First of all, would you please not tell me to take my car to an AC expert. Pretty please? I am here to try and get it figured out with your help first. If that proves to be unsuccessful, I am most definitely going to an AC shop.
Here's the scenario. 2006 Toyota Highlander that is not mine so I don't drive it often. While riding the other day, I noticed the AC air temp coming from the vents was not as cold as normal. Got one of those AC/Pro gauge hoses from Walmart that you screw on top of a can of 134. I then attached it to the low pressure side and noticed the pointer went to the low side of the green at the left red mark on the dial. Doors open, AC on MAX. engine at operating temp. We added 134 and checked. Added and checked. Air got noticeably colder to the touch at the vents. Rotated can from 12 to 3 as we added. The pointer barely rose at all. Maybe went up to about 1/3 way into the green between the red V.
All of a sudden the AC fan started going on and off, on and off, on and off every few seconds. Sounds changed. Pointer still isn't halfway between the red V in the green area. Decided to add another can. Hooked it up and checked pressure and now it is in the red. Too FULL before any 134 was added. We did not add any 134 from the second can. AC Fan still cycling like a madman. Unhooked everything. All of a sudden the AC fan started running like I thought it should. No quickly starting and stopping. We decided to recheck the AC pressure and it was back in the green about 1/3 way up.
What happened? We went for a drive. Air at vent just cool. About a mile later the air at vent gets ice cold. Stays cold for about 15 seconds and then gets cool again. Did we blow something?
Here's the scenario. 2006 Toyota Highlander that is not mine so I don't drive it often. While riding the other day, I noticed the AC air temp coming from the vents was not as cold as normal. Got one of those AC/Pro gauge hoses from Walmart that you screw on top of a can of 134. I then attached it to the low pressure side and noticed the pointer went to the low side of the green at the left red mark on the dial. Doors open, AC on MAX. engine at operating temp. We added 134 and checked. Added and checked. Air got noticeably colder to the touch at the vents. Rotated can from 12 to 3 as we added. The pointer barely rose at all. Maybe went up to about 1/3 way into the green between the red V.
All of a sudden the AC fan started going on and off, on and off, on and off every few seconds. Sounds changed. Pointer still isn't halfway between the red V in the green area. Decided to add another can. Hooked it up and checked pressure and now it is in the red. Too FULL before any 134 was added. We did not add any 134 from the second can. AC Fan still cycling like a madman. Unhooked everything. All of a sudden the AC fan started running like I thought it should. No quickly starting and stopping. We decided to recheck the AC pressure and it was back in the green about 1/3 way up.
What happened? We went for a drive. Air at vent just cool. About a mile later the air at vent gets ice cold. Stays cold for about 15 seconds and then gets cool again. Did we blow something?
Last edited: