94 Accord AC problem

My 94 Accords AC doesn't work correctly, I live in Arizona where it's 110 degrees right now. Some reason the AC works ok when it's sundown but when it's middle of the day 110 degrees outside the AC doesn't want to get cold. I took it to some mechanic shop and they did some "tests" on it saying it basically needs a new AC that'd be like $1500....
Is it some simple thing like needing freeon recharged? free-on or whatever it's called.
Thanks for any help!
I love my Honda:cool:

When you say new AC what exactly do you mean. There are many parts in the A/C system than can cause it not to work properly. Basic freon recharge, condensor, evaporator, dryer, compressor, lines, etc. Most of the time an A/C repair will run a minimum of $600.

If you A/C system has any leaks it can NOT be recharged, all leaks fixed then recharge. This is also a good time to convert to R134a since the R12 is either hard to get or very expensive. Around here wholesale $30.00 per lb --retail $50.00 per lb for R12 where R134a is only $3.00 per lb, if that much.

try re-charging the freon (or refilling the gas in mypart of the world) first. That should be the cheapest fix. An honest shop should be able to hook up the necessary gauges to see if you are indeed short on freon gas b4 filling her up.

Also take a look at the cooling fan after leaving the car idle for a while. The fan should kick in after a while (like the radiator fan). Could just be a failed fan as well.

that was the first problem with the A/C the cooling fan wasnt working so the engine would get hot when i'd turn the A/C on. so took it to a mechanic turned out it didnt have a relay for the cooling fan. got a relay for the fan.. engine didnt get hot again. but the A/C still would be cool sometimes other times it didnt want to get cold. by the time i got the cooling fan done i had spent over $130 just to figure out it was just the relay.
so thats why im asking you guys what you think... i dont wanna hear another dishonest mechanic telling me the whole A/C needs to be replaced, thatd be awesome for them to get me to buy some new A/C for $1,500....
i hope its just the freon needs to be recharged, thatd be like $60.
thanks for all your help.

I have the 95 and that same problem, however I can live without it. I dont think newer cars use freon, though. There are kits you can get to rechage an AC system.

When its 110 degrees the A/C wont cool as much as it would when it 70 degrees.

Newer cars do us freon, a different kind than pre '96 with no CFC's. R134a for 96& newer, R12 for '95-'96 & older.

At 110 degrees your A/C will only put out an air temp. of about 80 degrees.

um i dont know about only 96 and older using r134a. i have a 95 and it uses r134a.

my a/c is also broke. my mechanic already gave me a quote of about $600. my compressor is leaking freon.

Newer cars do us freon, a different kind than pre '96 with no CFC's. R134a for 96& newer, R12 for '95-'96 & older.

1995-1996 was the time when auto makers switched from R12 to R134a, I didnt word that exactly right before. almost any car with a/c can be converted to run 134a but, R12 is cooler. By law any car built after '96 will have r134a or any other type of environmentally friendly refrigerant.

Hey man, sorry to hear about your problems with the AC.. I have the complete 94-97 r134a Accord AC steup for sale.. I gutted mine out cause I did an H22 swap and wanted maximum power. The AC works great, it actually was too cold for at times. But anyways, if you need it let me know, make me an offer.. It aint going anwhere, it just is looking pretty in the garage.. My email is [email protected]

Oh and I won't seel it for 1500 bucks either... LOL

If you want it, you make the offer and if it works for me, its yours man..

Peace!

wish i could buy it wags but thing is im in the air force, meaning i dont have much money. $1500 was the whole deal compressor ect ect plus labor to put the bitch in. my offer is just send the thing to me for free:bigthumb:
i prob dont even have enough money to get the thing installed if i had it for free:bloated:

I'm in the Army so I feel ya!! Can't do a freebee, but I would only charge a couple hundred, and as far as the install? If you can put gas in your car, you surely could install one.... 4 bolts and a few wires, which are just quick disconnects anyway.. The most you would have to pay someone to do anything for you is the re-charge on the freon... Good luck...

