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Excessive low side pressure

buickwagon on Sun March 25, 2012 5:56 PM User is offline

Year: 99
Make: Lexus
Model: 300
Refrigerant Type: 134???
Ambient Temp: 12°C(54°
Pressure Low: 70
Pressure High: N/A

My buddy recently purchased this car. Just for fun, we hooked up the gauges -- well, one gauge, we couldn't find a high pressure port anywhere. With the engine off and cool, ambient air temperature of 12°C (54°F) & R134a connectors, the static pressure was 70psi. At that temperature, I would have expected a pressure of ~50psi, right?

Is this an indication that it's not 134a inside those pipes? Looking at various charts, I'm thinking maybe someone put R-22 in. What would the effect be of using R-22 in an automotive system? (I mean noticeable symptoms -- I already know it may cause corrosion and component failure due to excessive high side pressure)

BTW: when running it cycled between 20 and 43 psi.

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I've saved hundreds on service by spending thousands on tools.

mk378 on Sun March 25, 2012 9:02 PM User is offline

Could be contaminated with air (didn't evacuate before charging). R-22 won't work at all in an auto system, the TXV isn't calibrated for it.

buickwagon on Sun March 25, 2012 9:54 PM User is offline

I don't think it has a TXV. The compressor was cycling and I didn't see a valve or bulb. It did get cool.

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I've saved hundreds on service by spending thousands on tools.

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