AC help, taking a long time to get cold in very hot temps

[bhsdriller]

Looks like you have it all nailed down, but some additional tips from Phoenix;

It gets super hot here also but those first two would get your car stolen

 

[LongDuck]

Hey, at least the car thieves would be comfortable, right?!?

 

[DirtyPepper]

Looks like you have it all nailed down, but some additional tips from Phoenix;

1) tilt your sunroof and open the slider about an inch. This let's out some hot air which will rise to the roof interior.
B) lower your side windows about an inch to promote cross-flow with any breeze. This helps to prevent storage of superheated air inside the vehicle.
III) park under a tree, or otherwise park further out where there is some / any shade at all. Here in Phoenix, it's not about proximity to the front door, it's about shade where you parked.
Four) everybody has a Heat Shield on the front, and tinted windows everywhere else. Anybody who doesn't has out of state plates...
5) get in the habit of rolling ALL of your windows down when you first get in and start driving. This evacuated the super heated air and let's your AC work a little easier, arguably.
F) get a spray bottle and fill it with alcohol. When you first get into your LandCruiser, give the interior air a spritz or two or twenty. The heat in the air will be reduced by having to vaporize the tiny droplets of alcohol, thereby dropping the air temp almost instantly.
Seven) paint your LandCruiser white. There's a reason why the Phoenix guys claim white is the official color of 80s in this state!

As someone who grew up in and lived in Phoenix from 1985-2006...all of this. Yes.
Even after moving to Portland, I still treat the summer sun the same way I did in Phoenix...park in the shade, roll the windows down for the first few minutes, etc.

granted, it's not AS hot, but it gets really warm with the added humidity.

 

[BostonCruiser96]

Chiming in from Boston. With this current heat wave, AC blows cold on start-up out of our garage, and out of the garage where my wife parks our (black) 96 for work. Upon leaving either garage, that ice-cold AC struggles to keep cool in the sun. Still blows cold. but not as cold. We got a new Denso condenser a year ago, and the whole system recharged at the same time of course. Any tips? Fan Clutch mod?

 

[CharlieS]

Open the windows, let the hot air out, give the system a chance.

 

[wileetoyote]

29 years in Phx, all true and great tips although I never misted the inside of my LC. I do have 3 window shades to block out the windshield and both side windows. I'd also walk pretty far if I can find tree shade. When I play golf, I'll strategically park in the sunny spot if I can predict in 4 hrs, it'll be in shade.

10 minutes to cool down is actually pretty good for a heat-soaked LC... mine would usually cool down when I reach my destination and then same thing heading back... :-(

 

[BostonCruiser96]

Open the windows, let the hot air out, give the system a chance.

I was clocking water temps of 196* (normal) at spikes to 206* (abnormal). With these high-heat spurts, I'm leaning toward putting the blue clutch mod to the test.

 

[oilbrnr]

This thread makes me think it’s about this time every year I think about adding an aux fan up front.

Then summer passes and I forget.

That said, with a front sunshade and window tint, I don’t think it is that bad (113* today). Mid/East coast hot is different tho.

 

[Mrtwooooo]

I was clocking water temps of 196* (normal) at spikes to 206* (abnormal). With these high-heat spurts, I'm leaning toward putting the blue clutch mod to the test.

How is your window tint? I feel like once these ceramic tints came out it really changed how much heat simple window tint can block.

Like it said in a previous post.. a super dark, dyed window tint doesn't block nearly the amount of heat as a clear ceramic tint can.

I know a lot of 80 series owners probably put tint on the front two windows and don't worry about any of the rear windows because they already have some kind of factory tinting in the glass. My suggestion is to put a clear ceramic tint on all of the back windows. Not with the goal to make the windows any darker but to just mainly block heat transmission through the glass. Mainly do anything you can to help block heat coming into the cab.

Also look into putting some kind of radiant barrier under the floor on the passenger side to keep heat out of the cab that's coming off the exhaust.