I posted a couple months back that the A/C compressor in my Accord appeared to be leaking. Well its getting warmer now and I used it on full blast today and noticed that its not as cold as it used to be. I also noticed that the drivers side vents (mainly the vent farthest left) is not blowing nearly as cold as the others. So, what could cause the difference in temperature of the separate vents? I would think that if its low on freon/oil that that would be reflected over all the vents equally. What say you experts? And what kind of repair / bill am I looking at? A/C is a luxury but it feels like a necessity here in sunny FL!
Possible AC issues...2006 Accord
- Thread starter gregk24
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You have to get a thermometer and put in in the center left vent and keep an eye on the temperature, if it is around 45 F or lower that is about spec (between 70-95F ambient temps) a few degrees less or more is pretty much in spec for an older car with a well used compressor. Does the compressor stay on at all times on max ac with the fan on the highest speed (if the temp is above 80F it should stay on most all of the time) or does it cycle constantly?
Say 1 minute on and then 20 seconds off?) I know my 1994 Accord is probably due for a top up of refrigerant since it cycles on and off about every minute or so at 80F and when I switch off or on I can hear the refrigerant gurgling in the lines.
It's not uncommon for temps not to be perfectly even across all vents since the evaporator is positions closer to one side of the car or another usually.
Say 1 minute on and then 20 seconds off?) I know my 1994 Accord is probably due for a top up of refrigerant since it cycles on and off about every minute or so at 80F and when I switch off or on I can hear the refrigerant gurgling in the lines.
It's not uncommon for temps not to be perfectly even across all vents since the evaporator is positions closer to one side of the car or another usually.
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It's very common for one side to blow cool while the other side blows warm when you're refrigerant it low. My Buick does the same thing. I can get ice cold air out the passenger side and warm air from the driver side before it gets too low to not kick the compressor on anymore.
I have a very slow leak from my fill port and I need to get it fixed too. Usually needs two small cans per year.
I have a very slow leak from my fill port and I need to get it fixed too. Usually needs two small cans per year.
I depends on how the refrigerant moves in the evap. Very common for one vent to go warm,then the next etc
Originally Posted By: gregk24
Are those A/C recharge kits safe? I have no experience using them, afraid I would do more harm than good.
The professionals here will tell you the only way to get the proper operation from your AC is to remove all the refrigerant from the system and refill it according to weight. But it costs MONEY and unless you have a trusted shop they could screw the job up as well.
If your system is a bit low, which it sounds like it is, you CAN top it off with a couple or few ounces safely without damaging it.
Most importantly is to NOT use a sealer refrigerant or one with oil already in it...Just use PLAIN OLD PURE 134a, which is cheapest too.
You can get a cheap low pressure port gauge set which will do a safe job so you won't overfill it. Also something missed by many DIYers is to purge the gauge set of air BEFORE CONNECTING IT to your low pressure (refill) port. You simply open the value on the gauge hose and let it flow until you get a solid stream of 134a out of it with no air pockets. CRITICAL if you want things to work right and not cause other problems, WHEN REFILLING LESS IS MORE, even if the system is not perfectly filled it is still safer than overfilling it, so stay safe and if in any doubt only fill until the gauge reads at the LOWER end of the green area, as long as you get decent cold air STOP! you're are done!
Are those A/C recharge kits safe? I have no experience using them, afraid I would do more harm than good.
The professionals here will tell you the only way to get the proper operation from your AC is to remove all the refrigerant from the system and refill it according to weight. But it costs MONEY and unless you have a trusted shop they could screw the job up as well.
If your system is a bit low, which it sounds like it is, you CAN top it off with a couple or few ounces safely without damaging it.
Most importantly is to NOT use a sealer refrigerant or one with oil already in it...Just use PLAIN OLD PURE 134a, which is cheapest too.
You can get a cheap low pressure port gauge set which will do a safe job so you won't overfill it. Also something missed by many DIYers is to purge the gauge set of air BEFORE CONNECTING IT to your low pressure (refill) port. You simply open the value on the gauge hose and let it flow until you get a solid stream of 134a out of it with no air pockets. CRITICAL if you want things to work right and not cause other problems, WHEN REFILLING LESS IS MORE, even if the system is not perfectly filled it is still safer than overfilling it, so stay safe and if in any doubt only fill until the gauge reads at the LOWER end of the green area, as long as you get decent cold air STOP! you're are done!
