Rear AC Leak. Green liquid on line near passenger side wheel

[Mike NXP]

Can anyone ID what I am looking at here? This is my AC line for the rear system right?

I thought it was filled with gas/refrigerant, even if someone added dye, isn't it like a UV dye that I wouldn't be able to see? Sniff test yielded some sort of chemical smell that I just can't figure out.

First noticed a bit of this on the gravel below truck after sitting for 1-2 weeks


02 cruiser. I've owner it for 7+ years. AC system works fine and no dye has ever been added on my watch.... I haven't tested the rear yet this season. That's next on the list.

 

[vipergrhd]

That is an A/C dye for sure, I have a bottle for R134 that i use to add to unit that possibly have a leak. I bet it's leaking at the connector, pop the plastic cover and see.
Even if you never added any someone before you must have done it, the only way to rid of it is flush the entire A/C system the good is it will locate any leaks you have.

 

[Mike NXP]

That is an A/C dye for sure, I have a bottle for R134 that i use to add to unit that possibly have a leak. I bet it's leaking at the connector, pop the plastic cover and see.
Even if you never added any someone before you must have done it, the only way to rid of it is flush the entire A/C system the good is it will locate any leaks you have.

Thinking back to my power steering rack swap at the dealer , they moved the AC out of the way and discharged / recharged the system . Prob had dye in it.

Ive been wanting to remove that little line protector for a while now to clean it all out since it holds mud, guess I waited too long.

im doing my gear box service today but will pop the cover and check it out .AC still blows cold for now.


So, does anyone know if the rear AC is a separate system from the front ? That will allow me to gauge on how long I can put this off for . I need front AC but can live without the rear

 

[vipergrhd]

Thinking back to my power steering rack swap at the dealer , they moved the AC out of the way and discharged / recharged the system . Prob had dye in it.

Ive been wanting to remove that little line protector for a while now to clean it all out since it holds mud, guess I waited too long.

im doing my gear box service today but will pop the cover and check it out .AC still blows cold for now.


So, does anyone know if the rear AC is a separate system from the front ? That will allow me to gauge on how long I can put this off for . I need front AC but can live without the rear

Bingo! Shop HVAC machines are most likely full of dye. I worked for several dealers and mom/pop shops and the machines are rarely serviced unless something breaks down or needs a new filter for the recycling system.
Your A/C runs on a single unit compressor and the lines to the rear are teed in with the front unit, they add more refrigerant to compensate for the unit in the back. You do have an Evaporator and Expansion valve for the rear unit to make it cool back there.

 

[Mike NXP]

Thanks for the info.

Anyone out there replace these lines? I'm going to drop it off at the mechanic but they suggested I just cap it off and delete the rear AC.
** I really don't want to go that route since my dog and cooler ride in the back full time and then we also sleep back there. I have a divider between the front and rear so climate control back there is ideal.

The rest of the line doesn't seem to be too rotted away and I always make sure to wash out the mud and gunk from the lines in the rear area where they go into the truck. The mechanics logic was I may fix this and then another part of the line may rot away next, but idk....

I haven't had a chance to look up parts pricing or inspect the damage much closer yet but I will soon

 

[Rhetoric]

Thanks for the info.

Anyone out there replace these lines? I'm going to drop it off at the mechanic but they suggested I just cap it off and delete the rear AC. Depending on the cost I may go that route but I really like my rear AC.

The rest of the line doesn't seem to be too rotted away. The mechanics logic was I may fix this and then another part of the line may rot away next.

I haven't had a chance to look up parts pricing or inspect the damage much closer yet but I will soon

The “mechanic suggestions” I hear about these trucks are just “lazy suggestions”. Sure, more things can break. Thats life. But that wreaks of lazy to me.

“AHC seems scary. Delete it.”
“A/C broke? Cap and delete.”

The longevity of these trucks makes me want to invest in it and keep things working proper. Confusing idea to mechanics.

 

[Mike NXP]

Kind of tough making sense of parts for these lines, I think this is the diagram I need below. I believe that is the little dust shield being shown so this is my best guess.
>>Under the electrical category in Partsouq.

 

[Mike NXP]

The “mechanic suggestions” I hear about these trucks are just “lazy suggestions”. Sure, more things can break. Thats life. But that wreaks of lazy to me.

“AHC seems scary. Delete it.”
“A/C broke? Cap and delete.”

The longevity of these trucks makes me want to invest in it and keep things working proper. Confusing idea to mechanics.

I agree but also in their defense, they are land cruiser folks and seemingly would be looking out for my best interest but who knows.... I hear you, it seems to be worth fixing. I'm trying to make sense of parts now

 

[Rhetoric]

I agree but also in their defense, they are land cruiser folks and seemingly would be looking out for my best interest but who knows.... I hear you, it seems to be worth fixing. I'm trying to make sense of parts now

Even my trusted mechanic has said these things to me. And he is excellent. But unless rust destroys everything I will be doing repairs as needed.

