Another A/C problem

[UmmScott]

Just wanting to find out if this problem is normal with this car, or if there's something that i can do about it. I have a 95 2.0L automatic contour.

The problem is the A/C performs really bad at idle. It performs decently when the vehicle is moving. Both my low and high speed fans work as they should. me and my uncle, who's an hvac tech, vacuumed it out last year, and recharged it. I found that the head pressure likes to climb at idle, could that be my problem?

 

[Dyoel182]

All cars work better when moving. You need air flow into the condenser to make the head exchange work best.

 

[Garff]

if the system is overcharged it will not work very well at idle (I am speaking from experience).

 

[BrApple]

sounds like the clutch air gap should be checked.

 

[BrApple]

All cars work better when moving. You need air flow into the condenser to make the head exchange work best.

that does make sense but I now have a weird situation on my turbo car. if I turn the ac on while moving it will not really cool, but if i turn it on while stopped then start driving then it works just like it should. but then again the intercooler is right in from of the condenser .....

 

[Dyoel182]

I ran into that on my turbo mazda as well. I did install a cheap windshield washer pump that squirted water onto the intercooler for autocross events but found it helped with the AC efficiency as well since the air getting to the condenser was now a little cooler.

 

[amc49]

What does the statement 'head pressure likes to climb at idle' mean? Spit out some pressure numbers. A lot of people go for the 134 with oil in it, they just figure it has to be better. If no oil has been lost, then adding more only drops efficiency because now too much oil in it, takes the space away from refrigerant that could be adding cooling.