I repaired leak on refrigerant pipe without visit on service.

I replaced 2 metres of aluminium pipe on the rear.


Below a little hole on pipe.


At first we need to disassembly trunk interior. We need to put up rubber "chimney" on pipes to get better access.


Then we need to unscrew pipe. After this operation we need to use new o-rings.
Nr OEM: 90099-14120, 90099-14119 - on both pipes.


To remove old pipe I cut it in couple of places.


Now it is time to connect new pipe with old one. Because special tool cost about 400$, I prepared my own tool from small vise. Cost about 12$. Tests before operation gave me results that it is possible to tight lokring by this small vise.


So during pipe replacement operation there were no problems to connect pipes.


At first I used special spring to bend pipe, but this spring is not neccesary to properly bend pipes.



I painted pipe spray for aluminium and mounted on car.

Exit from trunk:


Above rear suspension:


On the left from rear suspension.


Near fuel tank.


And it get out on the front of fuel tank.


Old pipe and new one:


Connected pipes.



I also painted old pipe.



After all I used vacuum pump to get a vacuum on air condition and refilled with R134.

Total cost:
12$ vise
50$ 2m of pipe, 4 lokring, lokprep
5$ spring to bend pipe
10$ refilling R134 (my brother have machine to refilling air condition so I pay only for R134)

Total time about 4-5h and about 1h to prepare vise.

 

Nice job. This is on a UL with the rear AC?

 

Yes, exactly. UL with rear air condition.

 

Nice work, and boy am I glad I don't have rear AC. What a nightmare to fix this.

Our family's other Lexus GX has rear AC and it has a really small leak most likely in the area of the rear evaporator. I just don't have the proper tools or training for AC work and the Lexus dealer said it would cost a fortune to repair so we just top it off.

 

I don't believe it is common to have issues with the rear AC. I don't see it on the forums. It does work great. The built-in air purifier combined with the 2nd cabin filter does wonders keeping the cabin pollen and fume free. By far the best I have experienced. Those in climates with snow and salted roads are prone to more issue with rust and deterioration of high pressure lines.

 

You are right. The root cause is salt from road. Aluminium reacts with oxygen in presence of water and salt.

In the other circumstances, for example when car is using in warm climate, the reason of refrigerant leak could be mechanical damages or previous repair.

 

I had this same problem with my 2002, back in 2013, at 112811km. Car has always been driven in snowy/salted roads every winter.

I wanted to stop leaking refrigerant into the environment, so I decided against periodic top-ups. Lexus dealership inspection+repair was $1500CAD: 1.3hrs to inspect, 7 hours to repair, PAG46 A/C compressor oil was added to extend compressor life, along with the specified quantity of refrigerant for the dual-AC system.

Dealership invoiced part numbers, description, quantity, and unit cost (in $CAD):
88718-50190 CLAMP 2 $8.30
90099-00259 SCREW 3 $1.00
88718-50440 CLAMP 1 $11.10
88718-50280 CLAMP 1 $8.30
88716-50521 TUBE 1 $348.60
90119-08931 BOLT, W/WASHER 2 $2.10
90069-08007 RING,O 2 $5.80

 

I also add A/C compressor oil. The capacity of empty air condition system with rear A/C is about 900+-50g of R-134a.

 

Net update
I add DRL module based on PWM to have automatically ligths. After engine start DRL is lightening. Module fit to relay box perfectly






Movie how IT works on switch auto position.

I albo replaced smog sensor filter :

 

I recently purchased a UL from Atlanta and drove it up to the NorthEast. What type of protective spray should I apply to this AC line?

 

before you think of doing that, think of scrubbing any existing salt from them before entombing any existing salt particles with 'protective' spray

 

Fluidfilm is the best protective spray to use