If you can put gas in your car, you surely could install one.... 4 bolts and a few wires, which are just quick disconnects anyway..
Let me get some of whatever you're smokin'

Evap
condenser
compressor
receiver/dryer
lines

Yes its easy as shit!!!

Originally posted by wagsaccordsir
Yes its easy as shit!!!

:confused:

Maybe the compressor only, but a full A/C kit?

:rolleyes:

Seriously!! It sounds hard, I used to think everything was going to be hard when working with Honda's. I've found that it is actually very easy! If it makes you feel better I can draw you a how-to with pictures.. kinda like Picture Page... It is really easy.. I'm an elctronic engineer, so to say the least I'm not exactly mechanically inclined, and I can do it!.

I know its not hard. not anyone could do it just because they can gas up a car.

When some one says they need new A/C usually mean they dont really understand cars.

Well, it is fairly easy to install an already fabricated Honda A/C sytem into another Honda where it bolts right up. The only difficulties would be actually fabricating the hoses, crimping the ends, evac-ing the system and filling her up, making sure your have the right drier for the newly fabricated system, your ac condenser is the right one for the job and etc...

It's possible your compressor clutch may not be engaging properly as it use to. It could be your o-rings have dry rotted and now you've got a leak in several places where those rings have gone bad. It could be just the arrid dry temperatures there contributing to the poor performance of your system. I live in Houston, TX and it's really humid here as well as hot as 2 melting creamsicles swimming in their own melt on an overdriven black paved road under the noon sun. With no wind I might add.:frown:

If it is your compressor going bad, it'll be the most expensive part not mentioning the labor. If your system has leaks (the technician should have been able to detect them and tell you where they are) then o-rings will need replacing. More labor there. You shouldn't need a whole new A/C system. If your A/C has been working but not as cold it may just need maintenance done to fix the non-working component. Honda A/Cs are well made. I rarely ever had to deliver replacement Compressors, Hoses, Driers, O-sensors to garages for Hondas. When I did, it was usually sensors or rings or a compressor or a replacement hose and never a whole system unless it was in a car that just sat for years. If you let it keep going it will ruin more. Run your A/C once or twice a week (in hot or cold temperatures) for about 5 minutes just to re-lubricate the system. That's the best advice and easiest advice that a mechanic should give to his customer(s). It'll prolong the life of your Cooling system. I had my '92 Accord A/C system converted over to R134a a little over a year ago but up 'til then it was giving me frostbite. It still does. Original A/C system and hoses.

You know what, if you haven't yet, bring it to a respectable Honda Dealership and have them diagnose your system. They'll charge you a bit but they may tell you it just needs new rings and re-charging and subtract the diagnostics price from the total cost of parts and labor if you have them do the work.

You know what, i think i should bring it to a respectable honda dealership...thats a very good idea dr.goku. i already spent so much money just to get no where. so i might as well spend like $60 to find out from a trust-worthy(atleast i hope) honda place.
i mean the bitch gets real cold at night-time I.E. 90degrees in Arizona...the point where i have to turn it down cause my fingers are getting too cold. so the A/C does work..:redface:

Originally posted by Dr.Okka
You know what, if you haven't yet, bring it to a respectable Honda Dealership and have them diagnose your system. They'll charge you a bit but they may tell you it just needs new rings and re-charging and subtract the diagnostics price from the total cost of parts and labor if you have them do the work.

Good call:bigthumb:

I had the same problem with my 94 accord. When the A/C is on, I still get hot air out of the vents. To fix the problem, I found that there is a small valve which turns off the antifreeze flow to the heater core. This valve sometimes get stuck open or partially open, so your air that has been cooled also gets heated back up again.
To fix the problem, locate this valve, which is located under the hood next to the fire wall. Stand on the passenger's side and put your arm in past the cruise control cable, fairly far down in the engine bay. Just follow the antifreeze lines to the firewall and you will see it. There is 1 wire that comes out of it which opens & closes the valve when you turn the hot/cold dial on the dash. Just use your finger to close it completely. My vent temperature is consistently 40F when I do this.

