2008 Civic AC very slow to cool
06-20-2018, 06:20 PM
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2008 Civic AC very slow to cool
Hi...
I'm doing research trying to help a friend of mine. She's telling me that it takes 15 minutes after turning on the AC before cold air starts to come out of the vents. She says that she has tried all blower speeds and that it makes no difference which speed is used; still 15 minutes. She also says that after the 15 minute wait it does blow cold; cold like she is used to. Does anyone know what these symptoms may be indicative of?
I'm doing research trying to help a friend of mine. She's telling me that it takes 15 minutes after turning on the AC before cold air starts to come out of the vents. She says that she has tried all blower speeds and that it makes no difference which speed is used; still 15 minutes. She also says that after the 15 minute wait it does blow cold; cold like she is used to. Does anyone know what these symptoms may be indicative of?
06-21-2018, 09:25 AM
#2
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Re: 2008 Civic AC very slow to cool
What's the history on the unit? Has it ever been recharged? Does it work better in rain or at night? Does the condenser fan run? Does it still circulate the air on every blower setting?
It's very likely to be a low charge due to a leak. Most systems can leak around an ounce per year which is considered normal. If it's never been serviced, losing 10 ounces will definitely make the car cool like crap. These cars also tend to have an exposed condenser that can leak from a rock strike on the highway.
It would be best to take it to a dedicated auto A/C shop, have them recover and weigh the remaining refrigerant, evacuate the system, leak check, and recharge. Most shops will do this typically for around $60 in my area.
It's very likely to be a low charge due to a leak. Most systems can leak around an ounce per year which is considered normal. If it's never been serviced, losing 10 ounces will definitely make the car cool like crap. These cars also tend to have an exposed condenser that can leak from a rock strike on the highway.
It would be best to take it to a dedicated auto A/C shop, have them recover and weigh the remaining refrigerant, evacuate the system, leak check, and recharge. Most shops will do this typically for around $60 in my area.
06-25-2018, 02:04 PM
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Re: 2008 Civic AC very slow to cool
.
I apologize for this late reply.
A couple of days ago I hooked up my AC gauges and observed 30L and 100H. I had a partial 16oz. can left over from servicing my pickup a couple of years ago; maybe 9-11oz. remaining. The system took about 15 minutes to take the contents. The pressures then were 40L and 200H. Then I attempted to install a new 3oz. can with dye. The Honda's system wouldn't take ANY of that 3oz. can. I sent my friend on her way and asked her to call me back when she got home and report on the AC's performance. She called about 3 minutes later and about a mile away to report that the AC was blowing cold already. It's been a few days now and it's still blowing cold.
Any thoughts why that 3oz. can w/dye wouldn't go in?
I apologize for this late reply.
What's the history on the unit? Has it ever been recharged?
It's never been serviced. The original charge.
Does it work better in rain or at night?
No difference.
Does the condenser fan run?
Yes, no problem there.
Does it still circulate the air on every blower setting?
Yes, and every vent setting.
It's very likely to be a low charge due to a leak. Most systems can leak around an ounce per year which is considered normal. If it's never been serviced, losing 10 ounces will definitely make the car cool like crap. These cars also tend to have an exposed condenser that can leak from a rock strike on the highway.
It would be best to take it to a dedicated auto A/C shop, have them recover and weigh the remaining refrigerant, evacuate the system, leak check, and recharge. Most shops will do this typically for around $60 in my area.
It's never been serviced. The original charge.
Does it work better in rain or at night?
No difference.
Does the condenser fan run?
Yes, no problem there.
Does it still circulate the air on every blower setting?
Yes, and every vent setting.
It's very likely to be a low charge due to a leak. Most systems can leak around an ounce per year which is considered normal. If it's never been serviced, losing 10 ounces will definitely make the car cool like crap. These cars also tend to have an exposed condenser that can leak from a rock strike on the highway.
It would be best to take it to a dedicated auto A/C shop, have them recover and weigh the remaining refrigerant, evacuate the system, leak check, and recharge. Most shops will do this typically for around $60 in my area.
Any thoughts why that 3oz. can w/dye wouldn't go in?
06-26-2018, 09:53 AM
#5
Honda-Tech Member
Re: 2008 Civic AC very slow to cool
It looks like you found the issue with a low charge, since it has never been serviced. Let her know it might start blowing warm again at any point. It might even get through the rest of the summer. No way of telling without a leak check. Keep in mind a good shop will have an electronic leak detecting "sniffer" that does not need dye to work, since you couldn't get it to take the dye. It senses the presence of the refrigerant directly with incredibly small amounts needed to trigger it.
As for not taking the charge, did you run the engine at 1500rpm while charging? A lot of systems will charge slowly at an idle and need to be bumped a little higher. Probably for the best it didn't take since these systems are incredibly small, and guessing a charge is usually bad.
I hope that 16oz can didn't have any stop leak or additional oil, or you may have created far more work in the future than this car was already facing.
As for not taking the charge, did you run the engine at 1500rpm while charging? A lot of systems will charge slowly at an idle and need to be bumped a little higher. Probably for the best it didn't take since these systems are incredibly small, and guessing a charge is usually bad.
I hope that 16oz can didn't have any stop leak or additional oil, or you may have created far more work in the future than this car was already facing.
06-26-2018, 01:22 PM
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Re: 2008 Civic AC very slow to cool
It looks like you found the issue with a low charge, since it has never been serviced. Let her know it might start blowing warm again at any point. It might even get through the rest of the summer. No way of telling without a leak check. Keep in mind a good shop will have an electronic leak detecting "sniffer" that does not need dye to work, since you couldn't get it to take the dye. It senses the presence of the refrigerant directly with incredibly small amounts needed to trigger it.
As for not taking the charge, did you run the engine at 1500rpm while charging?
We charged at it's normal idle speed.
A lot of systems will charge slowly at an idle and need to be bumped a little higher. Probably for the best it didn't take since these systems are incredibly small, and guessing a charge is usually bad.
I hope that 16oz can didn't have any stop leak or additional oil, or you may have created far more work in the future than this car was already facing.
That partial can was just regular refrigerant.
As for not taking the charge, did you run the engine at 1500rpm while charging?
We charged at it's normal idle speed.
A lot of systems will charge slowly at an idle and need to be bumped a little higher. Probably for the best it didn't take since these systems are incredibly small, and guessing a charge is usually bad.
I hope that 16oz can didn't have any stop leak or additional oil, or you may have created far more work in the future than this car was already facing.
That partial can was just regular refrigerant.
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