How to Correctly Recharge/Refill Vehicle AC System with R134a EASY! Toyota 80 Series Land Cruiser

Today I'll show how easy it is to properly recharge the Air Conditioning system on a R134a Car, Truck or SUV. I purchased all items used at regular price, there are so sponsors in this video.
Items used in this video:
3-pack R134a Self Sealing Cans: amzn.to/3Pu06gh
6-pack R134a Self Sealing Cans: amzn.to/3SH7p6N
R134a Can Tap Set: amzn.to/3zNnsHF
Vacuum Pump + Gauge Set: amzn.to/3JHYpKN
Stop Leak for R134a: amzn.to/3QDeFiy
AC Dye Detection UV Light: amzn.to/3JMBoX5
Land Cruiser Factory Repair Manual: amzn.to/3SHcDQg
MPa to PSI Calculator: www.unitconverters.net/pressu...
Here's a video showing all the parts of a Toyota AC System: • Parts needed to instal...
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6thGearGarage

[@ronniejarvis2679]

Very helpful video. Thank you for sharing your knowledge

[@BrendanG10]

Thank you. This worked terrific on my 1995 FZJ80. Really appreciate the step by step as I installed a new compressor and needed a refresher. Cheers!

[@6thGearGarage]

Glad it helped!!

[@Nilezy]

Great job on the recharge of the A/C system. I suggest you change the top tank of your radiator as the color discolouration means the plastic is breaking down and it will soon develop a split, usually on a road trip on a hot day which will mean being stranded or worse, overheating the motor!

[@6thGearGarage]

Thanks for explaining that! I hadn't heard of that before and after some searching, I found that when they start to turn brown is when they get brittle. Looks like I'll be doing a cooling system overhaul soon!

[@willtoraason1833]

Thanks so much for this. '93 FZJ80 VXL, this really helped me understand what's going on with the AC system. By the way, mine is R114. I think the R12 switch happened mid year in the '93 model year.

[@6thGearGarage]

Glad it helped!

[@osrr6422]

I'm sorry, a COOLER CONSOLE? Thats freakin cool! (despite the maintenance downside)

[@6thGearGarage]

It makes ice cubes too, although with gas prices, it's probably cheaper to just go buy a bag of ice: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nHjIZKmwjbqKbac

[@k.c.8548]

Any videos/suggestions on converting from R12 to R134? I have a 91 80 series but have heard the upgrade is worth it

[@6thGearGarage]

I haven't done it.There are R12 to R134a conversion fittings, but before adding R134a and PAG oil, all the R12 and all the mineral oil must be evacuated from the system, because they aren't compatible. This will need to be done by a shop with the proper evacuation equipment.

[@airselectricalcontractors842]

great vid - will stop leak fix leaks on the high and low on compressor or you should change o rings ????

[@6thGearGarage]

If the O-rings are leaking and you can access them, I would just change them and know that the job is done right. The problem with this vehicle having the center console icemaker and additional rear ac unit is that there are ac lines running the full length of the vehicle through the body. So stop leak was easier for me than finding and replacing a bad o ring. Stop leak doesn't work every time though, nor is it always a permanent solution.

[@airselectricalcontractors842]

thanks - if i change the 2 o rings any gas will escape - is that right ??@@6thGearGarage

[@Anad63]

I love your videos, very helpful. But you might want to redo this one because releasing refrigerant into the air is against the law. Any refrigerant removed during A/C servicing needs to be captured.

[@6thGearGarage]

Great suggestion, I hadn't considered that!

[@MegaGeorgebrown]

I have a 2005 Jeep Liberty, the compressor make a big noise that l had to used a shorter belt to escape the compressor. What do you think is it??

[@6thGearGarage]

without hearing the sound, it could be a number of things... clutch, bearings, low oil/refrigerant... you did the right thing by bypassing the compressor, possibly preventing further damage.

