Apologies as Ive posted this a couple times on different forums, but hoping to get some informed opinions ...
2004 rx330. 175k miles 3.3 3mzfe with AWD.
For a long time we heard a whoop sound in the dash occasionally - pointed me to the expansion valve. Had a trusted local shop verify the issue. I've replaced the expansion valve and drier / filter element in the condenser.
They recharged the system for me after I did that work. With diag, evac and recharge, the cost was ~$400 plus my parts and labor for the mechanical work.
The woop sound is gone but now I have a different sound and it just started after I did some suspension work and had the front of the vehicle up about 8 in higher than the rear. (Sound started about a week ago, the expansion valve work was done three to four weeks ago, but the car is not driven regularly... So we're talking about maybe eight vehicle trips in that time.)
If the vehicle has set overnight or for a long time (seems like a minimum of 6 hours), the AC compressor will make a grinding/clunk noise when it is engaged the first time on the cold startup.
Once the engine is running and ac system is cycling after the first engagement, the compressor will engage and disengage nearly silently. What I am trying now is seeing if turning the AC off before I turn the vehicle off and then waiting a little bit before I turn the AC on when restarting the next day makes a difference at all.
I'm willing to throw a compressor at it, but the bigger problem is the labor cost of evacuating and recharging the system correctly. Has anyone else ran anything similar with a Toyota/lexus vehicle? Any pointers?
I've found forum posts on a tacoma forum outlining the same behavior, on new and higher mileage trucks. In one case it was overcharge, but I think in the others it was the compressor. In one instance however the compressor was changed and the noise persisted... What I'm not clear about is if they just changed the compressor or the compressor and the pulley clutch system.
2004 rx330. 175k miles 3.3 3mzfe with AWD.
For a long time we heard a whoop sound in the dash occasionally - pointed me to the expansion valve. Had a trusted local shop verify the issue. I've replaced the expansion valve and drier / filter element in the condenser.
They recharged the system for me after I did that work. With diag, evac and recharge, the cost was ~$400 plus my parts and labor for the mechanical work.
The woop sound is gone but now I have a different sound and it just started after I did some suspension work and had the front of the vehicle up about 8 in higher than the rear. (Sound started about a week ago, the expansion valve work was done three to four weeks ago, but the car is not driven regularly... So we're talking about maybe eight vehicle trips in that time.)
If the vehicle has set overnight or for a long time (seems like a minimum of 6 hours), the AC compressor will make a grinding/clunk noise when it is engaged the first time on the cold startup.
Once the engine is running and ac system is cycling after the first engagement, the compressor will engage and disengage nearly silently. What I am trying now is seeing if turning the AC off before I turn the vehicle off and then waiting a little bit before I turn the AC on when restarting the next day makes a difference at all.
I'm willing to throw a compressor at it, but the bigger problem is the labor cost of evacuating and recharging the system correctly. Has anyone else ran anything similar with a Toyota/lexus vehicle? Any pointers?
I've found forum posts on a tacoma forum outlining the same behavior, on new and higher mileage trucks. In one case it was overcharge, but I think in the others it was the compressor. In one instance however the compressor was changed and the noise persisted... What I'm not clear about is if they just changed the compressor or the compressor and the pulley clutch system.
