yah the A/c has done that to all 3 hatches I have owned
yah the A/c has done that to all 3 hatches I have owned
1989 Accord Lx-i hatchback (current DD project)
1986 Olds Cutlass 442 clone (never ending project)
3Geez resident body man
Owner of Wreck-less auto body
48 is not necessarily bad depending upon ambient temp and humidity. How hot was it outside? Are you running straight R134a, or one of the R12 alternatives? I spoke with my mechanic about why he likes Freeze 12. He said aside from not needing to add any different oil to the system, the blend runs similar pressure to R12 and can use the same expansion valve.
By the way, the 43 degrees that I measured was at highway speed. I usually only measure temps in the garage if I am charging the system myself. Try measuring yours with the vents in the recirculate setting and while driving at speed.
at least it sort of works good. i kept a complete accord AC system in case i decided to re-install mine. but i think thats not gunna happen it doesn't get THAT hot here really.
That temp was at lower speeds like 45mph. I'm still happy with it, just need to play around withthe settings. Seems like setting the fan to a lower speed yeilds cooler temps.
After 40 days+ in a row over 100 last year I decided to start my AC stuff lol.
I'd kill to have 48 degree air blowing in my car!
So the used compressor I bought leaked from the manifold seals(3 bolt denso). So I purchased a brand new 4bolt denso compressor, and it works perfectly. Did not have a thermometer, but it was definitely blowing colder, and did so much faster.
Last edited by Legend_master; 06-06-2012 at 06:25 AM.
Master, where did you buy your Denso? Rock Auto?
Yep, got it from rock auto. I am trying to link to the one I got, but it looks like their website is down. It did not come with the manifold, lucky enough I still had a spare in my storage. It did however come with a manifold gasket, which is a plus since those can not be purchased separately.
That's where I bought mine two years ago. I was just curious in case you got it cheaper. I bought a brand new aftermarket compressor for my daughter's Infiniti last year. It cost about $300, also. The company that I bought it from claimed that theirs was better than OEM and listed a bunch of reasons. The first one failed in two weeks. They made good and sent me a new one free, but I had to pay for installation twice!
My Denso is kind of noisy, but then, so was the one I had before it. My car originally came with a Keihin which I replaced with the expensive kit from Honda in 1999 that included a Denso compressor, manifold, hoses, drier, and belt. That one lasted until 2010. This time around I just replaced the compressor and drier. I believe that the Keihin was a quieter unit, though, not as durable. I heard it nicknamed "the eight year compressor" but I don't recall where I heard that. The clutch went bad on the car's original compressor so the Honda dealer replaced the whole thing under warranty in 1991. Thus, my Keihin lasted only eight years.
10 years sounds perfect to me, I just hope Denso still sells these in 10 years lol. The Keihin compressor was not even an option for me, the PRI bracket seems to only work with the Denso style compressors. It actually has more room for adjustment with the 3 bolt style Denso, but I made it work with the 4 bolt. I also had to get 35.4" belt to make it work.
Got the windows tinted, let's see if that help keep the temps down some.
The tint will definitely help lower the heat buildup inside the car, plus it blocks UV. That saved my interior and kept it fade and crack free for the car's life. If you don't already use a windshield screen, do that too. I resisted for years because they're kind of annoying, but they help a lot.
Yep, these cars have alot of exposed interior via all the windows. Tinting will dramatically increase the A/C ability to cold the interior. Sun shades are a must in hot temp areas of the country.
Ever jump into your car on a hot day and couldn't hold the steering wheel because of the radiant heat through the windshield?
Phil
I have noticed that a lot of new cars come from the factory now with relatively dark tint (compared to older cars from the 80's and 90's). They leave the front windows lighter because the tint needs to be 50-state legal. (Yes, I asked the dealer about it.) I can't decide about whether or not to just get the front windows tinted to match the rest, darken all of them, or just leave it alone. The car spends the majority of its time in my garage or the company parking garage. I do like not having to worry over nicking or scratching the tint film and also being able to see out the back window well at night.
I may ask the tint shop about that clear tint that just further cuts UV and IR rays.
I know for a fact that Texas police carry a meter device that measures how dark you window is. If you fail that test it is a pretty hefty ticket. I just went with the legal limit for that reason. From the research I have done, the most protective tint is the mirror tint. It actually protects from the most UV and IR. I'm not sure oh how the laws work with it tho, and it does not look good in my opinion.
Here in California when I bought our second 3rd gen I had a local shop do the tinting. You are not suppose to put any window tinting on the front driver/passenger windows at all. But the shop put the lightest possible full UV/IR tint on for me saying that the police are not that anal as long as they can view the interior.
Phil
I got the Accord tinted, originally, in 1991. I went with the high-end tint of the time which was a two-layer laminated material from Madico (Sp?). It obviously worked well because the interior had no fading or cracking of the door panels or back seat and it did keep the interior cooler. After about10-12 years I started noticing that the windows looked a bit "dirty" from the outside, though, they looked fine from the inside. Later, I notice blurriness through the back window. The laminate had deteriorated and I had to have the tint removed and redone in 2009. The newer stuff is a single layer and blocks just as much radiation yet is easier to see through. I guess tint technology has changed with the times as well.
Nice job!
Wish the A/C worked in our 88 Accord. I love the car, but some days its just a pain to drive because of the damn heat!
As mentioned before, sunshades are essential
1988 Lxi owner since August 1995
336k miles running strong!
Now running E85.
Oldblueaccord <<< MY YOUTUBE PAGE!
134a conversion valve failed and leaked all the Freon out. I recharged the system with a propane butane mix from enviro-safe. I waisted 2 cans due to the stupid valve, but with 1 can putting the system at 75% full. The AC is blowing significantly colder. It was very easy to install, says NOT to draw a vacuum, only cost $6.00 a can, and puts less strain on the compressor, plus it is better for the environment. I've got one more can on order, I'll update after I install.
Environmentally Friendly Refrigerant and Automotive Fluid Products - Enviro-Safe, Inc
Good info Legend, Its been cloudy all this week and my A/C has been working great, but in the normal sunny days its not cold enough.
I have been thinking in changing the R134a with any other R-whatever gas just to see if it gets that little bit colder I need to feel comfortable when sunny.
Reading your experience, I think I am going to throw my current charge away and replace with whatever A/C gas I found available in my local stores.
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