Hi:
Anybody knows what type of refrigerant used in a 1997 4 Runner?
I saw a label in the engine compartment that says use HFC134a.
Is this the same as R134a? If they are different, can they be mixed?


Thanks,

 

same thing

 

From a Google search:

"Production of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) has been phased out. Environmentally acceptable replacement compounds are therefore needed for use in existing medium and low temperature refrigeration applications. Refrigerant R134a or HFC-134a was developed to meet these needs. Refrigerant R134a or HFC-134a is a commercially available hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerant for use as a long-term replacement for R-12 in new equipment and for retrofitting medium temperature CFC-12 systems."

 

well now, that answers that question....

 

Uh, what I think that they're saying jim628 is that, "yes", they are interchangable, although it is always a good idea to have a system completely vacuumed down before you recharge it.
Happy cooling.

 

Related question: my 1996 5VZ-FE is of course equipped with an R134a compressor, and the 87 4Runner it lives in is not R134a. So I changed the drier, and the hoses are custom with an R134a low side port. Found a shop that will evacuate and charge affordably, but he mentioned I need to swap the orifice a.k.a. expansion tube. This is the first I've heard of that, and I asked around, so.... is this true? Where is said beast?

You might have gathered I'm a newbie at AC...

 

I'm not sure where the orifice tube is, but here is my experience in the retrofit. On both my 85 Xtracab and 86 Camry I swapped to the R134 using a kit available at most auto part stores. It came with a gauge, new fittings to screw onto the shreader valves, and two premixed (oil & refridgerant) cans. Both systems were empty. I simply charged until the gauge indicated the systems were full. Both worked very well after the retrofit. They say the cooling will only be 80% of when it ran on R12. The Camry must have a small leak as each summer i need to add another can of 134.

toyo22r

 

You didn't evacuate the system toa vacuum first?

 

Both systems were empty. I know your supposed to draw down a vacuum first, but i didnt have access to a vacuum pump at the time so i thought i would give it a shot. It worked on the Camry, so i did the Truck the same way.

 

I have a '97 4Runner and recently charged my A/C. The '97 has the fitting for the R134a. I bought one of those charging cans with a gauge. Look under your hood, behind the grill. You will see a cap with an "H" on it and the tubes attached to the cylinder on the left. The Cylinder has a glass window on it. The "H" is the high pressure side of the a/c line. DON'T CHARGE IT THERE. Walk over to the the passenger side and look near the firewall. You will see a cap with an "L" on it. That is where you connect the charging can. Follow the directions on the can. When finished, run the a/c on high for 15 minutes. Look into the cylinder with a glass window. You should see bubbles there.

On a side note. I've noticed that when I turn on my a/c and then turn it off and just run the fan, I smell mildewy air. So, I asked a local mechanic about a/c treatment and he told me that they drill a hole in the evaporator and then pump this chemical compound in there and it kills everything in there. They then turn the heater on high to 'dry' everyting. He said it works, but not for long. That gave me an idea. Why can't I just turn on the heater for say, 30 minutes to kill everything in the vents and stuff? Well, I did and guess what? It worked!!! No more mildew smell! So, now, whenever the smell would come back, I turn the heater for 30-45 min while driving and that action takes care of the smell. So far, I've gone 4 months without smelling mildew stuff.

 

You should have had the AC system vacced down and then you would not have had to worry about the smell as all of the impurities would have been removed from the system.

 

Well, I was being cheap for the moment. I will eventually get it done in a couple of months.

 

In terms of the mildewy smell, make sure you turn off the A/C switch but leave the fan running a few minutes before you reach your destination. This will prevent the evaporator having that smell.
I recenly vacced out my R12 system in my 4Runner. It had a slight smell, not much, but once it was vaccumed and converted to R134, it was just like new.

 

For the mildew smell all dealerships are supposed to follow the guidelines recommended by EPA. You treat the bacteria with a special goey liquid for an hour then we have to put in a "fan" and hook it up to some power supply and it stays in the vehicle permenantly. *Note* I have NOT done this myself yet on a customer's vehicle but my dealership required me to take the class on it and at school we had to take a course on the same subject. So I'm not an expert on this.
Also you it's illegal to knowingly have a refrigerant leak so I would not post something like that on a public forum.