Dumb A/C question.

[MissahPapaJ]

When recharging the A/C system on my 96 80 there are 3 ports and one high side is on top of the compressor the low is obviously the smaller one then there is another larger port that points forward and down towards the front of the car. Which ones do I charge from? I’ve done hundreds of A/C recharges and never seen a 3 port system WTF Toyota not sure what this is all about.

 

[Fj80oregon]

I charge from the 2 line ports.

 

[MissahPapaJ]

I charge from the 2 line ports.

Any danger charging from the compressor port? By asking this question assume I already did when I initially looked at it there was caps on the compressor port and a cap for the low side but not off of the line ( I suppose the other High side sized port ) so I was like that one either fell off due to age and location and looked dirty and unused. So I charged from the one with the existing caps prob a mistake cause I charged from there and I’m thinking the compressor was pissed form all the refrigerant I stuffed into it cause the clutch woke up pissed and was howling so I turned off the A/C and evacuated it. But I want back to recharge off of the line port and now I can’t pull a vacuum on the system may have fudged this one up. I’ve never seen something with three ports so I guess I should’ve done more homework before going western on it. Usually Toyota makes things fairly idiot proof but I guess they didn’t know there’s people like me in this world.

 

[vipergrhd]

Unless you have a machine for charging always charge from the low side port, now for the 3rd port it could be high or low it could be a factory charging port very few cars have three ports and you can only use two. Could you post pics of the location of the ports? Are you using an HVAC machine?

 

[MissahPapaJ]

Unless you have a machine for charging always charge from the low side port, now for the 3rd port it could be high or low it could be a factory charging port very few cars have three ports and you can only use two. Could you post pics of the location of the ports? Are you using an HVAC machine?

Blue cap was added for clarity, but usually I don’t give a darn if my vehicle has A/C but my 9yo isn’t cut from the same cloth as I am so I thought it would be nice for her. The H and L caps were on there when I bought the whip and I added the blue cap after I put the system in a vacuum and found the low side schrader valve wasn’t holding in vacuum after low side was removed to inject dye in case of another leak. I’m positive this system hasn’t been active for about 5 years so I took preventive actions and heard vacuum coming from the low port. I got new schrader valves for all three ports and haphazardly decided to charge from the two existing H / L port cap locations. The blue cap was added with the valve kits to keep dirt out. I charged from the two grey caps and lit up the system after charging and the A/C compressor clutch was all kinds of pissed off so I killed it and evacuated the system and after that tried to recharge from the low port and the blue port but now the A/C machine says the system won’t hold vacuum. So I’m wondering if I FUBRed the system but either way it looks like both H ports go to the same spot.

 

[Marvelicious]

... usually I don’t give a darn if my vehicle has A/C ...

At this point in my life, I'm more willing to compromise on fuel than A/C, as in: "Without A/C, I'm not going anywhere anyway!"

 

[MissahPapaJ]

At this point in my life, I'm more willing to compromise on fuel than A/C, as in: "Without A/C, I'm not going anywhere anyway!"

I’ve lived between southern UT and Central CA my whole life so the A/C always started to work when the windows were down and 40mph was achieved plus I work in a corrugated shop working on hot vehicles all day I’m not sensitive to heat. This was more of a pipe dream to make my daughter and wife comfortable in the cruisy but they may go wanting

 

[Marvelicious]

I'm a bit too nordic for that. If it weren't for foggy windows, I could get by without a heater. I'm also not crazy about the noise from rolling the windows down. I suppose if I wore earplugs while driving like I do on a motorcycle, it'd be fine.

I will say, the FSM chapter on the A/C system is pretty informative.

 

[Fj80oregon]

Not sure if you’re using gauges? But this is a solid video. I’m assuming if your pulling vacuum that this isn’t your first rodeo!

 

[MissahPapaJ]

Not sure if you’re using gauges? But this is a solid video. I’m assuming if your pulling vacuum that this isn’t your first rodeo!

Ya I have a ecotechnic R134 / R1234YF machine but I’ve never seen a 3 port system ever. If you see the picture above I charged from the two grey cap ports and you suggested I should have charged from the low side and the other port with the blue cap. When I lit the system up after charging the clutch was pissed so I was wondering if I did something wrong by changing from the other port ( it was slightly more accessible ) or maybe the compressor was just goosed anyways I’m doubting it’s been in service for years or I just made a hella rookie mistake but I didn’t have extra time trouble shooting after working 8 1/2 hours straight in 90 degree heat yesterday.

 

[Fj80oregon]

Ya I have a ecotechnic R134 / R1234YF machine but I’ve never seen a 3 port system ever. If you see the picture above I charged from the two grey cap ports and you suggested I should have charged from the low side and the other port with the blue cap. When I lit the system up after charging the clutch was pissed so I was wondering if I did something wrong by changing from the other port ( it was slightly more accessible ) or maybe the compressor was just goosed anyways I’m doubting it’s been in service for years or I just made a hella rookie mistake but I didn’t have extra time trouble shooting after working 8 1/2 hours straight in 90 degree heat yesterday.

Your clutch could be smoked? I just replaced my compressor with a new denso because my clutch went out. I have always used the hose lines not sure it would make much difference. Maybe that’s why the system wasn’t charged because the compressor/clutch was faulty.

 

[MissahPapaJ]

Your clutch could be smoked? I just replaced my compressor with a new denso because my clutch went out. I have always used the hose lines not sure it would make much difference. Maybe that’s why the system wasn’t charged because the compressor/clutch was faulty.

Could be the compressor was howling after the recharge. But the day prior after work I tossed it into a vacuum and after a 30 min soak I pulled off the low side to inject dye into it and heard hissing so I ordered two new schrader kits to seal off the three ports just in case then recharged the system then the compressor clutch was instantly pissed when I turned on the system, so I shut it off and evacuated the system. Wasn’t sure if by charging from the port on the top plate caused the compressor to not be able to pump the refrigerant and that’s what caused to clutch the scream bloody murder. I’m kinda just going through the diagnostic process at this point and wasn’t sure if I made a whoopsidoodle by changing in a bad spot. Over the 20 years of working on vehicles I’ve never had a 80 roll through the shop.. 40-60-100-200 series just not 80’s so I’m a little less familiar and the three ports had me confused but the two caps that were still installed is where I assumed were the ones to charge from.