TLJohn

At about 15,000 miles I had to have my A/C compressor replaced by my deealer. (blowing hot air all of the time)

Now it seems to get cold only after the RPM's have been up for a while. So after getting into a hot car and then driving in stop and go traffic it takes a long time to cool down.

I know if I bring it into the dealer, they will stick a thermometer in the vent, drive the car on the highway and say it is fine. Not to mention bringing it into the dealer is a major PITA.

Can't I just buy a can of R114 and make sure it is full? Any other words of wisdom?

Just to be clear, it does eventually cool the car off, but it is nowhere near as cold as it used to be.

Thanks!

hadboosttroy

i had the same problem on my integra. they replaced the drier or something like that and it seemed to work better, but then it went back to it's old ways like you are describing. it keeps the car cool, but not cold as it should be by any means. if you figure it out please post

kosh2258

Actually the refridgerant is R134a, and you can buy the small cans and connector hose kit at many auto parts stores.

That catch is that few systems have a sight glass anymore which was the easiest way to tell if the charge is low or not - seeing bubbles was the telltale.

The risk is in overcharging the system - too much refridgerant can be worse than not enough.
Dealers have to have a recovery system to discharge and recharge a/c now and those systems pretty much guarantee that the correct amount is installed.

Driving in stop and go traffic doesn't help because the engine RPM's don't get high enough to run the compressor at full speed or provide much cooling air to the condensor to remove the heat from the refridgerant.

You don't mention your interior color, but if it's dark, like Ebony and you live in a warm place combined with the above traffic situation and it could take a while for the a/c to draw out all the hot air in the vehicle.

There may not be anything wrong with the a/c, it's just being heavily challenged by the conditions.

TLJohn

Thanks for the responses.

I have the ebony interior, but I have had the car for over a year. Last summer it had no problem cooling off the car, this summer it does. I guess I will briing it into the dealer when I need an oil change and let them BS me. Maybe I can bring it to a dedicated AC shop for an evaluation and then force the dealer to make any repairs necessary....

mbwmn

I know if I bring it into the dealer, they will stick a thermometer in the vent, drive the car on the highway and say it is fine.
Thanks![/QUOTE]

the dealer is looking for a 20F drop from outside temp to vent temp while the vehicle is parked in shade. this is considered acceptable. why not test it yourself?
Your welcome!

Adobeman

I've always been told by folks I trust that the receiver dryer should be changed after you expose the A/C gas path to the atmosphere (as in when you loose all the freon due to a bad seal, hose or other leak) It is a cheap enough part when compared to the total system value. Check your receipts and see if they changed it. If not you may want to "force" the issue.

While you could "dump a can in" why should you? At 15K you should still be under warrantee. Also, you need to be sure the right "charge" is in the car. Too much or too little and the system won't work to its capacity.

Also your evaporator (part that cools the air in the dash) and condensor (vents the heat from the freon, near the rediator) are not new anymore. If the condensor is clogged or obstructed that will hinder the system's ability to "shed" the heat. I'm not sure where the cabin's air filter is but if it is typical then it is before the evaporator in the air path. If so then the evaporator is probably clean but the filter may be clogged depending on where you drive and how dirty it is. Changing the cabin filter on our Honda Ody did improve the systems flow and operation. (Always helped on my old Saab, peace be with it, but then the Swede's could heat a car fine but never could cool one ! TL's A/C is way better)

In the end if the dealer is just blowing you off with the thermometer you may have little recourse unless you push the issue up to the district manager. The dealer can't usually authorize the warrantee if the car is within spec. The spec may say a 20 deg diff from outside is OK but other cars that have not had A/C repairs may pull far more off a diff.

Heck, my window units in my house were pulling a 35 deg diff this weekend. (yup I really do check them first time I fire them up 85 outside, 50 deg discharge) A new car should pull more than 20.

per mbwmn - Grab a dial thermometer and check it. Any "chef's pocket thermometer" from the grocery store will work just fine.

Gadgets

Your R134a does not go bad requiring you to refill the system from time to time. If you are low, then either you have a leak and it should be covered by the warranty or it was never filled to the proper capacity. They can do a pressure test to see if there are any leaks as well as check the actual level of R134a.

R134a is not as good as Freon (old R12 systems), but you said you didn't have any problems last summer either.

Are your windows tinted?

Heck, go test drive another TL and take your temperature probe with you for a comparison.

Good luck.