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Q: When I turn on the A/C, it blows
hot air. What's wrong?
A: The common cause for no cold air is because there
is no pressure in the system, therefore, there is no freon
in the system. This means there is a leak. The first thing
that must be done is to find the SOURCE of the leak. You can
assume the expansion valve is the immediate problem (Toyota
expansion valves are not rock-solid and are very prone to
failure). But you don't want to spend the money for someone
to rip apart the evaporator core and find out the expansion
valve is fine. The leak can be from a faulty O-ring, too.
There are many connections in the A/C lines. Some places will
have a freon sniffer to sniff any traces of freon leaking.
Other techniques can be used to find leaks.
Q: Does my car fall under the recall?
A: Maybe. The recall (aka. service campaign) applied
for only certain Celicas with speicific VIN's. Not all Celicas
were under the recall. Believe me, if I had the VIN list,
I'd post it. But it's been a long time back since I had it.
For the meantime, call up a few dealerships to see if they
honor the service campaign. Don't gripe if your car doesn't
fall under the campaign. Chances are, it could've been serviced
by the previous owner.
Q: What does it mean when my A/C light
is flashing?
A: It means the compressor is spinning SLOWER than
the engine. If the compressor is spinner slower than the engine,
it can mean two things:
1. the compressor is seizing up
OR
2. the belt is slipping
If the A/C light flashes all the time, this means that the
compressor is on it's last leg. It's a good idea to replace
it with a rebuilt compressor. Causes for the compressor to
seize include lack of lubrication. If the belt is slipping,
make sure that there is enough tension. The alternator shares
the same belt with the A/C. Tension the belt using the alternator
pulley.
Q: Should I convert to R-134a, stick with R-12, or
use an R-12 substitute?
A: This is a difficult question for me to answer since
I am considering a conversion of some sort. I will tell you
that finding R-12 right now is very hard, and R-12 freon is
VERY expensive. Some people have had no problems with using
an R-12 substitute (ie. R-406a). Toyota dealerships I have
seen use an R-12 substitute they label ICE-32 (or so I can
recall). These seem to work well, but they may have inherent
dangers I have yet to hear. There are some A/C companies that
do not recommend R-406a. The more appropriate job is the R-134a
conversion. This is the safer altnerative, although, not always
the working one. Some people have done this conversion bearing
NO PROBLEMS in the future. The conversions I've seen had problems,
mostly due to the rebuilt compressor (coils burning out).
When doing this conversion, make sure to change out the drier/receiver
and try to flush out as much of the old refridgerant oil as
possible. Be sure that the compressor is in tip-top condition.
You cannot use a compressor (designed for R-134a) from a '94-'99
Celica or '92-'95 Camry because they do not have the appropriate
hose fittings to the compressor!
I hope this helps with the A/C questions.
There are more to cover, but this is the basic stuff that's
been posted.
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