AC not cold intermittent - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

markdunn99 · 08-08-2011, 09:00 AM

2001 Camry 4 cyl....AC is fully charged however intermittently it won't blow really cold air. Seems to occur on particularly hot days when the sun is beating down on the car consistently and it is very hot out....in the morning the AC is cold...and also in the evening....but if I put it on during mid-day in the baking sun it just never seems to get really cold. On days when it isn't quite so hot there seems to be no problem. Any thoughts on this? Thanks

***Mister_Perkins*** · 08-08-2011, 09:05 AM

try turning your Speed down to the low setting or the next setting up (First 2 lines). If its blowing very cold while at those settings you could have a sticking expansion valve.

You could have a clog somewhere in your AC System too, causing your system to not be able to push the freon correctly too.

***eyeball96*** · 08-08-2011, 09:23 AM

Really hot days might have something to do with it too...especially if your in traffic and not going very fast.

My 96 does the same thing, in traffic....but once up to speed I'm cool as a cucumber!

You can shift it to recirculate, and maybe that'll cool ya down

markdunn99 · 08-08-2011, 10:26 AM

[Thanks. It makes no difference what setting the blower is on...still not very cold either way. If there were a clog in the system.....why would it ONLY cause a problem on excessively hot days and otherwise it runs ice cold??

QUOTE=Mister_Perkins;3631065]try turning your Speed down to the low setting or the next setting up (First 2 lines). If its blowing very cold while at those settings you could have a sticking expansion valve.

You could have a clog somewhere in your AC System too, causing your system to not be able to push the freon correctly too.[/QUOTE]

markdunn99 · 08-08-2011, 10:28 AM

Well.....the ac system should blow really cold air regardless of how hot it is outside, no? It doesn't seem to matter whether I"m in traffic or driving fast....it still remains not very cold. I do always put it on recirculate whenever using the AC...so that doesn't make a difference either. The problem occurs while on recirculate.

Quote:

Originally Posted by eyeball96

Really hot days might have something to do with it too...especially if your in traffic and going very fast.

My 96 does the same thing, in traffic....but once up to speed I'm cool as a cucumber!

You can shift it to recirculate, and maybe that'll cool ya down

hill8570 · 08-08-2011, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markdunn99

Well.....the ac system should blow really cold air regardless of how hot it is outside, no? It doesn't seem to matter whether I"m in traffic or driving fast....it still remains not very cold. I do always put it on recirculate whenever using the AC...so that doesn't make a difference either. The problem occurs while on recirculate.

My 95 had similar symptoms a couple of years back -- A/C worked OK if it wasn't too hot out, but blew warm-ish air whenever interior temps were high. I finally traced it down to the expansion valve.

***eyeball96*** · 08-08-2011, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hill8570

My 95 had similar symptoms a couple of years back -- A/C worked OK if it wasn't too hot out, but blew warm-ish air whenever interior temps were high. I finally traced it down to the expansion valve.

Maybe I need to check my expansion valve

markdunn99 · 08-08-2011, 06:13 PM

Cool....well maybe I'll just throw an expansion valve in. I think they're pretty cheap...40 bucks or so?

Quote:

Originally Posted by hill8570

My 95 had similar symptoms a couple of years back -- A/C worked OK if it wasn't too hot out, but blew warm-ish air whenever interior temps were high. I finally traced it down to the expansion valve.

Stillrunning · 08-08-2011, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markdunn99

Cool....well maybe I'll just throw an expansion valve in. I think they're pretty cheap...40 bucks or so?

It's not the part, it's the labor, and it's not "throw in". Why don't you do a proper system analysis using gauges and an experienced A/C shop.

hill8570 · 08-08-2011, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stillrunning

It's not the part, it's the labor, and it's not "throw in". Why don't you do a proper system analysis using gauges and an experienced A/C shop.

Bah. It's a piece of cake to install. Assuming you're a three-armed midget.

markdunn99 · 08-09-2011, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stillrunning

It's not the part, it's the labor, and it's not "throw in". Why don't you do a proper system analysis using gauges and an experienced A/C shop.

markdunn99 · 08-09-2011, 08:01 AM

Didn't realize the extent of the job to replace an expansion valve...I'm reading things about having to take the entire dash off...that sucks. And...I don't do a proper system analysis using gauges and an experienced AC shop because that costs money which I don't have! :-)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stillrunning

It's not the part, it's the labor, and it's not "throw in". Why don't you do a proper system analysis using gauges and an experienced A/C shop.

Stillrunning · 08-09-2011, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markdunn99

I don't do a proper system analysis using gauges and an experienced AC shop because that costs money which I don't have!

Well if you blindly replace the expansion valve, even if that turns out to be the problem, at some point you'll need to spend money to evac the system and recharge. If it turns out not to be the expansion valve you'll have wasted the "$40" for the part and the charges for evac and charge.

ghettosled · 08-09-2011, 12:21 PM

i just replaced the expansion valve on my camry (i posted steps on here if you search). it was a bit of a pain, but knowing what i know now it can probably be done in about 3 hours. i dont think the new valve was even $40, but they system does need to be evacuated (about $50) and then vacuumed and recharged ($110). but if you are going to have the system evacuated, replace all of the o-rings (especially on the condenser - common leak point) and the dryer (about $30) too.

JimBowNut · 08-09-2011, 01:04 PM

I've had to replace the expansion valve on a 1993 & 1995. Both times it was a 'Beach' to get to it !......First glove compartment, then wiring, then damper cable, then blower assy, then Evap cover, then Evap, then expansion valve off Evap, then replace All.
And that doesn't even cover freon drawdown, evacuation and recharge.!!!

Oh Yeah !!!!!!!! I forgot all about those O-rings and the dryer !!!!!