2016 Civic - No AC at idle compressor already replaced.

[lykaon78]

Had my compressor replaced 2 months ago. Everything worked fine for a month or so. Now the AC doesn’t work at idle. Works fine while in motion.

Back to the dealership for diagnostics and now the diagnosis is a leak at the evaporator.

Does that make sense? Does an evaporator leak cause the AC to give up at idle? How did they not catch this before replacing the condenser at their expense? I suspect they would have checked this prior trying to avoid the repair.

Thoughts?

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[SDAlexander8]

The AC is weak at idle because the refrigerant in the system is low. AC is better when driving because all that air is moving across the condenser and it’s much more efficient than just the radiator fan pulling air through it.

 

[SDAlexander8]

Evaporator leak is rough dude. That’s expensive as hell, takes a ton of labor to disassemble the entire dash, and you have to pray that the person who does it doesn’t break anything and cause a rattle.

My evaporator has been making a typewriter-like clicking sounds for a couple months now. I’m hoping that isn’t leaking. Generally you would smell refrigerant leaking from the evaporator, which I don’t in my car.

Did you smell refrigerant through your vents?

 

[lykaon78]

Right at the onset after replacement I noticed a smell but it went away after a couple of days.

Evaporator leak is rough dude. That’s expensive as hell, takes a ton of labor to disassemble the entire dash, and you have to pray that the person who does it doesn’t break anything and cause a rattle.

My evaporator has been making a typewriter-like clicking sounds for a couple months now. I’m hoping that isn’t leaking. Generally you would smell refrigerant leaking from the evaporator, which I don’t in my car.

Did you smell refrigerant through your vents?

 

[lykaon78]

Yep. $1500 to replace. $1300 of that is labor.

Evaporator leak is rough dude. That’s expensive as hell, takes a ton of labor to disassemble the entire dash, and you have to pray that the person who does it doesn’t break anything and cause a rattle.

 

[latole]

Yep. $1500 to replace. $1300 of that is labor.

Oh !

 

[bikejog]

I bet your AC Condenser Fan is not running. Happened to me once when my car was parked and someone backed into the front bumping pushing the AC fan into the condenser and broke the fan. It was just like you experienced: cold at speed and warm when stopped.

 

[lykaon78]

Any tips how to check this?

FWIW: The dealer told me they got a hit around the evaporator on their leak test.

I bet your AC Condenser Fan is not running. Happened to me once when my car was parked and someone backed into the front bumping pushing the AC fan into the condenser and broke the fan. It was just like you experienced: cold at speed and warm when stopped.

 

[tacocat]

I bet your AC Condenser Fan is not running. Happened to me once when my car was parked and someone backed into the front bumping pushing the AC fan into the condenser and broke the fan. It was just like you experienced: cold at speed and warm when stopped.

No it's not this. The dealer showed a low refrigerant in the system with the 1234yf machine which is why they checked for leaks to begin with.

 

[TriangleHeat]

You might want to just buy a gauge set as well as a can of 1234yf and use them to do a refill yourself like other members here have done. If hypothetically I had no mechanical ability and it was between doing that or spending $1300, I'd do the former.

 

[bikejog]

Any tips how to check this?

FWIW: The dealer told me they got a hit around the evaporator on their leak test.

Not by the books. But I know how to check it when it's hot out. Let the car idle until ac is blowing warm air. Open the hood and check see if the fan is running. If it's not, then that might be your problem. Make sure you check the fan towards the passenger side.

Or if you can stick/mount a GoPro in there and go driving in some hot weather. But please make sure you secure the GoPro. lol...

 

[bikejog]

No it's not this. The dealer showed a low refrigerant in the system with the 1234yf machine which is why they checked for leaks to begin with.

I'm no ac expert, but would he still get cold air at speed if the refrigerant is low?

 

[tacocat]

I'm no ac expert, but would he still get cold air at speed if the refrigerant is low?

Yes. Until it's too low for the compressor to engage. Compressor is run off of engine speed. A compressor will compress more at 3000 rpm than at 700 at idle. That's why they have clutches so it can cycle off and on at higher speeds.

 

[bikejog]

Yes. Until it's too low for the compressor to engage. Compressor is run off of engine speed. A compressor will compress more at 3000 rpm than at 700 at idle. That's why they have clutches so it can cycle off and on at higher speeds.

Ah thanks for that info. I guess low refrigerant can exhibit similar symptoms.

According to the following, ac fan problem is the #1 cause. Low refrigerant is #2.

https://ricksfreeautorepairadvice.com/car-ac-blows-warm-at-idle/

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