Automotive Air Conditioning Information Forum

Question for you gentlemen. I cannot really find any evidence online or anywhere for that matter that electric fans suffer from significant wear or slow down over time. Can you clarify that for me?

I posted a few years ago regarding my 1990 Civic Si that I did a full parallel flow conversion on and I'm still having extremely high pressures (38 low and >250 high) and craptastic 60f-65f vent temps at an idle. This is with the car completely closed up at 1500 rpm with an umbrella and sun shade over the car on a 90f-95f 75% humidity day. While driving, though, the car does 38f-45f at the vent when I (did) have the evac and charge perfect.

I just picked up stock fans from the junkyard with the shrouds completely intact in the hopes that bad shrouding is my real problem here. I also suspect that perhaps my fans are worn down and slow from age? I believe they are literally the original motors.

Also, my compressor has been ticking since I bought it from ebay (unfortunately). Does the new Matsushita compressor from the Ackits website have some sort of warranty? I believe I have a shaft seal leak or my lead plug blew out on the compressor because my charge is only lasting a day now and there are no leaks anywhere else with apparent UV dye. I'm seriously considering getting rid of the damn car because it's too hot in FL.

I just replaced the Evap again with an OEM NOS Honda unit complete with TXV. All o-rings are new. Drier is new. No signs of metal shed through the system. The oil is BVA Auto 100 from my P-Flow conversion a few years ago and it's still bright neon green.

Another question. How much of a difference does fresh oil in the vacuum pump make? I bought a whole quart of pump oil and that was when I had the system perfect after I swapped it out. The air was cold within 10 seconds of the car running and would pull down to 40f while moving above 30mph. My Mastercool high side gauge fitting also isn't really reading anymore on my car only. I replaced the fitting and it will still only read while it's in a vacuum, not while charged.

Sorry for the essay, but that should answer most of the questions regarding the car. I really appreciate the help. Over the years this site has helped me fix over 15 A/C systems in cars. The best one was my friend's 2002 Sunfire and it would literally pull 40f no matter what.

Check that all the fins of the condenser are clean and not bent shut. Since it's not a stock condenser, make sure there is no gap around the edges where air can bypass the condenser.

Electronic detector is the best way to find a major leak like that. Put only small amounts of refrigerant in so that leaking gas doesn't fill up the whole underhood area and cause false alarms.

Electric Fans do indeed wear out. A few years ago a Ford owner on this forum proved it. After fixing the other problems with his system, he had high pressure issues. By using the OBD, he was able to check the fan drive. The computer was commanding full speed - but it was not getting there. Replacing the fan set solved the problem.

I have seen the same issue on SAAB 900 cars here in the desert. The fan still runs, but cooling suffers.

The fact that you had good cooling at highway speeds clearly shows a condenser airflow problem.

Your service coupler issue is a common one. The depressor inside the coupler is not opening the schrader valve. On some couplers, the pin is adjustable. Try unscrewing it a little with a pair of needle nose pliers. I have found a few cars that would read if you held the coupler tightly to the line - a zip tie works for that.

A one day leak should be easy to find. Dyed oil? Time for the night time inspection with a UV light.

Since my harley/ columbia cart ate its cooling fan today I am going to try and use a go kart electric fan as a substitute method. They cool the modern lean running harley bikes with electric fans maybe this will work.Or maybe it will be some other path this cart takes.

I took the bumper off and found no apparent leaks with the black light--- which was interesting. My dad and I found his missing leak detector and figured out it was where the discharge hose was crimped on next to the fitting on the compressor. We changed the o-ring out with fresh Nylog and it still showed a leak closer to the crimp, so I'll be ordering a new discharge hose. I'm also going to buy a new comp/Receiver drier and two new fan motors regardless. The current comp worked for years but I'm sick of the damn ticking noise.

I also noticed while I was in the junkyard that the stock condenser is extremely close to the radiator. My parallel flow is maybe 2 inches away, so I'll see about moving that back an inch or so and redoing my seals all around to try to make it even more air tight to the radiator. Might be a week or two but I'll definitely report back with the results!

Yes you definitely have to seal around the sides so that all the air the fans pull at the back of the radiator also gets pulled thorugh the condenser.

I have a 91 DX and found the stock serpentine condenser works pretty weil with 134. But since you already have a PF condenser may as well keep using it.

So I replaced the discharge hose, sealed the condenser, ordered manual gauge screw type fittings, and went on my merry way-- for a week. The system discharged again within a week. Literally ice cold to work and nothing on the way home on the same day. Went outside and this time the detector picked up right between the pulley and compressor body. Was hoping to scrape by til March on the new comp but no go with a blown shaft seal.

Ordered a new Comp and Receiver Drier from ackits.com (Thanks Tim) and went to town on it before the hurricane hit. The old compressor's bearing was shot! The damn pulley was rocking back and forth half an inch. Unfortunately, the new compressor needed shims removed before it worked, and I didn't figure that out til I got the compressor in and charged. It took 2 12oz cans of R-134a. The charge for this model calls for 32 bone stock of R12 without retrofit or parallel flow. Thought that was interesting.

The new compressor also ticked like hell for the first 15 minutes, which made me kick the bumper out of rage. It stopped shortly after and I haven't heard it since. I'm still mystified because this is the 4th compressor that's done this, but the only one to stop.

The A/C is almost perfect now. The only thing I have left to do is check voltage at the fans. I suspect I'm loosing some somewhere. I also learned two life lessons: Leak check the gauges AND all fittings before charging the whole way, and to test the clutch if replacing a comp.

Thanks for all the help. Now that my car is done, the girlfriend's 96 Civic is showing a leak on the condenser and evap (vents and drain hose) with my detector... Freaking A/C demons left my car for hers. I suspect ackits will see another order from me soon lol.

Attached is my vent temperature after a 30-45 minute drive in city traffic. Very pleased. My nose legitimately hurt on the way home. Sitting at an idle never went above 44f, and actually held at that around 38 for that picture.

breitbart I am also confused about it