430 A/c Pipe Route.

Loathecliff · June 11, 2015

Gentlemen, as per a few older threads, I thought I would cap off the rear pipework to get the system (I hope) working again in the front.

Any pointers to the best spot? I'm hoping it is to one side rather than down the middle. Thxs.

Dave_Wigley · June 11, 2015

Hi did a few of these when I worked at lexus main dealer a few years ago. Underneath the car on the ns there is a plastic cover and the rear a/c pipes join there ( 2 unions one 19mm and another 24mm if if I remember correctly ) we used to cut the pipes further back towards the rear and remove the front pipes and take to a local a/c specialist who soldered them up then refit the pipes(leaving the rearmost pipes in place ) and regas the system. Only the front a/c works but it got cold enough. I still work on one of the ls430,s and a/c still works ok

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Loathecliff · June 24, 2015

I wish I had managed to get this sorted before leaving the uk :(

Looked under this morning to find some kind soul has already chopped the pipes :)

So now I'm guessing the most likely leak point will be the joints either side of the condenser? .

Brain fade + exasperation: .... erm: where the hell is the condenser?

Dave_Wigley · June 24, 2015

Hi you'll find the condenser in front of the radiator check for any oily stains on condenser and around pipe joints or damage to condenser fins etc. Have had a few compressors leak from front seal have you had it filled to check the operation of the a/c system? If it has got a leak you can fill it with nitrogen to find it not refrigerant

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The-Acre · June 24, 2015

Dave, you may know the answer to this. My air con has been playing up in that some days there's no cold air at all, other days its not too bad. I had it re gassed and the system has no leaks. I had another compressor fitted yesterday (known to be working) and it was fine for a few miles but soon went back to how it was. Today I went out ant it worked fine for a few miles, then nothing. Minutes later is was OK again. Any ideas?

Dave_Wigley · June 24, 2015

Hi did they put enough gas in the system?

I'm assuming that your ls has rear a/c

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The-Acre · June 24, 2015

Hi did they put enough gas in the system?

I'm assuming that your ls has rear a/c

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They did, in fact the guy doing it pointed out that it used more gas due to the rear air con. What seems to make a difference is putting my foot down, it seems to trigger something that makes it work. I first noticed this months ago, there would be no cool air until I started driving with fairly hard acceleration. I had the other compressor fitted to eliminate possibilities. Last week we went on a 70 mile or so drive in hot weather with no cold air, on the way back it suddenly started working, all very annoying.

Loathecliff · June 24, 2015

Hi you'll find the condenser in front of the radiator

That's it. My senility is confirmed :(

Between the lump of ali & the front of the rad, all I see is ..... pause for dramatic effect...... VOID! :(

The-Acre · June 24, 2015

That's because what looks like a radiator at the front isn't. The radiator is an inch behind it.

Loathecliff · June 24, 2015

My street cred. ecu has just given in its notice :(

The-Acre · June 25, 2015

The good thing is that you can buy a new condenser for about £100 (should you need one)

I remember needing one for my old Volvo about 15 years ago and it was £400, although I do believe they saw me coming!

39buss · June 26, 2015

You can buy flexible A/C hoses. I've seen them on eBay.

The-Acre · June 26, 2015

You can buy flexible A/C hoses. I've seen them on ebay.

I believe my rear AC hoses were replaced with some kind of flexible ones by the previous owner. Still can't work mine out, it worked perfectly all day today!

Loathecliff · June 26, 2015

Quick Phil, bring it over here please! We peaked at 41C today :(

We were back home by 11.30 am but it was still getting too hot even with the fan on full.

It's these silly sloping windows that cause all the heat soak. I never had that problem in Bournemouth with the curved screen of an Alfa; or an A40. Both were remarkably aerodynamic cars too.

Progress is being made: Having located the condenser (cough), I took apart the join on the near side. All looked very clean & healthy. A trace of green goo was within & nothing was showing without. Conclusion: None, so far.

I'm tempted to squirt in some fairy liquid, connect a compressor, & watch.

The-Acre · June 26, 2015

Quick Phil, bring it over here please! We peaked at 41C today :(

We were back home by 11.30 am but it was still getting too hot even with the fan on full.

