Which radiator is which?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by stratusfear11, Dec 12, 2013.

  1. stratusfear11

    stratusfear11 Junior Member

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    I drove into a pile of wood and was lucky enough to damage a radiator. I can't tell if it is the a/c condenser or the actual radiator. It is the one in the front. Also, what would be involved in replacing it? It looks like I'm going to need a support and all the plastics as well.
     

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    #1 stratusfear11, Dec 12, 2013
  2. nh7o

    nh7o Off grid since 1980

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    I know its December in Maine, but does the A/C still work? The damage looks like a bend, but is there an actual rupture in the tubing? That is indeed the A/C condenser. It would require professional assistance to repair, and likely a new Toyota condenser. Some after market condensers are inferior, according to one of the PriusChat A/C gurus.
     
    #2 nh7o, Dec 12, 2013
  3. stratusfear11

    stratusfear11 Junior Member

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    I wish I could test it, but it's -17 degrees (f) outside right now. It is dented and banana'ed pretty bad, but I can't see any rupture to speak of. I have no clue if the refrigerant would make a "liquid" stain on the aluminum, but I don't see any. Is it okay to drive with a leak in the a/c condenser? I usually make an attempt to turn off the a/c (prius loves it to be on 24/7 for some reason), but I don't want to screw anything up.
     
    #3 stratusfear11, Dec 12, 2013
  4. YOLOsoBuyaPrius

    YOLOsoBuyaPrius Junior Member

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    Did you break your fog lights too or is that just the spot where they could go if you had them
     
    #4 YOLOsoBuyaPrius, Dec 12, 2013
  5. stratusfear11

    stratusfear11 Junior Member

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    No fog lights. I never knew those were there, if so, I would have bought the assembly to add fog lights
     
    #5 stratusfear11, Dec 12, 2013
  6. nh7o

    nh7o Off grid since 1980

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    If there is an actual leak, you might see an oil spot in the bent area, and after a while it will accumulate some dirt and dust. The refrigerant will escape as a gas. The A/C is useful for defrosting purposes in cold times, but not essential.

    I would leave it off until you can get a feel for how bad the hole might be, and it is possible you are lucky with no hole. Not sure what you mean about the A/C being on 24/7, just toggle the A/C button on the Climate screen, and the A/C will stay off. I don't use the auto climate control.

    That condenser needs cleaning for sure. Hose it out and clean the debris at some point, and it will work better.

    If you know someone that knows how to put a set of gauges on the ports, it would be possible to find out if there is anything left in the system.
     
    #6 nh7o, Dec 13, 2013
  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Deleted.
    (already resolved, it`s AC radiator)
     
    #7 Mendel Leisk, Dec 13, 2013
  8. stratusfear11

    stratusfear11 Junior Member

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    Just meant how it defaults to being on when "auto" is selected. Looks like the A/C does still work, I brought it into a friend's heated garage and it definitely still blows cold. I'm probably just going to replace all the plastics on the front bumper for now.
     
    #8 stratusfear11, Dec 13, 2013
  9. Zedhomme

    Zedhomme Member

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    Here are some more tips to check the status of the refrigerant a little more thoroughly.
    Inspect Refrigerant Volume through Sight Glass.
    1. Check the sight glass of the cooler unit refrigerant liquid pipe E, located near windshield washer reservoir.
    2. Set the vehicle according to the following conditions:
    All doors fully open;
    Temperature setting to Max COOL;
    Blower Speed HI;
    A/C ON
    3. Check Sight Glass
    a-Bubbles Exist-Insufficient refrigerant. Check for leaks.
    b-No Bubbles exist (DTC B1476 is output) Empty, insufficient or excessive)
    c-No temperature difference between compressor inlet and outlet. Empty or nearly empty.
    d-Considerable temperature difference between compressor inlet and outlet. Proper or excessive.
    e-Immediately after turning off A/C, refrigerant remains clear. Excessive.
    f-Immediately after turning off A/C, refrigerant foams and thenn becomes clear. Proper.

    If you discover there is a leak, but not bad enough to replace the condenser, need a professional to repair leak.
    If you decide you need to replace condenser, let me know, Haynes has a good description.
     

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    #9 Zedhomme, Dec 13, 2013
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