Sweating an Air Conditioning Diagnosis
Savitha's a/c isn't keeping things cool enough, so she took her car to the shop for a check-up:
I have a used 1999 Honda Civic, 2 door for about a year now. The A/C takes longer to blow cold air. So I took it to a mechanic shop and I was told that there was no leak found and the freon was low. I called up another store and there I was told that freon doesn't just evaporate and stays the same for at least 10 years.Sabitha is in a frustrating situation to be sure. The problem with air conditioning systems is that they can have a very slow leak that is pretty much undetectable. This doesn't mean you shouldn't try to find the leak. Be sure that your mechanic did a dye test under full pressure, while the car was running with the a/c on. This can uncover some pretty small leaks in the system.
I don't know what to do now. Can Freon evaporate without any leaks in the system? Or the leak is there and I need to get the mechanic to do a thorough check all over again?
If your mechanic can't find anything after a serious investigation, there's not a lot you can do except start replacing parts -- lines, condenser, evaporator, pump -- but this can get pretty expensive. If your car was in an accident in the past one of these parts could have been damaged just enough to cause a slow leak. Since Sabitha has only had her car for a year or so, she might not know the history. Finally, there is a chance that the a/c system was worked on in the past and not refilled properly, meaning you never had enough freon in the system.
If I were in Sabitha's position, I would be sure a proper leakdown test was performed using a dye indicator to be sure there isn't a detectable leak. If it can't be found, just refill the system and see what happens. You might find that you have no leak at all!
Comments
I read an earlier entry on A/C Cluch replacement on a Dodge Dakota. You said, if you know its the cluch and not the compressor then you can just change the clutch. How can one tell the difference. My Compressor turns ever so slowly while the clutch slips when engaged. It began when I was excelerating to hwy speeds. There was a click sound like the clutch was engageing then for aout the next 30 minutes there was a rapid clicking like there was something caught in the pulley and tapping on the block. The AC was still working until I turned off the truck, the next time I turned it on there was very little turning and a lot of slipping, and no noise other than a slight rubbing sound from the slipping.
Thanks for your help and wisdom.
When I turn on my A/C my engine shuts off. The lights and all other features work well. What could it be?
Hot and Frustrated