A/C acting weird

[JDM_Si]

I just got back from vacation to Las Vegas. If you don't know, Vegas is hot as hell right now. So I'm driving the EP through the desert with the A/C on and occasionally the A/C would turn off and blow hot air in. The A/C light is still on, but the air is not cold. After a couple minutes, cold air would start coming back in. So I pop the hood open while the car is on and I hear this scraping sound coming from the pulley belt area. The belt looks like some dirt got on it. Anybody know whats going on hear? Also I don't know if its just my car or not, but the a/c is not as cold as my past hondas. Thanks

[siver-SI]

Maybe the belt is slipping? The dirt could have dammaged the ribs on the belt and that is causing the slipping or the dirt is on the pully causing the slipping. With the sound you are talking about and the problem that is were I would start to look.

[SubliminalSi]

the same thing happens with the cool air cuttin off every once in awhile but ive never noticed any noise. I dunno, i just keep the window down all the time

[ep pilot]

I don't really notice a change in the temp, but when I am driving my car hard in the canyons, I can hear the compressor kick off at times when the car is under a serious load. I think it does this to save trauma on the engine.

I hated it when it does this in the middle of a shift, if your not ready or expecting it,the shift is kind of jerky.

I will say arguably the A/C in mySi is not as cool as the A/C was in my Integra.

-Ryan

[stubbs]

Put some baby powder on the belt, it will stop any slipping and will help you see if belt slippage is in fact the problem, this isn't a permanent solution. If it is the belt replace it as soon as possible.

[audomatik]

newer cars are designed to shut the A/C off when under WOT. so you can pass people and such on highways with no problem. i think this is neat, cause some kid got owned while i was at a nicely cool temp inside my car.... hahaha... technology is neat... just search on google about newer a/c compressors or ask your honda tech... they'll explain the full whatever about it... i just summed it up

[ta2dSi]

I was wondering how fast were you going? Would it do it when you were idling?

This sounds like you have lost a bit of you charge, if this was happenng while you were on the highway. When idling it should be so-so.

Does the AC seem colder than normal?

Let me know, I test climate control systems and prototype cars.

[blueiedgod]

In general R-134 systems are not as powerfull as the older R-12. The a/c compressor is not always on, no matter how much you would like it to be. It constantly cycles on and off. I would say if the cycles are very close (less than 5 minutes) you may need to have the system checked for leaks and re-charged. Honda warranty only covers refrigerant for 1 tear or 12 months.

As far as the compressor being of at WOT, I proposed it to Honda when I first got my 99 coupe, and it would be a dog with A/c on. So, I called them up and asked them if they knew a fix, other than me pushing the button on and off, they said they will consider it for future models. Now that I think of it, I should have patented it :-) The system they used in our car is pressure activated, when you open up the engine, the pump turns faster and creates more pressure, a pressure switch sends the signal to the clutches in the A/c pulley to disengage. I think 5500 RPM is the cut off point. My idea was to use throttle position sensor. It is probably easier to do on TSX and other "drive by wire" systems.

I can feel the pump coming on and off when maneuvering in traffic, it is kind of weird, you have very little pick up and then the car takes off. Also, with A/c on, trying to take off with RPMs bellow 3000 is very slow and nervous.

[audomatik]

yay... i wasn't flamed for some off the wall rumor/fact. i was right and i got backed up on it.... wow this really isn't like clubsi huh?

[stubbs]

Why is clubsi a warzone or something?

[siver-SI]

It seems on clubsi there is more A**holes that treat you like you like crap. I found out about this site form type-X when he did the stolen car deal I think it was. I stated on ClubSI and when I found this site I very little go back to ClubSI except for some help working on older Hondas.

[stubbs]

Oh OK, good to know.

[ep pilot]

Originally posted by blueiedgod
In general R-134 systems are not as powerfull as the older R-12. The a/c compressor is not always on, no matter how much you would like it to be. It constantly cycles on and off. I would say if the cycles are very close (less than 5 minutes) you may need to have the system checked for leaks and re-charged. Honda warranty only covers refrigerant for 1 tear or 12 months.

As far as the compressor being of at WOT, I proposed it to Honda when I first got my 99 coupe, and it would be a dog with A/c on. So, I called them up and asked them if they knew a fix, other than me pushing the button on and off, they said they will consider it for future models. Now that I think of it, I should have patented it :-) The system they used in our car is pressure activated, when you open up the engine, the pump turns faster and creates more pressure, a pressure switch sends the signal to the clutches in the A/c pulley to disengage. I think 5500 RPM is the cut off point. My idea was to use throttle position sensor. It is probably easier to do on TSX and other "drive by wire" systems.

I can feel the pump coming on and off when maneuvering in traffic, it is kind of weird, you have very little pick up and then the car takes off. Also, with A/c on, trying to take off with RPMs bellow 3000 is very slow and nervous.


Your right, If you rev the car in neutral in your driveway, you can actually hear a "click" of engagement when the engine speed drops back into normal operating conditions.

-Ryan

[BarracksSi]

One way to deal with the changing temperature (that is, if the compressor is cycling normally, not because of a slipping belt) is to switch on the recirculate function. That way, you'll keep blowing cooler air through the A/C instead of always trying to cool off the hot outside air.