I am having problems with my AC. I have checked the high and low for a week now. No leaks.. 220ish on the high.. 50 or so on the low.. everyday... It gets somewhat cool.. but not really that great at all... maybe 15 to 20 degrees lower then outside. which in 110 degree heat.. that is still in the 90s..

the compressor kicks on.. clutch works.. BUT! the AC suction line (low side) doesnt get cold at all when running full blast..

I took it to a repair shop.. they said probably expansion valve.. not that I disagree with them.. I just dont want to pay for that repair and it NOT be whats wrong it.. and pay even more for the next repair... I have searched all over the web for an help.. but nothing really tells me... Thanks!

oh.. and its a 2000 civic SOHC 1.6

 

Does the condenser fan run? Is the condenser clogged with bugs or are the fins bent, preventing proper air flow?

 

yes the fan does come on. I did clean it out. The vents do blow alot of air pretty hard, so I dont think its clogged or anything. But its def worth a shot! Thanks for the idea! anything other ideas?

 

to answer that question better.. the AC condenser doesnt look any more beat up then it should... its 10 years old.. its not smashed at all.. but you can tell its not a brand new one...lol

Thanks again!

 

If you spray the condenser with water from a garden hose, does the A/C now blow cold?

 

Typically the expansion valve is bad if both the low side and high side is reading low.

 

I have not tried that yet.. what does that tell me? condenser is bad? or the condenser is good?

 

well.. neither side is reading low or high.. its 50 on the low.. and 220ish on the high.. the low line just isnt getting cold like it should..

 

50 is too low, should read 56 with about 80 degree day, and 70 with about a 90 degree day.

Might be low on charge.

Or even if the clutch is still spinning the gap might be too big and seems to working, but in essence it is not, is it an orig compressor? if so I would get an aftermarket unit with the clutch already installed.

 

If the A/C blows cold when the condenser is sprayed with water, then the condenser may be bad.

 

No sir. On an 80F day, the low side pressure should not be more than 35 PSI at 1500 engine rpm. Therefore, the low side pressure is too high.

 

Thank you Ron J for all the help! I will def to the condenser test and post results for everyone when it gets fixed!!

and thanks to everyone else for the help as well!!

 

I was quoting with engine off not running, you didn't indicate that is was running and said earlier you had a 50 reading.

 

sorry.. it fluctuates between 45 and 55 while running..

on a lighter note..

is a vacuum pull/test (whatever its called) the same thing as recharge/evac?

 

With the engine and A/C off, the pressures on the low and high sides should be equal, about 100-110 PSI on a hot day. This is called static pressure and is generally not very useful unless all the refrigerant has leaked from the system.

 

Are you talking about a system leak test where a deep vacuum is pulled on the system to see whether it is held over time?

 

Don't know the answer to that.

So if your low side is too high, your high side is what too high or too low?

 

The low side seems too high and the high side seems too low. This may indicate to a bad compressor.

 

I checked this seems to be the case, bad compressor is it original?