It's these silly sloping windows that cause all the heat soak. I never had that problem in Bournemouth with the curved screen of an Alfa; or an A40. Both were remarkably aerodynamic cars too.

Progress is being made: Having located the condenser (cough), I took apart the join on the near side. All looked very clean & healthy. A trace of green goo was within & nothing was showing without. Conclusion: None, so far.

I'm tempted to squirt in some fairy liquid, connect a compressor, & watch.

So where are you exactly that reached 41 degrees, not Lanarkshire that's for sure! and have you had your system checked to see if it holds pressure?

Loathecliff · June 26, 2015

Ahh yes, sorry. I'm presently in the banana republic of Portugal.

The system failed its pressure test in the uk, & the guy at ATS wisely did not wish to investigate why.

I suppose it was madness to buy a unknown vehicle when there was a ferry deadline, but the older our bodies become, the more risks we are taking.

39buss · June 27, 2015

Loathecliff Kwikfit ATS and that ilk wont look for or repair A/C faults. You need an independent A/C fitter who will vacuum the system and check for leaks using an ultra violet light.

The Acre You have replacement pipes (flexies) so it is possible that your system has been open to the air and water/moisture has got in and the refrigerant has frozen this water so creating a blockage/partial blockage

The-Acre · June 27, 2015

Loathecliff Kwikfit ATS and that ilk wont look for or repair A/C faults. You need an independent A/C fitter who will vacuum the system and check for leaks using an infra red light.

The Acre You have replacement pipes (flexies) so it is possible that your system has been open to the air and water/moisture has got in and the refrigerant has frozen this water so creating a blockage/partial blockage

Mine was fine for the first 9 months of ownership, including the winter months. The odd thing is, is that it seems OK now, I really don't understand it. I did have it re-gassed but that didn't help, then the replacement pump with another re-gas which was fine for a few minutes, but now four days later it all seems fine, and has been for a couple of days, weird!

Jusme · June 29, 2015

After reading this thread, experiencing similar problems and not knowing the car I went to a refrigerant specialist this morning for a regas, I am now carless until this evening. After pumping in loads of gas... A loud hissing from the rear n/s. Chap says, 'we'll give you a lift home and then cap off the rear. Hopefully I'll have working aircon in the front this evening??

The-Acre · June 29, 2015

After reading this thread, experiencing similar problems and not knowing the car I went to a refrigerant specialist this morning for a regas, I am now carless until this evening. After pumping in loads of gas... A loud hissing from the rear n/s. Chap says, 'we'll give you a lift home and then cap off the rear. Hopefully I'll have working aircon in the front this evening??

Let us know how it goes, and how and where they cap it. I think AC in the front only is plenty good enough, it's that way on most cars anyway.

Jusme · June 29, 2015

Hi Phil, sorry but I don't have much information. The bloke doing the aircon looked at the gauges on his system and immediately said, you've got a leak in the back, and just as Dave said earlier he said. There's a plastic cover on the nearside where the pipes link, he disconnected there,then they gave me a lift home. Delivered the car back to me 3 hours later all fixed. All I can say is, he said we had a bit of trouble capping them off as we didn't have the parts we needed?? Anyway, I took her for a drive and, its like a fridge in the cab now. Including everything £100. I thought it was very reasonable. Sorry about lack of info, I'll pop back out there and have a chat about the job..

The-Acre · June 30, 2015

Hi Phil, sorry but I don't have much information. The bloke doing the aircon looked at the gauges on his system and immediately said, you've got a leak in the back, and just as Dave said earlier he said. There's a plastic cover on the nearside where the pipes link, he disconnected there,then they gave me a lift home. Delivered the car back to me 3 hours later all fixed. All I can say is, he said we had a bit of trouble capping them off as we didn't have the parts we needed?? Anyway, I took her for a drive and, its like a fridge in the cab now. Including everything £100. I thought it was very reasonable. Sorry about lack of info, I'll pop back out there and have a chat about the job..

Glad you got it sorted. As you know the full fix is expensive with having to take out the fuel tank etc, so it seems to me that capping it is the way forward. I'd be more than happy to pay £100, sounds like a bargain. My last two LS400's didn't have rear air con and they got plenty cold enough. And you've got it done just in time with this weeks heatwave forecast!