Honda Car Forum

On 14 Jul 2003 14:20:24 -0700, doug@douglasanderson.net (Douglas Anderson)
wrote:

>Ok, 4 dr Civic LX, only 6000 miles. We have had the car for 7 months
>and with the latest heat waves have observed the Air Conditioning
>acting weird. I know Honda's are not known for cranking out the
>coldest air, but that is not my complaint. Here is the situation, has
>anyone else observed this or hav input?
>
>Drive car (doesn't matter how long/fast)
>A/C on, coldest temp, max fan speed, recirc mode
>
>-- Blowing cold air as expected --
>
>Come to a stop for at least 15 seconds
>
>-- Blowing still cold while idling in Drive at stop --
>
>accelerate to drive off from stop
>
>-- Air begins to get warmer (not hot) and more humid (probably due to
>warmer air hitting wet evaporator) --
>
>After 15-20 seconds air returns to cold.
>
>This will repeat at every semi-long stop. I also have an 02 Accord
>and do not observe this. Also have taken Civic to dealer and they
>went on test drive with me and said that was "normal" and the system
>is belowing the correct temp at idle. I requested a further check at
>which point they took it in back and said A/C charge was correct and
>no other system problems could be found.
>
>I think this is unacceptable, on a 90+ degree day outside this temp
>rise is significant enough to be uncomfortable.

Have you checked that both radiator/condenser cooling fans run when A/C is
on? My guess is that the compressor just can't deliver enough liquified
refrigerant at low idling rpms and the receiver gets low on liquid during
the stop. IOW when you accelerate away, it takes a few secs to build up
enough liquid refrigerant to work efficiently again. I remember in the old
days, less stringent emissions standards, when A/C was on, the idle speed
would get a boost to 1K or 1200rpms or so.

Have you tried raising the engine speed, to say 1500rpm, when stopped to
see if that makes a difference? If you have an auto-trans that would mean
putting it in neutral of course - not very convenient but try a test just
to see what happens. Others have mentioned the compressor cut-out at high
throttle openings but are you actually accelerating that hard?

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

fammacd=!SPAM^nothanks@tellurian.com (George Macdonald) wrote in message > Have you checked that both radiator/condenser cooling fans run when A/C is
> on? My guess is that the compressor just can't deliver enough liquified
> refrigerant at low idling rpms and the receiver gets low on liquid during
> the stop. IOW when you accelerate away, it takes a few secs to build up
> enough liquid refrigerant to work efficiently again. I remember in the old
> days, less stringent emissions standards, when A/C was on, the idle speed
> would get a boost to 1K or 1200rpms or so.
>
> Have you tried raising the engine speed, to say 1500rpm, when stopped to
> see if that makes a difference? If you have an auto-trans that would mean
> putting it in neutral of course - not very convenient but try a test just
> to see what happens. Others have mentioned the compressor cut-out at high
> throttle openings but are you actually accelerating that hard?
>


not an idleing a/c issue if you read the post, it's a performance
under acceleration issue.
it's perfectly normal on this car. the compressor cut's out when
acceleration rate is high. if they didn't have that feature then
people would be complaing that it had no power unde r heavy accel.
Chip

> >
> > not an idleing a/c issue if you read the post, it's a performance
> >under acceleration issue.
>
> If you read his other post, he says it doesn't happen when he stops for
> 1-2secs and then "goes". IMO it's a combination of circumstances.
>
> Rgds, George Macdonald
>
> "Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

could also be a evaporator temperature sensor issue, could be a
control head,
putting it into self diagnostic mode and checking for DTC's would be
a good starting point. that feature does exist, i don't have a dtc
listing here at home though.
Chip