Still cheaper than finding a newer vehicle!

I do think people have done flexible hose as an easier / cheaper repair.

 

[Mike NXP]

Even my trusted mechanic has said these things to me. And he is excellent. But unless rust destroys everything I will be doing repairs as needed.

Still cheaper than finding a newer vehicle!

I do think people have done flexible hose as an easier / cheaper repair.

OK good call, I'm now feeling better about getting it fixed again and not giving up on it.

I'm kicking myself a bit because 'remove and clean behind debris shield' has been on my cruiser to-do list for many months now and I've been putting it off. Sure enough I'm now paying the price.

 

[Mike NXP]

Relevant thread with good info and part numbers. Seems like a 50/50 split between folks who just cap it off and others who get it all done. I need to get down there and remove that dust shield to see what I'm up against.
replacing rear ac lines- 100 series suggestions and observations - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/replacing-rear-ac-lines-100-series-suggestions-and-observations.812405/page-3

 

[kevgentile]

I've been deep into the rear a/c system so can offer some feedback as you go along.
Since the photo only shows the rear shield you'll need to pull it and get up under the to trace the cause of the leak.

I deleted my entire system since I don't use any a/c, even up front, and I want to utilize the space for the rear evap box for some auxiliary heating and batteries. I can say that replacing most of those lines for the rear system will be a bear since they run up over the rear subframe assembly and this is why it is so often recommended to cap it. It can get very labor intensive if oem parts are used for the repairs. As mentioned, some resort to and aftermarket solution to repair the lines. I had to cut most of the lines out since I didn't want to drop the rear suspension and I wasn't going to be needing the a/c lines.

Also, I found that a lot of the fittings of the system were severely seized and because they are aluminum they'll often just twist when trying to free them up. The threaded ends are dissimilar metals, male side is aluminum and the female is steel. My chassis is very rust free but the lines would not free up in some sections.

 

[Mike NXP]

I've been deep into the rear a/c system so can offer some feedback as you go along.
Since the photo only shows the rear shield you'll need to pull it and get up under the to trace the cause of the leak.

I deleted my entire system since I don't use any a/c, even up front, and I want to utilize the space for the rear evap box for some auxiliary heating and batteries. I can say that replacing most of those lines for the rear system will be a bear since they run up over the rear subframe assembly and this is why it is so often recommended to cap it. It can get very labor intensive if oem parts are used for the repairs. As mentioned, some resort to and aftermarket solution to repair the lines. I had to cut most of the lines out since I didn't want to drop the rear suspension and I wasn't going to be needing the a/c lines.

Also, I found that a lot of the fittings of the system were severely seized and because they are aluminum they'll often just twist when trying to free them up. The threaded ends are dissimilar metals, male side is aluminum and the female is steel. My chassis is very rust free but the lines would not free up in some sections.

Thanks for sharing that, ugh OK I can totally see how replacing it all can go south and get pretty spendy quickly. I'm starting to research threads and like you mentioned I am now learning that line goes quite a ways and all of the brackets / hardware could be s***ty...

Based on the parts diagram I posted I thought it was just going to be a small piece that could be replaced but that may not be the right diagram.

OK next step, remove the cover and get a closer look.

 

[Mike NXP]

Shoot, local mechanic quoted me $1500 in parts + 500 in labor to replace lines for rear AC. I opt'd to delete the lines for $300.

Maybe I could chase down and order parts for cheaper. It's a bit depressing but I think I will most likely get over it and not miss the rear AC...

 

[crimsonaudio]

Thanks for the info.

Anyone out there replace these lines? I'm going to drop it off at the mechanic but they suggested I just cap it off and delete the rear AC.
** I really don't want to go that route since my dog and cooler ride in the back full time and then we also sleep back there. I have a divider between the front and rear so climate control back there is ideal.

The rest of the line doesn't seem to be too rotted away and I always make sure to wash out the mud and gunk from the lines in the rear area where they go into the truck. The mechanics logic was I may fix this and then another part of the line may rot away next, but idk....

I haven't had a chance to look up parts pricing or inspect the damage much closer yet but I will soon

My rear lines were completely rusted out, ended up paying ~$2,600 to have it repaired, but haven't regretted that decision once since. When it's hot it cools the cabin down quicker and when I have passengers they appreciate it.

Really comes down to how much you're willing to compromise. For me, it was worth the (relatively) inexpensive repair to make sure the truck works as intended.

 

[jademica100]

I had the same issue and ended up capping off and deleting the rear ac. If I had the chance to do it again I would have tried to patch/fix the section that was leaking first and see how that went before deleting it. Especially since the leaking part was easily visible and accessible.

It def sucks having to have the ac on full blast so the passengers in the second row can feel it. Not to mention that the groceries in the way back can't make it too long when it's really hot out.