Ac not cooling well
08-26-2018
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Ac not cooling well
I have a 96 honda civic 1.6 i have replaced pretty much everything on the ac system to include, Compressor,drier,expansion valve,condenser,and evaporator core. I have charged the system with 23 oz of freon on my pressures look good other than the high side gauge will bounce around. It only cools to about 70 degrees. The fan is working as it should as well. What could be my problem here? TIA!!
08-26-2018
#2
If you think a good mechanic is expensive, try hiring a bad one
Re: Ac not cooling well
At 2000 RPM:
Ambient temperature is?
Low side pressure is?
High side pressure is?
Temperature drop occurs at what location?
Suction line temperature is?
Heater water valve is not stuck open?
Ambient temperature is?
Low side pressure is?
High side pressure is?
Temperature drop occurs at what location?
Suction line temperature is?
Heater water valve is not stuck open?
08-26-2018
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Low side sits at around 25 high side 300-350 due to gauge bouncing back and fourth. Ambient temp was 90 degrees heater valve is not stuck open. not sure what the temp is on the suction line but it does seem pretty cold and was sweating.
08-26-2018
#4
If you think a good mechanic is expensive, try hiring a bad one
Re: Ac not cooling well
not sure what the temp is on the suction line but it does seem pretty cold and was sweating.
Those water valves can be deceptive.. Misadjusted cable, or internal valve failures aren't that uncommon, have you taken it off to inspect flow or clamped a heater hose to completely stop liquid flow thru the core?
Low side sits at around 25 high side 300-350 due to gauge bouncing back and fourth
High side APPEARS too high. Several possibilities come to mind: First is overcharged. System running, Spray condenser with garden hose, high side pressure should drop noticeably and vent temp should drop as well.
Overcharge? Too much oil in the system can also mimic refrigerant overcharge due to reduced internal volume (less freon capacity)
Non OEM parts (cores) installed, now internal volume is reduced from original so what used to be correct charge amount (22.9 oz?) is now too much?
Condenser fan issues/speed/direction?
Condenser core clogged, poor airflow/poor thermal transfer
08-27-2018
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I have not taken off the heater valve but I will definitely give that a shot. I have tried to charge it with 22oz and had the same result. Condenser fan is working correctly. I will try to run water over condenser and see what happens. The company I purchased the compressor kit from told me that it should take 23 oz of Freon which I believe is a bit to much due to pressures being high. When I first installed the new system my pressures were low side 35 and high side 250 which to me is about perfect. Ambient temp was around 95 that day.
08-27-2018
#7
If you think a good mechanic is expensive, try hiring a bad one
Re: Ac not cooling well
When I first installed the new system my pressures were low side 35 and high side 250 which to me is about perfect. Ambient temp was around 95 that day.
08-27-2018
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No it did not cool any better then. I was told by the company I bought the kit from that it was Under charged so I added another oz which I knew was gonna be too much. I haven’t been able to get it to cool right from the get go. I was thinking since the high side was bouncing around that maybe the reed valves in the compressor were bad?? The old system never did that but compressor was weak so I just replaced the whole system. When I spoke to the person I bought it all from he told me I did not put enough Freon in. The company is giving me the run around and don’t want to warranty their compressor.
08-28-2018
#9
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Re: Ac not cooling well
Also agree with water valve.. You may want to remove it, run tap water through while rotating the ball valve to find the optimum point in which the valve seals off water flow. Loosen the ball valve arm screw and make the optimum seal point as the arm's farthest point of travel in the climate control's " max cold" (closed) position
Unfortunately, at best the 6th gen's ac is a weak HVAC unit and even at optimal output it struggles on hot, humid days. .
Unfortunately, at best the 6th gen's ac is a weak HVAC unit and even at optimal output it struggles on hot, humid days. .