Let me know if it works out for you.

its called the water valve. my 2 hoses started leaking that connected to it recently. pain in the butt to change.
http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/catimgs/13SM40_E10.gif

#1

thats for my accord but near same.

micah i see the valve you are talking about. my temperature control dial in my car acts funny which may lead to your idea that the valve is F'd up. the control dial inside the car will go either to hot or cold, when i try in put it in the middle of the 2 or anywhere in between the dial just reverts back to either the max cold or max hot. i will turn that valve and see what happends. ill get back with you on it.:bloated:

one of the control cables is binding & needs to be replaced

My '92 Accord had the same problem - A/C would work some of the time (when cool outside - go figure). I live in AZ too and I couldn't take it anymore, so I took it to my trusty mechanic and he told me the A/C fan was dead, and it was low on freon. You can actually check yourself (if the generation change didn't alter the engine too much) - when you're looking at the engine compartment from the front of the car (the battery is on your left), just next to the headlight that is on your right side (near cruise-control module, timing belt, windshield reservoir) there should be this little apparatus that looks like a tiny propane tank with a glass bubble at the top. If you run your A/C with the engine running, look inside the glass bubble, and if you see a white liquid, it means you're low on freon (It will turn clear with enough freon in the system) That's not the greatest, because it does mean there is a tiny leak SOMEWHERE on the system, but if you don't mind recharging your system every once-and-a-while, its a great fix. As for converting your refrigerant to R-134 or whatever - don't do it. R12 is well worth the cost per pound, mainly because it cools the car way better than the new stuff. Besides, the cooling system only holds about 2 pounds anyways, so if you have an honest mechanic, you're looking at about $60 worst-case scenario. Hope this helps.

Recharging an A/C system with a leak is Illegal & waste of money. Our shop charges $50 per lb of R12 & 1.0hr of labor(65.00) for an A/C system check/recharge. Honda dealer was $75 per pound + $88 per hour(now $92)

Seriously!! It sounds hard, I used to think everything was going to be hard when working with Honda's. I've found that it is actually very easy! If it makes you feel better I can draw you a how-to with pictures.. kinda like Picture Page... It is really easy.. I'm an elctronic engineer, so to say the least I'm not exactly mechanically inclined, and I can do it!.

damn man ur car makes me wanna nut all over myself... i got a 94 accord lx and wanna make mine look like urs.. i could use some help
-joe aim - fossil22080

damn man ur car makes me wanna nut all over myself... i got a 94 accord lx and wanna make mine look like urs.. i could use some help
-joe aim - fossil22080


Hey thanks for the props!!! I'd be glad to help in anyway that I can... You got questions I have answers and if I don't I will find them...

Peace
~J

On Japanese cars first thing to check is if the fan is working. Honda uses two fans one for engine and other for a/c, when you turn the a/c on make sure both fan are turning. If not working first thing to check is can you turn the fan with hand, but before you do that turn off you engine. If it turns second thing to check is the relay at the fuse box, on 1995 Honda Accord both relay, power window and A/C fan is the same, so just switch those two relay turn on the A/C. If the A/C fan does not turn problem is in the motor or the wiring, so check those things.
Second and this is for high mileage cars maybe like 100,000 miles, you must, must, must, check the air gap between the clutch and the pully on the a/c compressor. Air gap should be not more then .015. if its more then that it will slip ingauge and disingauge so that your a/c will partialy works. I went through this already. In order to adjust the air gap you have to remove the A/C compressor from the engine and remove the center nut and pull the clutch out and there should be at least two shims behind the A/C clutch, take one out and reinstall and check the air gap. These shims are selective shims meaning its different thickness. Keep changing shims until you find the one that will get you .015 air gap. After that reinstall and evacuate the system and add you 134A and you should have no any problem. Just to be safe add some PAG oil before reinstalling A/C compressor. If you still have problems you can email me.

um i dont know about only 96 and older using r134a. i have a 95 and it uses r134a.

my a/c is also broke. my mechanic already gave me a quote of about $600. my compressor is leaking freon.

Whew.....that mechanic must be driving a Jaq! Goto ebay....spend $185 for a reconditioned compressor and go get a Haynes book for about $15 and do it yourself! It's easy...