Patsum

Hey everyone

I have a 98 LS and with temps outside at 94-96 degrees F with 50-70% humidity my a/c doesn't work too well. the air is cool is if keep the fan on low or med with recirc on but any higher fan speed and using outside air, it's pretty sad. My 1991 LS400 with R134 conversion got WAY cooler than this car does.

Can you measure the vent temp of your center vents on Highest fan speed with recirc and then without recirc on?

Please share your results and the ambient temperatures

An example response is
94 degrees F ambient - 65% humidity
Vent temp with recirc - XX degrees
Vent temp without recirc XX degrees

thank you all for your help, I want to see if I am within normal range before spending any money on repairs

My system is fully charged with freon, that was already checked. It is not overcharged either or air bubbles.

cobalt91

Check t make sure the condenser in front of the radiator is not blocked by debris. Look at both sides of it. I had a ton of garbage in mine.

Patsum

How hard is it to get to that? I may just end up paying someone to do it...

Also, wouldn't debris block airflow or just the air would go around and not cool down through the condensor?

There is no reduced air flow, just the air in not very cold at higher fan speeds. But if it wouldn't reduce air flow then this would make sense

When I bought the car, the idiot before me didn't have a cabin air filter in it at all and the blower motor squirrel cage was so full of junk that it barely worked. I cleaned that out and put in an air filter but that probably means the condensor is chock full of debris and trash.

Patsum

sorry. you meant the condensor and I meant the evaporator.

Could my evaporator be clogged with many years of being run without a cabin air filter?

My condenser has no debris in it

Kansas

It was 100 degrees when I left work at 4:30 pm CDT today in Kansas City in my similar 2000 LS400. My car had been sitting in the sun all day. I don't know if it being white, having 35% window tint and using a reflective windshield sunshade helps that much but within the first mile of my mostly interstate 10 mile drive home, the interior of my car was downright cold.

There is a detailed diagnostic procedure in the repair manuals. Has this been followed?

RA40

iTrader: (6)

Took me a bit to get back to this but I'll tell you what our '97 does:

I don't trust the accuracy of the dial gauge thought it reads 34F inside the vent. The Fluke Mini IR reads 36-40F off the vent plastic fins at 2" away.

91F- 56% humidity
With recirc - 36F
Without recirc 38F
After the car has been driven for a couple miles.

Initial start-up with a car cabin temp 110-120F the initial blow is about 86F but drops into the 40's within 3 minutes depending how long it has been out in the sun. Like Kansas it can get the interior of the car pretty cool.

Sick03L

IR temp gun I get 38* inside the vent in 95* and 75% humidity on rec. Car does not feel as cold as my gs400. My LS sucks in the feel comparison.