Honda Civic / Del Sol (1992 - 2000) EG/EH/EJ/EK/EM1 Discussion

A/C problem? Parked in Las Vegas sun for >30 mins, A/C takes ~25 min to cool car

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Old Sep 28, 2010 | 10:38 PM
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Default A/C problem? Parked in Las Vegas sun for >30 mins, A/C takes ~25 min to cool car

Hey all.

I'm a noob to the honda game and was wondering what was wrong with my a/c?

Ok, so my a/c does work, but when it's left out in the sun for more than 30 mins, it's takes about 25 minutes for the a/c to get cold.

Could it be the a/c belt?

Or does it just need to be recharged?
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Old Sep 28, 2010 | 10:43 PM
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Default Re: Problem with my A/C?

Originally Posted by frisco_ek
Hey all.

I'm a noob to the honda game and was wondering what was wrong with my a/c?

Ok, so my a/c does work, but when it's left out in the sun for more than 30 mins, it's takes about 25 minutes for the a/c to get cold.

Could it be the a/c belt?

Or does it just need to be recharged?
Park in the shade.
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Old Sep 28, 2010 | 10:44 PM
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Default Re: Problem with my A/C?

Originally Posted by decko
Park in the shade.
can't always do that in Vegas man.
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Old Sep 29, 2010 | 06:26 AM
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Default Re: Problem with my A/C?

You need to buy or rent a manifold gauge set to check the refrigerant pressures on the high and low sides.
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Old Sep 29, 2010 | 06:37 AM
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Default Re: Problem with my A/C?

refrigerant ...!
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Old Sep 29, 2010 | 08:34 AM
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Default Re: Problem with my A/C?

I live in Phoenix so I feel your LV pain. One thing to remember is that when we park in the sun our cars BAKE and it takes time to cool everything down. Everything in that car is about 150 degrees and is radiating heat until your A/C cools it off. I do two things to get cooled off faster. First is turning off recirculate until the inside air is about the same temp as outside. Better to cool 105 degree outside air than 150 degree inside air. Second, I open my windows for a mile or so to help cool off the inside faster.

One last thing, check that your condenser is unobstructed so you get the best temperature drop across it. I tend to pick up a lot of sand size particles in the bottom half of my EG condenser.

Good luck my desert brother!
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Old Sep 29, 2010 | 08:54 AM
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Default Re: Problem with my A/C?

I have a black interior and it takes awhile for my car to cool down but it will cool down after-awhile even in full sun.

Buy the biggest sunshade you can fit in your car , I purchased a jumbo one for my Del Sol and it works wonders, I even use the shade if I'm gonna sit inside idle.

Ignore the size charts on the back , and get a really big one and just stuff it into the windshield when you go to park your car, the overlapping bits will cover a little of the side windows too. Don't get the card-board-ish ones , get the flexable silver screens, they kind of look like silver bubble wrap.

Get a decent quality one as the cheaper ones break down in UV sunlight and shed all over your car, I already went through that.

It will shorten your cool down time by about 30% when you first get in the car.

25 minutes does seem a tad long , but consider where you live and how hot it is in the car

Using the sunscreen when you park will reduce that time to about 15minutes
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Old Sep 29, 2010 | 08:57 AM
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Default Re: Problem with my A/C?

Shades are good short term, but if you're car sits for more than an couple hours it'll get just as hot from the sun beating on the roof. But that's good advice.
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Old Sep 30, 2010 | 10:51 AM
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Default Re: Problem with my A/C?

Originally Posted by smcdonaldaz
Shades are good short term, but if you're car sits for more than an couple hours it'll get just as hot from the sun beating on the roof. But that's good advice.
Mine sits for 5 hours + in the sun and I can tell a HUGE difference compared to without one.

I have an all black interior, THEY DO WORK , without question.
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Old Sep 30, 2010 | 04:30 PM
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Default Re: Problem with my A/C?

Thanks a lot guys!

So should I do the refrigerant thing?

Or should I just buy a shade?

Because I hate literally waiting 25 minutes for my a/c to get cold.
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Old Sep 30, 2010 | 05:05 PM
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Default Re: A/C problem? Parked in Las Vegas sun for >30 mins, A/C takes ~25 min to cool car

both.
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Old Sep 30, 2010 | 06:57 PM
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Default Re: A/C problem? Parked in Las Vegas sun for >30 mins, A/C takes ~25 min to cool car

Also remember that A/C's dont just blow out cold air all the time. Car A/C's when working at their best cool air about 30-40 degrees (unless you have fancy climate control). So when your car is sitting in the hot *** Vegas sun it's still doing it's job when its pumping out 80 degree air for the first 25 minutes untill it gets really cold.
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Old Oct 15, 2010 | 11:13 PM
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Default Re: A/C problem? Parked in Las Vegas sun for >30 mins, A/C takes ~25 min to cool car

OK, I am not a fan of thread-jacking. I am replying to request help here based on my search feature finds; it's a toss-up whether I should reply to this thread or the other one.

My A/C blows hot. The A/C was serviced with a RobinAir not terribly long ago. No leaks, vacuum was good, but after refilling, the high side pressure needle was bouncing quickly more than it should have been. (I can't recall the details of what specifically was going on, because I had NO idea what the guy was talking about).

The condenser fan kicks on. I hear the compressor kick on when I have someone turn on the A/C. But the air coming out of the vents is hot. It's hot when I am parked, it stays hot. Driving city, highway, 0-85mph, 1+ hour...it's miserable, compounded by the fact that I live in the desert. (It was especially fun today when I drove home from the tint shop and couldn't roll the windows down because of the brand new tint.)

All 4 fan speeds work. Hot air whether it's recirc or vent.

I'd like to fix this sooner rather than later. Suggestions?
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Old Oct 15, 2010 | 11:15 PM
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Default Re: A/C problem? Parked in Las Vegas sun for >30 mins, A/C takes ~25 min to cool car

looks like it's time to double check your R-134a and invest in a remote start
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Old Oct 15, 2010 | 11:39 PM
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Default Re: A/C problem? Parked in Las Vegas sun for >30 mins, A/C takes ~25 min to cool car

Maybe your due for a recharge?

my ac doesnt take that long, but to cool the car down to a confortable temp i can see it taking a few if not more minutes....
Mine was recharged a year or 2 ago and only take a couple minutes to make me happy but i live in wa not vegas lol
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Old Oct 16, 2010 | 11:06 AM
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Default Re: A/C problem? Parked in Las Vegas sun for >30 mins, A/C takes ~25 min to cool car

Originally Posted by 98civdx
Maybe your due for a recharge?

my ac doesnt take that long, but to cool the car down to a confortable temp i can see it taking a few if not more minutes....
Mine was recharged a year or 2 ago and only take a couple minutes to make me happy but i live in wa not vegas lol
I was recharged in July/August of this year. I haven't had it rechecked since then, but no leaks present when it was refilled should mean it's still charged. Right?
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Old Oct 16, 2010 | 01:32 PM
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Default Re: A/C problem? Parked in Las Vegas sun for >30 mins, A/C takes ~25 min to cool car

Could be over/undercharged.. If you have a friend with gauges, its free.

Better to know, than to keep guessing.

And, I'd take it to a different place than the one that serviced it before, if you don't have access to gauges.
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