Tonight when my wife started the car and I saw and heard a pffffttt noise and a small cloud of something come out from under the engine compartment. After further investigation there was a clear oil wet area under the car, right under the A/C compressor. I jacked up the car and took a look and I can't see at all where the oil came from. It was directly below the compressor and smelled and looked like A/C oil. The area on the ground looked like it had been sprayed there by an aerosal spray. There isn't any oil residue on the compressor, the only thing I can see on the bottom of the compressor is a what looks like maybe a relief valve. The noise happened as soon as I heard the compressor engage, so my guess is that the compressor was vapor locked and it needed to relieve the pressure. I started the car again and everything was fine and cooling like normal. Is there a relief valve on the bottom of the compressor?? Any ideas what happened? Thanks, Greg
Here's what I'd do. Use a clean paper towel to wipe up the oily residue, and take it to the dealer to compare to A/C lube oil he should have in stock. That would confirm leakage. Then ask to be shown (1) the alleged pressure relief valve (which I doubt exists for air pollution reasons), and explain by use of the manual why purging is "normal." Have the system pressure tested including time to pump up and depressurize. If he doesn't know how, call Toyota for a referral to an A/C specialist. Oh, and stop feeding your Prius beans.
I have never heard an AC ever venting refridgerant. Either it is sealed, or it is leaking without ceasing (though possibly very slowly). I don't know if the classic has electronic brakes, but I imagine it would have to so that it can balance itself with regen. Now THAT could leak intermittently, and does sometimes make that sound normally, as it releases wheel pressure. At least the G2 does, but not to the atmosphere.
It was very weird, I stood there and watched it do it. The mist that it created was slightly rust colored when first came out then cleared after that. When I saw the rust color I immediately thought that it was coming our of an orifice that doesn't get used very often. What is weird is that the underside of my engine is very dry, so if something like this happened I should be able to spot it. I'm starting think that I imagined the whole thing. I've worked on cars for years, but this one has me stumped. The idea of a relief valve on the A/C seems a little far fetched, but since R-134a is being used, it would be ok to vent into the atmosphere (I think). Well, I guess I'll get under the car again and look around wheel cylinder and see if anything stands out. Thanks, Greg
