Got a leak!!

[Matt79]

Hey guys and girls. I'm the owner of a 94 ssr-x 3.0td. My wife came home this evening and I noticed fluid dripping onto my driveway. On inspection of the vehicle I have found the leak to be coming from what looks like an overflow pipe near the starter motor. It runs behind engine bay so I can't see where it goes to, and being far from experienced with mechanics, I'm a wee bit lost. The fluid has no smell so I assume it is water. However I would appreciate some advice as to what it might be and what I should do to sort it. Thanks...

[osker]

I had exactly the same thing yesterday. From right-angled, metal, overflow-like pipe. I wondered if it was something to do with the air-con but am as keen as you for advice from the experts...

I'm pretty sure it's the drain-off tube in the bulkhead for the aircon though

[marknj]

I have had same and am fairly sure it is the air con.

[crazybitch]

Almost certainly the AirCon. It sounds like the run off from the condensor

[osker]

Glad I'm not the only one paranoid about every leak!

[crazybitch]

Glad I'm not the only one paranoid about every leak!

Thats one of the pleasures of owning a surf!!! wondering when and where the head or headgasket will let go

[kitesurf_phil]

I would guess that it is the Air Con condenser drip pipe. On the 2.4 it is on the passenger side about 6" away from the bulkhead.

[Matt79]

Well cheers people, better news than I had dreaded! It is an angled overflow type pipe about six inches away from the bulkhead so it does sound like the same thing. Any ideas why it does this though and what I have to do to fix it???

[Tallyman]

There's nothing to fix. When the aircon is in use water vapour condences out on the heat exchanger so that you get cold dry air in the cab. The water has to drain off somewhere and that's out of that pipe. It's what it's there for, so don't try blocking it, otherwise you'll eventually get a build up of water in the condenser (not good). The only way to stop it is to stop using the aircon but as you need to run it at least once a week to keep the seals from drying out and letting the gas excape, it's probably not an option. Just feel sorry for those with UK spec 4Runners that didnt come with aircon as standard!!

[Matt79]

oh right, great! Thanks for that mike, cheered me up loads!!

[iggypop]

Does Air Con need to be recharged/refilled? Never had a vehicle with Air Con before so I don't know anything about it really. Good advise to run it once a week, I'll bare that in mind.

[Uplander]

Does Air Con need to be recharged/refilled? Never had a vehicle with Air Con before so I don't know anything about it really. Good advise to run it once a week, I'll bare that in mind.

if you have a goody (good friendly neighbourhood garage guy) handy an pay him a visit especially if he has the kit that can pressure test the air con system, and evaluate what is in your system,weigh the ingredients, and return it to a-ok....should cost about £60, and more if any work or supplies needed....(there is more on this subject on the site BTW)

[ferret]

someone who has a HP/LP (high pressure/low pressure) guage and has refrigerant R134a should be able to recharge your aircon unit. here in AU it is very expensive to get a mechanic to charge your aircon for you and not only that some dont even know the proper procedure to charge a unit, the compressor certainly doesnt like the gas as a liquid. a refrigeration mechanic can certainly do it cheap and just bear in mind that a car aircon unit uses only 500 - 600 grams of refrigerant and 1 kg of R134a should only cost roghly $2 for 1kg

[andycook]

quote: "Just feel sorry for those with UK spec 4Runners that didnt come with aircon as standard!!"

Grrrr - at least we have heated fuel filter units!!

[fatfires]

Does Air Con need to be recharged/refilled? Never had a vehicle with Air Con before so I don't know anything about it really. Good advise to run it once a week, I'll bare that in mind.

if it chucks out cold, best left alone other than the once a week spin
T