Stupid A/C Problem on 2006 Toyota Camry

The compressor has a low pressure cut out switch on the suction side of the compressor....try static charge with A/C off position, then when pressure equalizes from can and system continue charging until compressor continues running, and then continue until~35psi on suction line, and sweatback to compressor occurs....the charge amount should be listed and type 134a listed as refrigerant....should be less than 2lbs I would imagine...If the refrigerant is low, you have a leak someplace....the question is how fast it leaks down, because at some point it must corrected for economic reasons....and trust me, it isn't going to be cheap....

You can jump the switch out with a piece of wire usually....make sure you are charging in the low pressure port...

Thank you! I still wonder why the pressure was high before pulling the trigger? Is that just the static head pressure in the can of refrigerant?

Also, why did the compressor "pop off", relieving pressure? Amazingly, the entire engine compartment is way clean for this dusty part of the world, and not oil spots found where any leak would leave behind the residue of compressor oil. The switch connector has three leads. Which one(s) to jumper? Check with DVM first and jumper the voltage to one of the other leads?

Well if the compressor is running ie; clutch engaged, and the pressure on the low side isn't going down, and you heard a whooosh....that sounds like the internal pressure relief valve in the compressor reaching max pressure, this could indicate that your expansion valve is defective and closed, blocking refrigerant flow in the system and causing pressure buildup on discharge side of compressor....this requires major surgery....

do you see something that looks like this?

I have not found that item on her car, will check for it in a bit. It should show a liquid moving through it?

Remember that I cannot get the compressor to engage for more than a half-second except when car is cold (has not been running in several hours), and I just start the A/C and get about one or two minutes of coolness at the vents. Sorry if it appears I left out this part of the narrative earlier.

without having both gauges on it it's hard to tell from here. if it is actually low on charge it will not allow the compressor to run, you need to jump that so current will flow and the compressor will run and pump, I wish you could post a vid on youtube, I'd walk you through it all

I can post a vid on YouTube, but it might be after work today. I will name it "Fred Takes a Vacation Under the Hood of 2006 Camry".

if I was closer I'd it for you and charge you a 12 pack, if TCMtech needed help I'd charge him a Grand+ travel time

ROFLMAO! Tcmtech needs a beer too!

And you would still be cheaper than most of the local guys.

Why a $1000 for me any way? For that price I can replace the whole AC system in any two of my vehicles.

Where have you been?

Those went away many years ago.

Sounds like your expansion valve/orifice is plugged which is by my standards not a major surgery unless you consider how to get to it and put the correct wrenches on it a major undertaking for you but then again by my standards a 2006 with 36,000 miles is not old. If it was a 1986 with 236,000 then yea I would agree on the old part.

Looking around online it looks like yo ucan get a new aftermarket valve for about $30 - $40 and it looks like a pretty easy component to replace if you don't mind doing a AC system dump, purge and refill.

unfortunately, I do not possess all the necessary (or safe equipment) to do the dump, replace, and re-fill. That is, as long was we want to have plenty ozone for the next little while.

I patched that hole, it's now safe to purge even F11!

Actually being your car uses r-134a it's moot point being most canned air is also r-134a as well and how many cans of that have you sprayed out over the years?

I've done cases myself.

Hahahaha....this is a jap car not some big American truck....take a look at the video, and try to keep up....hahahaha

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJM-VXKQNRE

I see. Ford may have buried their core in the dash like that but at least on mine the expansion valves are still on the accessible side of the firewall.

Now if it was my vehicle I would be inclined to give it the same treatment I have done to farm equipment before which is to disconnect the suction hose that feeds back from the evaporator to the compressor and load the thing up with as much starting fluid as I can get into it and give it hell in reverse with pressurized air.

Either what's plugging it pops free and flushes out or it doesn't. I don't know how the expansion valves are designed on those cars but on old farm machinery I have yet to find a machine with an intact AC system where the starting fluid power back flush didn't work!

Uuuuuh, if that is what I need to do, I should either opt for a saws all from the firewall side, or a large lifting station, and jack this car up, and drive a new Ford under it, or a Chevy, or a Dodge, or a Cadillac, or a Mercedes Benz, but never a BMW.

OR I could just take it to the dealership when my appointment comes up. If that Ninja/Samurai/mechanic fellow is working there, the whole thing should not take more than fifteen minutes.

Oh, and BTW there was essentially nothing to video, so no YouTube on this, as there is no site glass on these newer models (if one considers 2006 to be "new").