08-29-2018
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I replaced the heater control valve today. When I looked at the old one it looked like it did close on one side but the other side was only half closed. The new one closed all the way on both sides. That seemed to help a little bit. I ran cold water over the condenser and that did help a lot. The low side got down to 10psi and high side about 125 which seems like it is low on Freon. I’m guessing it’s not pulling enough air to keep the condenser cool I am gonna try sealing the shroud off around the condenser to keep better air flow in it as the re is about a inch to inch and a half gap between the shroud and condenser. I was also wondering if it would help to add a small electric fan to the outside of the condenser? Finally getting somewhere on it. Running the water on it was able to get the temp down to 55 degrees coming out of the center vent.
08-29-2018
#11
If you think a good mechanic is expensive, try hiring a bad one
Re: Ac not cooling well
I ran cold water over the condenser and that did help a lot. The low side got down to 10psi and high side about 125 which seems like it is low on Freon.
I think that proved it's overcharged.
Read this line again:
High side APPEARS too high. Several possibilities come to mind: First is overcharged. System running, Spray condenser with garden hose, high side pressure should drop noticeably and vent temp should drop as well.
Fix up the condenser fan and shroud first and see if you gain anything, but I still expect it's overcharged
08-30-2018
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Ok my question then is if it requires 23 oz and now that seems to be too much what should I put in there? I have charged this system a few times and seem to end up with the same results. If I put around 20-21 oz that’s where I get my proper readings. 35 on the low side and about 225 on the high side. With those pressures it still would only cool to about 70 degrees. I’m kinda at a lost on what I should do. Thanks again for y’alls help with this. I’m gonna try and seal off the shroud and evacuate and recharge to where I get proper pressures again. If I still have the same results with it only cooling to 70 degrees what is gonna be my next step? I know the Ac should be cooling better than this. I just did a 95 civic at work and it got down to low 50’s so I know it’s capable of cooling better just not sure why it’s not. Thanks again
09-12-2018
#13
If you think a good mechanic is expensive, try hiring a bad one
Re: Ac not cooling well
Ok my question then is if it requires 23 oz and now that seems to be too much what should I put in there? I have charged this system a few times and seem to end up with the same results. If I put around 20-21 oz that’s where I get my proper readings. 35 on the low side and about 225 on the high side. With those pressures it still would only cool to about 70 degrees. I’m kinda at a lost on what I should do. Thanks again for y’alls help with this. I’m gonna try and seal off the shroud and evacuate and recharge to where I get proper pressures again. If I still have the same results with it only cooling to 70 degrees what is gonna be my next step? I know the Ac should be cooling better than this. I just did a 95 civic at work and it got down to low 50’s so I know it’s capable of cooling better just not sure why it’s not. Thanks again
not sure what the temp is on the suction line but it does seem pretty cold
09-13-2018
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This is pontiac, but it's my new favorite AC reference sheet, as they should all be relatively similar anyway. I read back in your posts and it might seem like you have the same issue I ran into, but run a quick check first. Let the system warm up and get all settled. Then get the throttle to 2000RPM and check the pressures. If high seems too high, and low seems either correct, or too low, see what happens the instant you let off the throttle. If the high like 50 PSI instantly, then things slowly go back to how they were idling before, it means there is air in the system (see linked sheet). It sounds like this might be your issue.
I accidentally let some air into mine (just what was in the manifold gauges). It actually doesn't cool half bad, but at 100 ambient temp, I could get my high climb up to like 450 PSI, which really freaked me out, while the low would run 40-45. Then immediately after removing throttle, low would drop like PSI, then start to settle. Often, the system would freak out and kick the compressor offline for a few seconds too.
I accidentally let some air into mine (just what was in the manifold gauges). It actually doesn't cool half bad, but at 100 ambient temp, I could get my high climb up to like 450 PSI, which really freaked me out, while the low would run 40-45. Then immediately after removing throttle, low would drop like PSI, then start to settle. Often, the system would freak out and kick the compressor offline for a few seconds too.
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