2006 Prius: replaced AC compressor but still not cooling

You just can not work on these systems without huge expensive risk and understanding them. I used to do this for a living.
You did not say a bunch of things. Your guage statement is way to vague, we must have numbers to help adequately. Basically having to make tons of assumptions here due to the language used it sounds like you used a what technicians call a suicide kit unstead of dual low/ high manifold set. You did not say if your misting down the condenser to simulate airflow? as these systems are engineered to work right at certain RPM (for mechanical ones less applicable here) and MPH for condenser airflow. The variable speed 200vac motor and computer senses charging situation on these and ramps up compressor rpm so fast and sucks the charge in that you can over charge it easily using conventional practices for axisn belt engine driven mechsnical 134a ststems. You make no mention of evacing out or how long or how long or if it passed or what parameters you used to determing leak check, or if you replaced evsporator drier (required for new compressor) or if you checked the ND11 oil charge in compressor...and on and on...This is a very low capacity and extremely efficient 134a system and extremely sensitive to moisture and the consequential acid contsmination. There is no flushing procedure mentioned either which is disturbing.

LG-H918 ?

 

4 options are:
1. Do a leak check with a leak detector there is one cheap but works at Harbor Freight but you need to be staged ready with detector on and in position when firing engine up with AC on as it might run for fraction of a second. There will be enough residue on 134a to pick up it its as big as leak as suspected. Otherwise you have 3 options left to verify problem:
2.To pay someone to use Nitrogen carefully to detect the leak.
3. Or you can dump another can in (make sure good air but circulation and windows down as 134a is poisonous and lays low but displaces oxygen required to breathe, nd dump another can in with tester on RH passanger side in vent.
4. Use UV leak oil based Dye detector and UV flashlight and yellow tinted glasses kit from auromotivecstore. There are a few ways this can be done but best done in concert with #2 above by buying can of 134a eith UV dye in it.

Of course shotgunning the evaporator is something you could do but NOT recomended as these systems typically have 2-3 problems when troubleshooting them hence why I dislike them and hate the costs involved. So be aware it is costly and be prepared to spend quite a chunk of change.

 

Another thing is disturbing. The squeeling noise from compressor should not happen. This compressor motor assembly has a oil baffle that keeps all the oil in the compressor at low RPM but some circulates at high RPM. New compressor should never have made any noise at all.

LG-H918 ?

 

prius a/c is unique, most often best left to the dealer. isn't the first guy standing by his work? what about the ebay seller?

 

my first prius went through 3 compressors in a summer,changed the evap on the second compressor than it turned out it was the expansion valve inside the dash board, $42.00 part $520 labor and Freon... the entire dash has to come out. hope your problem isn't this expensive

 

could be because the mechanic is not familiar with hybrid a/c. how can the engine run the compressor, it's electric.

 

leaks happen because its an old car..... nothing lasts forever ..

mine was a 2005, from what I understand about the compressor it is electric like the one in your fridge, if you have power loss with the ac on and the gas motor is running more my guess is you have a weak HV battery ... when the battery is low on charge the AC is the first thing the car turns off to keep going.. than you have to decide if you want to invest in extensive repairs on a 12 yr old car to save a few bucks on gas..

 

usually, they inject a dye into the system, so they can see where it's leaking from.

 

the leak can be anywhere and make sure the shop working on it uses the right compressor oil for hybrids
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