When sitting still with the A/C on, the compressor will attempt to cycle "ON" but when it does, RPM's will drop to below 2-300 violently shaking the car. I say attempt because it never fully engages when at idle.

It has even gone as far as to die on me a couple times while sitting at idle. At highway speeds (and really anything other than stop-and-go), she blows nice and cold.

Question is, anyway to get this to stop? I understand it's a 4 cyl and they don't push these compressors very well when parked, but this is nowhere near acceptable.

 

My car used to do that man, but i tried using seafoam engine restore and it actualy helped. Idle still drops when i turn the AC when still, but nowhere near as low and the rpms come back up to the norm in no time. might have just worked for me, but maybe try that, its easy, cheap, and cleans ur engines internals of carbon build up.

hope this helps you

 

If it hasn't been recently overcharged, you may need to clean your IACV (Idle Air Control valve). They periodically get dirty from PCV residue and ingested dust. This is the ECM controlled component who's job is to compensate for changing engine loads (such as cycling A/C Compressors). While you're at it, you might want to attend to the throttle body at the same time. These proceedures are spelled out (at least they were...) at the FAQ section at the beginning of this Forum.

P

 

Thanks P, but I've cleaned my IACV several times due to the bouncing idle issue. Cleaned once, bouncing idle came back. Cleaned again, haven't had issues since. So unless it just needs replacing.....

 

clean out throttle body and throttle plate as well, my old 96 accord did the same exact thing until the dealership cleaned the IACV valve (previously mentioned) and throttle plate, throttle body. run intake system cleaner through as well.

 

How much was that?

 

i dunno but you can do it yourself for about $20

 

they covered it a longggggggg time ago. haha. and yes a can of bg intake system cleaner costs about 8-9 bucks, 6 pack of beer- another 6-10 bucks. So yah about $20 bucks, youll want a few beers after cleaning it all out.

 

Pull everything apart and throughly clean with carb cleaner then?

 

everything as in what? just pull intake off and connecting hoses. And i recommend BG Intake system cleaner over Carb cleaner.

 

So how do you do it? Slowly let it suck in?

Taking the intake off is no problem, but I just don't exactly know how to perform this. My idle/voltage problem has been ongoing for quite some time.

 

what about when the compressor turns on and off repeatedly when the car is parked? does that mean that i am overcharged or undercharged? i assume undercharged because one of my schrader valves seems to be leaking

 

Victor, you realize the compressor is designed to turn on and off when the a/c is on. It is called the clutch cycle. Different cars have different times the compressor is on then switches off, so and so forth.

 

It could. If it is doing it quite often it is either of the two. I overcharged my A/C and it kept kicking in an out way to often. Got the system evapped and refilled and its been fine, but I think I need another recharge.

 

With engine off, take intake off, then clean the throttle plate and the throttle body with the intake cleaner. take the iacv off and spray alil into the hole on it as well. let dry and clean the throttle body till your rag doesnt have anymore black stuff coming from the throttle body your cleaning.

with engine on, position the spray nozzle of the cleaner near the bottle of throttle plate. open throttle body with your right hand. Youlll hear the rpms going up open up about 1/4 way and spray in spurts with the cleaner can in the left hand. Squirt in 2-3 sec spurts until can is gone. i usually only do a half though every other oil change.

 

i understand that, the reason i ask is because it never did that before and when i turn the a/c on the car is extremely gutless ... like more than normal

 

Mine's doing this as well. Its been doing this since my H swap. Never did this with both of my F22B1. I cleaned out my IACV & TB; still no changes. I then bump my idle up so when it does drop it doesn't drop below 500rpm.

 

Alright fellas, pulled the throttle body, pulled the IACV from the throttle body, and cleaned everything THOROUGHLY with carb cleaner..... would never have imagined it could do so much. This along with a bad motor mount were the culprits. Thanks fellas

 

are you running a very light flywheel? if so that could be the case...

 

Nope, stock flywheel. Cleaning the TB and IACV along with replacing a motor mount solved all my problems.