I tried jumper contacting the switch leads, but apparently this is a sensor that needs to have a value in a range. Using a paper clip between any two of the three contacts did nothing to engage the pulley solenoid. If "wifey" was not so persnickety about it going back to the dealership where she bought it in 2007, I would just take it to a mechanic shop I am familiar with and let them have a go at it. I may still do that, and tell her I took to a dealership (i.e.- lie about it, engage in a falsehood, deceive, defraud, or otherwise mislead).

its time to buy a Tesla!

Now you are definitely making fun of me! I could not afford a test drive in a Tesla, much less the monthly payments, and in West Texas, no one car hear you scream when you run out of juice a 100 miles from "Notrees".

The pressure from owning one of those, and (a) preventing the boys in the local hood from stealing it, (b) worrying about where to plug-in in Lubbock, or anywhere near Lubbock, and (c) worrying about battery replacement life, and (d) worrying about how to make the payments - if you have to think about that at all, you obviously cannot afford this car or any one they will make within my lifetime - all this worrying with either suck the air out of my lungs so that no one can hear me screaming "hewlp meee....", or will make my head explode and the purple smoke come out.

its the only American car built to last......if you don't mind a 12k battery replacement every 8-10 years < the actual pic on my desktop

Cannot deny that it is a very beautiful machine, but with "wifey" driving no more than a few times per year, do I really want her old self out on the road in something that expensive, and do I want the battery to sit in the garage (in the car) and self-discharge so that whenever she does decide to go somewhere, she calls me and says "car won't start", like she does now. Or could one just run up one hell of a light bill keeping it charged up?

Solar, So what you're saying is that this is a quick and easy fix. The video wasn't even 10 minutes.

I did notice that the mechanic didn't use and power tools. Even when removing the screws, he did it by hand.

Pretty impressive. Thanks for sharing.

Yes that was an awesome demonstration of how hard it is to work on certain systems of today's automobiles, and another reason to start having public executions for automotive engineers (just kidding).

Why can't you automotive engineers get it right, and make modular systems and sub-systems that actually fit into certain spaces that have even a remote possibility of facile removal and replacement?

You need to at least begin to start thinking in terms of building maintainability into the automobiles of the future, perhaps even making them "snap" together very simply. And for crying out load stop cramming all that junk into a tiny space a midget could not even get to.

I would prefer it if I was able to enter a code on the on-board computer, and out pops the module all ready to go in the trash. Guess you better get started on some different fastener theory also.

Years ago, Toyota was known for the ease of repairs. The designers engineered the cars to be easy to maintain and repair, which in addition to needing few repairs and long life, this gave Toyota such a great reputation. Parts were also very inexpensive.

My mechanic has told me that newer Toyota are no longer as trouble free and are not longer as easy to repair. Here in So. Cal, Toyota still has a great reputation and is the brand I sell the most of (both new and used).

Don't get me wrong, it has the sleek lines, is sporty enough for anything I will ever need (or my wife, since it is in fact her car), and it is paid for, and in general has been very reliable, notwithstanding the abuse of letting sit idly in the cat hotel garage.

Wife still thinks this car might be under some sort of warranty, and I am going "are you serious?" The car is now nine years off the assembly line, granted the 34-35 K miles on it is very low indeed.

At least there is plenty of room in the engine compartment.

Silly, silly man!

There is indeed an expander orifice with a fine mesh screen immediately in front of and part of the orifice. It is located in the high side discharge line immediately after the compressor high side port. If it is plugged you most likely have compressor failure issues.

I agree that if the screen is plugged, something is wrong. I have an old 2000 MR-2 with around 185Kmi on it (I'm not sure of the exact miles, because the odo broke). The AC works great and the car sits for about 4 months of the year unused (bad for an AC system).

Toyota stuff is pretty well made. 2006 was a good year for the Camry - last year of that body style. Typically, the last year of a build is best.

I think the problem probably stems from the car sitting for long periods of time. The seals get dry (no lubrication flowing) and when the compressor starts, it's dry too. Not good for an AC system. I recall my dad telling me to run the AC a few times during the winter - just to get the lubricants flowing through the system. I always thought that was good advice and even though the front window defrost runs the AC compressor, there are times when you don't use it for months.

Good luck with the repair. And try to convince your wife that it's okay to take it to a good non-dealer shop. Out here in So Cal, the dealers are well over $100/hr - depending on the dealer and brand of car.

Thanks for the input, I can certainly agree, it is ridiculous to wait all that time to take it in, and then be reaped while I wait in the lobby.

You would expect "sumting wong" if this car had been built in China, not Japan!