ToddRobes87

Hello, here is a list of year make and model of my car and the parts that consist of the A/C system:
Car: 1993 Honda Civic CX Hatchback
Motor: 1996 Honda Prelude H22a VTEC

A/C parts:
A/C Compressor: 1996 Honda Prelude VTEC "NEW"
A/C flex lines: Custom "OTHER"
A/C condenser: 1995 Honda Civic LX "USED"
A/C lines: 1995 Honda Civic LX "USED"
A/C receiver dryer: 1995 Honda Civic "NEW"
A/C evaporator: 2000 Honda CRV "USED"
A/C Cabin Air Filter: 2000 Honda CRV "NEW"
A/C expansion Valve: 2000 Honda CRV "NEW"
A/C wiring: custom "OTHER"
A/C fan: custom 10" slim fan, pusher instead of a puller "NEW"

Only other information I can provide is that i'm using the 1995 Honda Civic LX thermal/pressure sensor on the condenser and I'm not using the thermal switch that is located in the 2000 Honda CRV evaporator. Due to some wiring complications, I rigged the harness so that the A/C fan will have to run every time the A/C compressor engages, hate if you want to.

Right now everything is installed in the car, I recently vacuumed out the A/C system for approx. 99 minutes and pulled 29.6 inches. After the vacuum was done, I could only fill the system with 13 oz. of refrigerant where I would only guess this system should take anywhere from 20 to 23 oz. Anyways, both the high and low sides of the A/C system have excessive pressures. If I remember correctly over 100 psi on the low side and over 325 psi on the high side, with the high side bouncing an average of 20 psi or so.

I may have the wrong expansion valve installed on the evaporator, to where I need an expansion valve off of a 1996 Honda Prelude. I don't even know if this is possible however and I know that this is not a good reference, but Autozone claims that expansion valve part # 39000 and part # 39246 have the same fittings and therefore can be inter-changable, but I don't know, perhaps someone could verify this.

Here is where I ask any of you to provide me with advice and feedback on my project. I'm sure any information would be helpful and greatly appreciated. If you need more information to figure this issue out please let me know and I'll do my best to answer back. thank you for your time and have a nice day.

Former User

How and where did you add refrigerant to the system after the evacuation?

Are the 100 psi low side/325 high side measurements done with the A/C running (clutch engaged and fan running)?

What happens to the pressures if you spray water from a garden hose onto the condenser?

ToddRobes87

I added the refrigerant straight into the system through the A/C machine that pulled a vacuum on it, at the high and low side fittings. 100 psi and 325 psi were measured while the car was running, and the a/c clutch was engaged, I'll be completely honest though, I can't for sure verify that the a/c fan was running too, it should have been because when the a/c clutch is engaged the a/c fan should be running as well.

Former User

You would generally add refrigerant only to the low side.

Check whether the fan runs and also spray the condenser with water to see whether the pressures normalize. High pressures on both sides generally point to insufficient refrigerant cooling by the condenser.

ToddRobes87

well I'm kinda new operating the A/C machine and how it adds refrigerant, actually to be completely honest I'm pretty new when it comes to working with the A/C system in general. I had to fabricate the condenser and I can't find words to describe it but basically I had to bend a fitting coming off the condenser to be able to clear the A/C compressor, I feel like I used proper tools and procedures to bend the line though, the line didn't crack and there's no pinch in the line that I could visibly see. perhaps I could take a picture of it tomorrow, so an A/C system is picky enough that if the A/C fan doesn't come on it can cause these readings to be off?

Former User

Generally you would add refrigerant only to the low side with the engine running and the A/C on.

Definitely. The condenser fan serves a very important function. It is not a decoration.

ToddRobes87

ok the next question I have is how long should I vacuum the A/C system again, or would you recommend vacuuming for 1.5 hours every time? I ask this because I removed the evaporator today to see if the expansion valve was actually installed correctly, and it was.

Former User

Vacuuming the system for 2-3 hours should be fine.

ToddRobes87

I was only able to vacuum the system for 99 minutes because that was the max amount of time this machine allowed me to vacuum

Former User

Then I would vacuum the system for 99 minutes.

pwebb0207

is the fan shrouded?

ToddRobes87

the fan had to be located in front of the condenser, because there's literally no room for the fan to fit behind the condenser and still install the A/C lines going into the A/C compressor. I made sure the fan pushes air through the condenser though, as far as shrouding, there is a small amount of shrouding left, I had to cut most of it away for it to for all the parts to fit.

Former User

Does the fan push/pull air from the engine side or grill side? It needs to move air from in front of the car through the condenser rather than hot air from engine side.

ToddRobes87

the fan pushes air from the grille side through the condenser to the the engine side if that makes sense

pwebb0207

that fan is only 10 inches across, and without a shroud it will only cool a small portion of the condenser.

also take into account pusher fans are not as effective as pullers.

ToddRobes87

that's a good point, i'm not exactly sure that the fan does disperse enough cooling to the condenser with it being a pusher instead of a puller. it would take some major fabrication to make room so that I can relocate the fan behind condenser. would you know of an easy way to test this before I go through all that trouble?

ToddRobes87

another couple questions I need answered is perhaps how much oil and refrigerant I should put exactly into this A/C system? i'd say there's about 4.5 to 5 oz. of PAG 46 oil with dye and I know I can only put in a max of 13 oz of refrigerant, but how much should this system hold?