A/C Recharge Help for my two Toys

[TwoToys]

I have a 1994 Camry DX Coupe and a 1991 4x2 Standard pickup. Both have 4 cylinder inline engines. I need help doing a do-it-yourself AC recharge.

First, I need to know if both vehicles use the old R-12 refrigerant or if one or both use R-134a. Second, although I have located the low pressure "L" inlet valve for the '94, I cannot locate the same hose and inlet valve for the 1991. It may be close to the accumlator bottle, but I haven't found that, either (it's possible it may be hidden behind the bumper next to the condenser in front of the radiator, but I'm not certain).

The '94 uses a different type Schrader valve than the R134a kit I bought came with (I retrofitted my S-10 Blazer using one of the adaptors when I recharged that last fall). This is why I suspect that the '94 may use R-12 and I need to find the correct adaptor to use.

But my biggest problem is finding where the low pressure hose is on the 1991 pickup. (22 R-E engine). I need to have this vehicle recharged soon because the hot weather is coming. Thanks for your help!

[Leighcm]

I have a 1994 Camry DX Coupe and a 1991 4x2 Standard pickup. Both have 4 cylinder inline engines. I need help doing a do-it-yourself AC recharge.

First, I need to know if both vehicles use the old R-12 refrigerant or if one or both use R-134a. Second, although I have located the low pressure "L" inlet valve for the '94, I cannot locate the same hose and inlet valve for the 1991. It may be close to the accumlator bottle, but I haven't found that, either (it's possible it may be hidden behind the bumper next to the condenser in front of the radiator, but I'm not certain).

The '94 uses a different type Schrader valve than the R134a kit I bought came with (I retrofitted my S-10 Blazer using one of the adaptors when I recharged that last fall). This is why I suspect that the '94 may use R-12 and I need to find the correct adaptor to use.

But my biggest problem is finding where the low pressure hose is on the 1991 pickup. (22 R-E engine). I need to have this vehicle recharged soon because the hot weather is coming. Thanks for your help!

1994 was around the time everything was converted to R134a, so I think your Camry is probably R134a. However, unless your car has been wrecked and/or repainted, there will be a large-ish sticker under the hood (either actually on the underside of the hood itself, or near the radiator) with a belt diagram and it will say what kind of a/c you have.

[TwoToys]

Thanks for your help...I was on a A/C parts site online and you are correct: in 1994 there were BOTH types of refrigerant available for the Camrys. Since I have located where the LP inlet fitting is, I just need to see if the recharge kit hose will fit over the fitting to allow a pressurized fit, or if I have to find some type of adapter (like the one that came with the kit to retrofit R-12 to R134a) to screw onto the LP fitting.

The site told me that the 1991 uses R-12. But of course, I still have to find out where the accumulator bottle is, so that I can locate the LP hose to determine where the inlet might be. My suspicion is that the bottle may be next to the condenser, which is in front of the radiator and hidden by the bumper, valance etc.

The reason that I am asking this through this forum is that my '91 is parked in FL and I am flying down there next month to drive it back up north. I have NO desire to sweat it out for 1000 miles, so I wanted to have this info handy so that I could recharge it immediately when I got down there.

Oh by the way...where would you suggest (other than eBay) that I could find a bed for the 1991? It is a standard truck bed. Mine is pretty well shot from rust. Since the truck runs so well, I want to do some body work since I plan to keep it for quite awhile.