewhere.

I suppose when I get into the dash, where it's leaking should become obvious. STILL not looking forward to tearing it apart though!

 

being retired then you have all the Time in the world to take on this job and it might just be therapeutic on your completion and success.

The problem is finding a shop that has a good calibrated sensitive leak detector is very difficult since most shops usually refuse to spend more than 200 or $350 on a leak detector are very bottom of the low end leak detectors,

A sensitive enough leak detector to detect the leak from up in the grill at the face when the leak is way down in the evaporator those type a leak detectors for a very small leak usually start at $500 plus to $1000.00

anything below that is just a child’s toy make-believe pretending to be a leak detector for only the larger leaks

 

What is the proper oil I can’t seem to find that stuff anywhere

 

Ok I never did this so not sure if this is how but I have a 07 Prius over the past few days I noticed the AC not working as well as it should when I turn on will blow max speed max cold for about 30min or longer eventually it feels like just not that cold I start sweating if I park turn off for an hr works ok again.. I checked the AC coolant and was in the green so I didn’t add any because I keep reading that oil is needed too but I can’t find any I was thinking could be the blower motor resistor but I don’t know didn’t want to buy a part if I didn’t have too.any idea what this could be Also my compressor seems to be humming louder than normal but again don’t remember if was always doing that I just replaced my inverter coolant pump and then I noticed that so could just be my massive anxiety looking or waiting for something else to fail

 

Hey Friends,

Just came into a 2009 for cheap. AC doesn’t blow cold. Fans all seem to be working fine. Low pressure is 50 and high is 100. Compressor seems to be running but the sight glass at the high pressure valve doesn’t have much activity. Any thoughts? Thanks!

 

I just replaced my condenser and low pressure line and added the HFC 134A to the low pressure line. Have you tried adding the refrigerant? You will need to go by weight. You are supposed to see white bubbles in the sight glass when the system is running on High MAX Cold. FYI. Once you turn the car off the sight glass should go clear. IIRC

 

I am not positive that you'd want to see bubbles during operation (unless operating in weather way hotter than the test conditions given in the manual).

They like the system to operate in the sub-cooling region (where the slope of high-side pressure vs. refrigerant amount levels off for a while, before starting to climb again with an overcharge). That region starts a little bit past where the bubbles disappear; their standard charge should be about 100 grams past that point, and end up about in the middle of that sub-cooling area.



When the A/C has been running and then stops, you do want to see a burst of some bubbles in the glass then; if it stays liquid, the system is overcharged.

(This diagram is from a gen 3 repair manual, but I think the gen 2 details were pretty much the same.)

But there seems to be a pretty good consensus around here that it hasn't been very helpful trying to do anything by the sight glass, and that evacuating the system and then putting in the right amount of refrigerant by weight is the more dependable way to go.

 

A couple of points for reference:

Those pressures are too low IF the variable speed compressor is running on high. It probably is but one way is to put it on high, no recirc mode with the front doors open or at least the windows.

Second, the compressor won't run if the system is totally empty of refrigerant.

Third, you do not want to add any refrigerant with sealers OR standard refrigerant oil into this electric driven compressor. You have to look carefully to find that kind of refrigerant in a can. The 30 pound jugs are free of sealant and oil.

Low refrigerant means it has a leak. Often on gen2s it is the evaporator unless it suddenly went bad. The evap is a dash out in a thousand pieces big job.

As noted above, the safe recharge method, if it needs it, starts with a vacuum and ends with the refrigerant weighed in. Weighed in means a scale and a jug.

Finally there are other possible issues like low air flow caused by nesting animals in the cabin filter, bad txv metering, previous sealer refrigerants used clogging things, lots of air in the system, etc.