When 80 AC actually works, what is it like? (1 Viewer)

[canman]

For the NA spec vehicles, make sure the long evap/suction line to compressor is insulated. You can probably do a better job than when it left the factory. It’s right beside the exhaust, and that extra heat will be absorbed by the hose and thus refrigerant which will equate into higher refrigerant temps which means higher air temps exiting the evap. Could be as much as a 5 deg delta. I also noticed that in prolonged stop and go highway traffic at “high” ambient temps (35-37C), my coolant temps (using a scan gauge) were getting too high, so I would shut the a/c off when you most needed it. The aux condenser fan is a must in such situations.

 

[spazzyfry123]

So you mean to tell me you haven’t experienced the testicle chiller vent below your steering wheel on a hot summer’s day?

 

[Francis K]

I know your pain

The AC in my old LX450 didn't work for 16 out of the 18 years I owned it, as soon as I turned on the AC in my current 80 on the test drive.....and it worked....

Sold

 

[ChaseTruck]

Something is wrong. AC is one thing toyota knows how to do. It should give you frost bite on your ears after a while.

Hm. When the GX470 is in service at Lexus Scottsdale (AZ), we get a loaner car. Usually a new RX. On each and every one of them over the last few years, the A/C was utterly lame. No comparison to our LX450, which will try to freeze your hands to the steering wheel (unfortunately, we don't know what makes this one so good). Even the '93 80, where I did the A/C myself, seemed to be doing better than those loaner cars. And I've heard AZ folks complain about the A/C on their 200s.

 

[sunrk]

Never had the AC working. For the last 11 yrs summers have been with windows wound down for 'AC'.

 

[DSRTRDR]

hubby @ChaseTruck is correct: our LX will freeze your hands off even in over 110 degrees in the Arizona summer heat - our '93 80 is just a tad behind - both trucks have juiced-up blue fan clutches from Amazon: 25K fluid in the LX, 35K in the 80 - the 80 has the better-cooling TYC radiator, the LX still has the OEM radiator that went in new in 2018 - the spacing of fan distance to the radiator and the geometry of positioning in the OEM shroud is ever so slightly different on both

side-by-side on Arizona trails in the summer heat, the LX runs ~10 degrees hotter on the radiator fluid but Ice cold on the A/C (sorta around 193 on flat highway, holding at 206 on prolonged inclines), while the 80 runs 10 degrees colder in the same conditions but with a lamer A/C - even though the A/C compressor on the 80 is much newer (maybe original on the LX for all I know), and both trucks run 134a for A/C refrigerant

A/Cs on our RX and the GXs work fine, but not as cold as the 80 series

the LX450h loaner vehicles I got several times in the past two years from the Lexus dealer were total doozies when it comes to A/C, even with the Eco modes off on both the motor and the A/C - our Lexus Service advisor also admitted they are not suitable for the Arizona summer climate and he's had lots of complaints

 

[ozarkmud]

I refilled my R134A system and it'd leak out slowly. I ended up topping off with a propane/isobutane mix (that I used successfully on a R12 Toyota A/C), which I know is very, very frowned upon to mix refrigerant types. But, the leak seemed to stop (or slow down) and it works better.

It seems to work well, though I don't know about your 40C days. I'm guessing it's well engineered and adequate.

 

[ChaseTruck]

Never had the AC working. For the last 11 yrs summers have been with windows wound down for 'AC'.

That’s the A/C in the FJ40, although the bikini top on ours gives it an unfair advantage.

 

[sunrk]

My key issues is that I've got to pull the entire dash out in order to replace the airbox assembly which is not *directly* AC related but pointless trying to get AC sorted if I don't also deal with the airbox. It's got the airmix damper broken somewhere in side the airbox assy.

Taking out the dash entirely is a very big job.

 

[NateFZJ80]

My 80 has 'single dealer opt' AC but it's never worked in the time I've had it (since mid 2011). Curious how much OEM stuff for 80 AC is still available? I dunno if LHD vs RHD has much commonality, or even petrol vs diesel, or Oz vs USA.

I have a brand new AC evap assembly (Australian made Denso product oldstock) in a box, and in another box a full spare (used) airbox assembly, and somewhere I have new genuine AC idle-up vacuum switch and a high-temp AC cutout, but I have not tracked down a new condensor or tried to get a new compressor.

for me, AC means winding down the windows on a 40 deg C + summer day.

My AC in my 94 blows nice and cold, everything works amazing. That was after replacing almost every single AC part though