Air Conditioning help
My AC alternates between blowing cold air and what seems to be warm air. I’m suspecting it may be low on refrigerant, yet that could mean there is a leak. What else could cause that?

 

The ac compressor is not always "on" producing a chilled blower surface for the cabin air to move over and keep things cold. It will cycle back and forth even fully charged and working normally. However, the interval between cycles is short enough that you usually won't notice too much. I notice it in mine briefly before the compressor kicks back in. The clutch on the compressor is electrical so if you are looking at it in operation, you will hear the click of electromagnets and the spinning of the face plate followed by another "click" and the disengagement of the compressor. The pulley with the belt is always moving but the round face plate which mechanically powers the compressor is cyclic in operation.

It is very possible you are low on R134. This can lengthen the time for the compressor to alternate on and off. If you are low enough on R134, the compressor will not operate as the low pressure switch will open the circuit preventing operation and damage from a lack of coolant. You can either service it yourself or take it in someplace and have them add some more. It is possible for a leak to be small and given the age of your S2000 it is not out of the realm of possible that the R134 is low. One of the things you can do to help is to run the ac compressor every few weeks (even as a defroster) as that helps lubricate seals and keeps things working as they should.

If you do it yourself, you should have a gauge so you do not overfill the system. I had a small leak in my 94 Thunderbird that required at least one can a year of R134, sometimes 2. I could service the thing in 5 minutes and would be good to go for the summer. On the other hand, my 2004 MDX has never been serviced. (Purchased it new) That system ALWAYS has the compressor running with normal cabin air operation. The compressor is always running all the time no matter what unless I turn the auto system completely off. Never had a leak and it works great. Gotta love Honda.

 

Thanks Cosmo. I’ll see if I can take it in sometime tomorrow. I’ve never worked on an AC system. I noticed the cycling years ago,?yet it seemed to take longer to cycle back in again. It was over 90F even up north, even over 100F outside. In fact it was 109 at 9:15 pm tonight.

 

I got the car into a shop today and sure enough, I was low on the R134a. While I like to support my local businesses, I learned how easy it is to add freon to the S. Now I know how to add it again if it gets low again.

 

California tries hard to make it easy for the poor do it yourself type every chance the govt can. You have to pay an additional $10 for every can of freon you buy. You can (no pun intended) bring back the empty can in 90 days for a refund but of course it is such an expense and hassle, most just let the state keep the "tax". It prevents you from stocking up when (not anymore) it would go on sale. To keep make things more difficult, the state mandated a change in the fittings so you had to go out and buy all new hoses, gauges, etc to properly do the job as a do it yourselfer. I stock up when I travel to Reno so I can continue in my "pursuit of happiness" as a do it yourself kind of guy. Another screw job for the average Joe.