The driver's side vent is the furthest from the evaporator so it'll be the warmest. If you're leaking oil you're leaking refrigerant too. It'll just keep getting warmer until the pressure switch stops letting the compressor kick on.
A/C is not a luxury in the south, it's a necessity!
Compressor, drier, refrigerant and labor = $1,200.
A/C is not a luxury in the south, it's a necessity!
Compressor, drier, refrigerant and labor = $1,200.
Have the system evacuated, leak checked, and recharged by weight.
And clean the condenser/fresh cabin air filter before it goes in
Shouldn't cost more then 2 or 3 hours labor at most.
And clean the condenser/fresh cabin air filter before it goes in
Shouldn't cost more then 2 or 3 hours labor at most.
we use them all the time
May want to check the door mix motor first, if you have a dual-zone or full-automatic system. The link also tells you how to run the HVAC diagnostics.
Reason I say this is my '03 TL-S had problems maintaining the temperature set point and it was the door mix motor. My symptoms were the vent temp didn't follow the set point. Crank the set point a lot one way or the other and vent temp would change.
It's something to check. Could easily be just low refrigerant, as others said. When low on reefer the evaporator gets cold only on part of the part, coldest where the refrigerant first enters the evaporator and warmest where the gas exits the part.
Reason I say this is my '03 TL-S had problems maintaining the temperature set point and it was the door mix motor. My symptoms were the vent temp didn't follow the set point. Crank the set point a lot one way or the other and vent temp would change.
It's something to check. Could easily be just low refrigerant, as others said. When low on reefer the evaporator gets cold only on part of the part, coldest where the refrigerant first enters the evaporator and warmest where the gas exits the part.
Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
It's very common for one side to blow cool while the other side blows warm when you're refrigerant it low. My Buick does the same thing. I can get ice cold air out the passenger side and warm air from the driver side before it gets too low to not kick the compressor on anymore.
I have a very slow leak from my fill port and I need to get it fixed too. Usually needs two small cans per year.
Oddly, my 05 civic (300k miles) blows much warmer air out of one of the center vents than it does the other, with just the heat (no AC) on.
It's very common for one side to blow cool while the other side blows warm when you're refrigerant it low. My Buick does the same thing. I can get ice cold air out the passenger side and warm air from the driver side before it gets too low to not kick the compressor on anymore.
I have a very slow leak from my fill port and I need to get it fixed too. Usually needs two small cans per year.
Oddly, my 05 civic (300k miles) blows much warmer air out of one of the center vents than it does the other, with just the heat (no AC) on.
My 06 had the same problem, wasn't as cold as it use to be. I got one of those kits, followed directions, and put about an ounce or two in it, worked fine. Along with others, I'd look into the mix motor, especially if you use the dual climate controls a lot. I do not.
Originally Posted By: Schmoe
My 06 had the same problem, wasn't as cold as it use to be. I got one of those kits, followed directions, and put about an ounce or two in it, worked fine. Along with others, I'd look into the mix motor, especially if you use the dual climate controls a lot. I do not.
I do not have dual zone, or automatic controls. Manual controls, just a dial from cold to hot and an A/C on off button.
My 06 had the same problem, wasn't as cold as it use to be. I got one of those kits, followed directions, and put about an ounce or two in it, worked fine. Along with others, I'd look into the mix motor, especially if you use the dual climate controls a lot. I do not.
I do not have dual zone, or automatic controls. Manual controls, just a dial from cold to hot and an A/C on off button.
Make sure your heater control valve is closing all the way when you turn the temp all the way cool. My civic valve was sticking open a little causing decreased ac performance.
There is a valve on the heater core lines that is operated by a blue cable, the cable can stretch and sometimes needs to be adjusted.
There is a valve on the heater core lines that is operated by a blue cable, the cable can stretch and sometimes needs to be adjusted.
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