FrankReynoldsCPA

My A/C system is leaking about a can of R134 a month. sometimes quicker. Because I dont know where, it is hard to guess the cost to have it fixed. What range am I looking at, from minor to major?

johnnyg66

Get a leak test. Worst case evaporator core cost over 1k. If not probably 7-8 hundred.

LScowboyLS

places where your LS400 could be leaking and estimated cost:

(approx what we charged when I did Lexus A/C at JM Lexus)

evaporator core - $1200
compressor body - $1000
compressor shaft seal - $500-$1000
condenser - $700
dryer - $250
pressure switch - $280
suction hose - $300 -$400
discharge hose - $300 -$400
expansion valve connection or expansion valve - $1100
liquid line - $400
miscellaneous system "peanut" connection (o-rings) - $250

A/C repair ain't cheap, fortunately LS400's A/C is very reliable, the expensive parts tend to not fail - hoses are the most likely leak area

just be glad you have the NipponDenso 10PA20C - they rarely ever fail or leak! - the world's most reliable compressor!

FrankReynoldsCPA

Good info. Now is JM Lexus a dealer? If so, i could probably find lower prices elsewhere. Heck, my nearest Lexus dealer is seceral hours away.

LScowboyLS

JM Lexus is the largest Lexus dealership, keep in mind those prices are a few years out of date, so you will probably spend the prices listed these days with any place that does a good job and uses genuine Toyota parts.

FrankReynoldsCPA

Resurrecting this thread, I got some additional funds from filing a 1040x for 2011, and I have scheduled an appointment for Thursday to have my A/C diagnosed. It doesn't seem to be leaking very much lately....but it has a very hard time blowing cold once the temperature approaches 100. At that point you pretty much have to be on the freeway to get cold air.

RA40

iTrader: (6)

One other aspect to AC is to get this fixed so that it isn't dry. Once that occurs, the wallet hit can be significantly more $.

LScowboyLS

or as with other fluids, you can just keep "topping up" (make sure you put some approved compressor oil in there when you recharge, you are losing both, as they are in solution with each other)

the main thing to A/C longevity is to run it year round and also make sure only very highly competent A/C specialists work on it!

The best case is that no one ever works on it - lol

FrankReynoldsCPA

So I took it in last week, but it was only about 85 degrees outside and as a result, it was working fine at that time. The guy told me to bring it back when it was hotter. Today, it was 113 and the poor little bastard was struggling to even try to blow cool. It would blow cold on the freeway for the most part, but sitting in traffic it was no good. I took it back in and he checked both high side and low side and the high was at about 350. He told me to change the radiator.

Needless to say....I'm skeptical of his diagnosis.....I feel like there could be multiple causes of excess pressure on the high side...such as a bad orifice tube. Even if the engine is running hot......to just say change the radiator is incredibly lazy. Throwing money at a problem is not the way I do things.

timmy0tool

iTrader: (7)

i would check your outside temperature sensor to see if maybe it is compromised and allowing the heater to run when the outside temp is too high.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gs-...placement.html

LScowboyLS

if the radiator were clogged, the engine temperature would show up much hotter on the gauge, and even an engine running hot does not normally affect the A/C because the hot radiator is after the condenser in the airstream, not before.

one thing is for sure though, it is not a bad orifice tube, since no Lexus LS400 has ever had an orifice tube, in fact, I can't think of a single Toyota product ever made that has had an orifice tube, although I won't say it never has happened, since there was an association with GM for a while.

excessive head (high side) pressure would normally be one of the following:

● system overcharged
● airflow issue through condenser
● weak fan clutch
● failing electric fan
● electric fan sensor
● incorrect or aftermarket condenser
● airflow issue through radiator (pretty rare because condenser receives all of the dirt, debris, etc.)
● incorrect or contaminated refrigerant

if accompanied by extremely low low-side pressure then it could be:

● expansion valve plugged (what you have rather than an orifice tube)

FrankReynoldsCPA

I may hit another shop and have the system vacuumed and recharged professionally, just to ensure it has the right pressure and amounts of refridgerant and oil and no moisture.

The temp gauge reads at the halfway mark under normal operation. I have never seen it go above that. I have had the radiator light come on once about a year ago while traveling on the freeway...I stopped and the coolant was low. Added some and never had any issues....it's still at the same level as when I topped it off.

Of course, the coolant temp sensor could be bad and it really could be running hot.

LScowboyLS

you have two coolant temp sensors, one for the ECU that is really important, and the other one just for your own information via the gauge, the car doesn't care whether the gauge one even works at all.

FrankReynoldsCPA

I thought there were 3 or 4. I replaced the ECU one 2 summers ago.

FrankReynoldsCPA

I'll probably put off the A/C shop again until the end of July when I get my next check. My phone crashed and burned this week, going to shell out some cash for a proper one. I spend enough time indoors or driving my work vehicle(2013 Suburban, ice cold) that I can wait another month I guess. I think there's probably moisture or improper oil combo in the system... I've just been recharging it myself for the last year.

On another note though, my parents have a 91 LS, and their A/C just stopped working today. All of their refridgerant ran out at the low-side fitting. What is involved in replacing this? Can you just get a new fitting or do you have to replace that hole section of line?