Air conditioning performance? 94-97 Accord (trying to figure out if I need R134a fill)

I have a 97 Accord with about 180K miles. I had my air conditioning
refilled with R134a two years ago. I almost always run the AC even in
cooler weather. So perhaps its ready for another refil.

I recently headed on a road trip through the Southwest. Its 110 degrees
here in Las Vegas. The air coming out is only slightly cool and the
interior temp is warm and and ranges from slightly uncomfortable to
barely adequate. When the temp cools down to 95 degrees in the evening,
the air from the AC gets quite a bit colder and the interior becomes
pleasant. As a reference, my friend's 2003 Jetta blows cold even at
110.

I am not sure if this problem is due to a fundamental weekness in the
AC in Gen-4 accords, or if I need a refrigerant refil. I honestly don't
remember how my AC performed in these temperatures in years past.

Places around here in vegas want $130 just to even look at it (although
it includes the refil). So I am looking for hear from Gen-4 accord
owners who can verify the performance of the AC, before I go spend any
money on this.

It is most likely that your refrigerant charge is low, but that is only a
guess.
A number of other factors can cause your unit to function poorly.

You can get a charge kit, and try to top up your unit yourself. It is an
easy job, and you can get a kit with can tapper, hose, gauge, and a can
of refrigerant for about $20.

IF a can or so of 134A returns your performance, it may last for a couple
of months, or even more, before you have to pay someone to find the leak
and fix it.

And, then, it may not be that at all.

Get the recharge kit or just the gauge from Wal Mart or elsewhere and read
the instructions. Check the pressure with the car running, air full on
recycle and make sure the clutch is engaged. Gauge reading is color coded
and idiot proof unless you are color blind.......


> wrote in message
oups.com...
>I have a 97 Accord with about 180K miles. I had my air conditioning
> refilled with R134a two years ago. I almost always run the AC even in
> cooler weather. So perhaps its ready for another refil.
>
> I recently headed on a road trip through the Southwest. Its 110 degrees
> here in Las Vegas. The air coming out is only slightly cool and the
> interior temp is warm and and ranges from slightly uncomfortable to
> barely adequate. When the temp cools down to 95 degrees in the evening,
> the air from the AC gets quite a bit colder and the interior becomes
> pleasant. As a reference, my friend's 2003 Jetta blows cold even at
> 110.
>
> I am not sure if this problem is due to a fundamental weekness in the
> AC in Gen-4 accords, or if I need a refrigerant refil. I honestly don't
> remember how my AC performed in these temperatures in years past.
>
> Places around here in vegas want $130 just to even look at it (although
> it includes the refil). So I am looking for hear from Gen-4 accord
> owners who can verify the performance of the AC, before I go spend any
> money on this.
>

On 2 Jul 2006 17:39:31 -0700, wrote:

>I have a 97 Accord with about 180K miles. I had my air conditioning
>refilled with R134a two years ago. I almost always run the AC even in
>cooler weather. So perhaps its ready for another refil.

Perhaps it is, certainly. But not because you run it in cooler
weather. Running it periodically even in cooler weather is good for
it and keeps oil lubricated through the system discouraging corrosion
and dried up "O' rings.

>I recently headed on a road trip through the Southwest. Its 110 degrees
>here in Las Vegas. The air coming out is only slightly cool and the
>interior temp is warm and and ranges from slightly uncomfortable to
>barely adequate. When the temp cools down to 95 degrees in the evening,
>the air from the AC gets quite a bit colder and the interior becomes
>pleasant. As a reference, my friend's 2003 Jetta blows cold even at
>110.
>
>I am not sure if this problem is due to a fundamental weekness in the
>AC in Gen-4 accords,

Not at all.

There IS one fundamental weakness you should check yourself.
Frequently the female projecton of the temperature control knob splits
and fails to turn the control all the way to cold. A new $3 know will
make a huge difference.

> or if I need a refrigerant refil. I honestly don't
>remember how my AC performed in these temperatures in years past.
>
>Places around here in vegas want $130 just to even look at it (although
>it includes the refil).

