Automotive Air Conditioning Information Forum (Archives)

infj23 on Sat March 15, 2014 1:41 PM

Year: 2004
Make: Honda
Model: Odyssey
Engine Size: V6
Refrigerant Type: 134a
Ambient Temp: 71
Pressure Low: 31
Pressure High: 90

AC not producing cold as expected. Been going on for a few months. Finally got the gauges on it today.
Ambient 71
Center vent 43
High 90
Low 31

Looks like I have a leak. I got a bit more hiss than I would have expected when I took of the low side plastic dust cap. Are these schraders known to leak? It's only 10 years old!

Anywhere in particular these Odysseys are known to leak? I'll draw down a vacuum and check, but any handy pointers before I get into it down to my elbows?


Thanks in advance to all!!
Doc

TRB on Sat March 15, 2014 6:07 PM

All scharder valves leak a little.

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infj23 on Sun March 16, 2014 12:33 PM

Are the schrader valves in an auto AC system the same valves as used in tires?

wptski on Sun March 16, 2014 1:30 PM

mk378 on Sun March 16, 2014 3:58 PM

Is there already dye in the system? You may want to top off refrigerant and run it with dye for a week or so then look for the dye.

On any van or SUV with dual air, the lines underneath are prone to corrode and leak.

Edited: Sun March 16, 2014 at 4:00 PM by mk378

infj23 on Tue March 18, 2014 9:43 AM

Hello mk378,
Thanks for the reply. I'll try dumping in a can of 134a with dye.
A friend happened by last night. He is an HVAC guy (buildings, not autos). He said that a 30 degree temperature drop (ambient was 70; air vent 42) sounded pretty good to him, that the system seemed to be working--perhaps a control/electronics problem? Any thoughts on that?

Thanks!

mk378 on Tue March 18, 2014 10:13 AM

You really need a hotter ambient to evaluate performance properly. At 70 degrees though you should have a solid 40 at the vents and the compressor should be cycling because of evaporator temperature (unless its a variable displacement compressor).

infj23 on Wed March 19, 2014 1:02 PM

Yeah, still too cool to know for sure. I put in almost a full can of 134a. High side is now 190 (up from 90), low is about the same (33). Temp vents down a few degrees (38 instead of 42). So, maybe it worked. I'll check for leaks as I keep driving. The first hot day should help.

infj23 on Wed March 19, 2014 2:52 PM

Took it for a drive. Electronic temp control--set it for the temp you want and the car is supposed to keep it there. Call for 60 (the lowest you can call for), get 38-42 degree air. Call for 62, outlet temps up to about 60. Call for 65, outlet temps up about 100.
Could this be something other than refrigerant? Blend door? Some temperature sensor somewhere?
My guess is that it is not the control head. Had a spare and swapped them out--they both work the same.
Any other ideas?

bohica2xo on Sat March 22, 2014 12:27 PM

When it warms up where you live, re-check the high side pressures. It is easy to overcharge at low ambient temperatures.

The blend door may need to be calibrated. Especially if you have been swapping control heads. Check the FSM for procedures to do that.

You have a scroll compressor. Testing should be done at 2500 engine rpm, with the doors open & the cabin fan on the highest speed.

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"Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the act of depriving a whole nation of arms, as the blackest."
~ Mahatma Gandhi, Gandhi, An Autobiography, M. K. Gandhi, page 446.