[@anonymoususernam1000]

This is not the correct or responsible or legal way to do this. You should have had the system evacuated and the existing R134a ( a potent GHG) in the system captured instead of venting it to atmosphere. It's like $20 to have a shop properly evac it man. The purpose of the vaccum pump is not suck out refrigerant it is to lower the pressure in the system after it has been properly evac'd to remove any moisture in the system by lowering the boiling point of water and removing air. You're supposed to run the vaccum pump for ~30 min at 30 in hg to remove moisture and get as much air out as you can. If your gauge moves AT ALL you have a leak and should not refill the system with refrigerant that will leak back out. AC manifold gauges are very coarse detectors - a micron gauge is really the only way to know if you have a small leak - if you're gauges move at all, you have a medium leak atleast. The correct procedure at that point is to find the leak and seal it. UV Dye or pressuring the system with nitrogen or shop air and looking for bubbles with soapy water are all good methods (do not run the compressor with nitro/shop air for more than a couple seconds as it does not carry the lubricating oil around like the refrigerant does). Once the system has been opened, you should replace the receiver/drier/accumulator - its cheap. After the leak is sealed then pull vacuum and recheck before proceeding. Pressures are a *VERY* loose guideline for adding refrigerant as they vary wildly with humidity - the correct method is to weigh and refill with the correct amount listed both on the R134a sticker on the hood or as listed in the FSM. You also should have 'swept your gauges' instead of venting additional refrigerant to atmosphere from your gauge set at the end. The high pressure line in your gauges will have liquid R134a in it which is a large quantity ( 2-3 oz) compared to the vapor in the low side line. What you do is close the high side fitting at the service port so it is no longer connected to the system. With the low side gauge valve open, while watching the pressures, you carefully open the high side gauge valve little bits at a time to allow the liquid refrigerant in the high-side line to be vaporized and sucked into the low side line and into the system. I usually end up cracking the valve slightly, watch the pressure rise, close it again when pressure gets a bit too high, let it absorb the refrigerant and pull low side pressure back down and repeat until the high side pressure is equalized to the low-side. Doing A/C work can be done without a shop but you need to know what you're doing to avoid costly mistakes and irresponsible unnecessary venting of refrigerant to atmosphere. I hate to be overly critical as I love your paint/body/refinishing work but this is not a good tutorial and should not be followed.

[@user-zb3ws1lv5x]

I AGREE!

[@Samson-EC]

Have you ever replaced what they call the ac expansion valve on a toyota (1986)?..thks..jc

[@6thGearGarage]

I have not but it is located in the evaporator assembly. You can see where it is in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hYinpmt8msiUbsU

[@Samson-EC]

@6th Gear Garage Thks I have seen that video and have it saved. Looks like I would have to pull out the entire evap cannister to get to it. Guess I will live with the leak. JC

[@drewfleming7065]

Great info AGAIN!! You do know there is a R12 replacement? R12A....They say its compatible with R12 and R134....works at lower head pressure...Havent tired it, still have some R12 but gets good reviews....Would love to see a comparison video.....

[@6thGearGarage]

I don't know much about it except that it's not as commercially available as R134a and that it's supposedly very flammable. Maybe if I had an older vehicle that was still R12, I would give R12a a try. But for a vehicle that's already R134a, the flammability of R12a alone kind of scares me away from trying it.

[@drewfleming7065]

@@6thGearGarage I think its propane!! Can still find R12 on craigslist so think Im staying with it...Thanks

[@drewfleming7065]

I did the swap over to R134 with all OEM toyota parts in the 90's but it just didnt work well at all so went back to R12

[@6thGearGarage]

@@drewfleming7065 R12 is still the way to go if you can find it!

[@yotakid]

How do you convert r134a to our 84-88 Pickups?

[@dodgedurango5112]

They sell r134 adapters at any part store that’s all it will need and just add r134 my 94 has a old r12 compressor and its running good with r134 so far

[@6thGearGarage]

You can buy conversion fittings, but before adding R134a and PAG oil, all the R12 and all the mineral oil must be evacuated from the system, because they aren't compatible.