That's fair if professionaly done.

> So I am looking for hear from Gen-4 accord
>owners who can verify the performance of the AC, before I go spend any
>money on this.

I'm not an owner but we work on these all the time at my shop in
central Texas where it might not reach 110* but it does reach 110+
frequently with lots of humidity. These AC systems work quite well,
typically blowing 43* out the vents at maximum fan speed minutes after
car starting up the car which has been parked for in direct sunlight
for a few hours.

Don
www.donsautomotive.com

Don, I brought it in to a trusted mechanic and he actually found that
at high temperatures, the AC fan didn't spin which was causing my
engine coolant temp to rise in heavy traffic and to inhibit the cooling
capacity of the AC.
I had the fan replaced and things seem much better.
Although, I am still not sure if it also needs a refrigerant refil. At
high oudoor temperatures, the AC still seems to strain to keep the car
cool enough.
So I bought a small thermometer to attach to the AC vents.
At 104 degrees outside, and with maximum blowing speed, I get only
about 50 degrees sitting at idle or driving slowly in traffic. It does
indeed cool down to 43 degrees when I am driving on the freeway (which
makes the interior nice and comfortable). It goes back up to 50 degrees
when again at idle. Would a refrigerant refil help keep the AC cooler
at idle? Thanks again for your help.




Don wrote:
> On 2 Jul 2006 17:39:31 -0700, wrote:
>
> >I have a 97 Accord with about 180K miles. I had my air conditioning
> >refilled with R134a two years ago. I almost always run the AC even in
> >cooler weather. So perhaps its ready for another refil.
>
> Perhaps it is, certainly. But not because you run it in cooler
> weather. Running it periodically even in cooler weather is good for
> it and keeps oil lubricated through the system discouraging corrosion
> and dried up "O' rings.
>
> >I recently headed on a road trip through the Southwest. Its 110 degrees
> >here in Las Vegas. The air coming out is only slightly cool and the
> >interior temp is warm and and ranges from slightly uncomfortable to
> >barely adequate. When the temp cools down to 95 degrees in the evening,
> >the air from the AC gets quite a bit colder and the interior becomes
> >pleasant. As a reference, my friend's 2003 Jetta blows cold even at
> >110.
> >
> >I am not sure if this problem is due to a fundamental weekness in the
> >AC in Gen-4 accords,
>
> Not at all.
>
> There IS one fundamental weakness you should check yourself.
> Frequently the female projecton of the temperature control knob splits
> and fails to turn the control all the way to cold. A new $3 know will
> make a huge difference.
>
> > or if I need a refrigerant refil. I honestly don't
> >remember how my AC performed in these temperatures in years past.
> >
> >Places around here in vegas want $130 just to even look at it (although
> >it includes the refil).
>
> That's fair if professionaly done.
>
> > So I am looking for hear from Gen-4 accord
> >owners who can verify the performance of the AC, before I go spend any
> >money on this.
>
> I'm not an owner but we work on these all the time at my shop in
> central Texas where it might not reach 110* but it does reach 110+
> frequently with lots of humidity. These AC systems work quite well,
> typically blowing 43* out the vents at maximum fan speed minutes after
> car starting up the car which has been parked for in direct sunlight
> for a few hours.
>
> Don
> www.donsautomotive.com

wrote:
> I have a 97 Accord with about 180K miles. I had my air conditioning
> refilled with R134a two years ago. I almost always run the AC even in
> cooler weather. So perhaps its ready for another refil.

Running the A/C year around is likely to reduce leakage rather than
increase it since it keeps the rubber seals lubricated. It's people
who don't touch the A/C for 6 months in a row who are more likely to
need their systems recharged.

Try feeling the evaporator's inlet and outlet pipes, which pass through
the firewall. After the A/C has run for at least 5-10 minutes in
recirculation mode with all the doors and windows closed, both pipes
should feel equally cold, about 32F, when the engine is run at about
2500 RPM.