A/C gauge reading question

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On my 2009 Honda CRV with 95,000 miles...

After a long trip on the interstate (3 hours) I noticed a few drops of water on the passenger floor board. Turns out, all the plastic under that side of the dash was cold and covered in condensation. In fact, the side against the center console was like touching ice. The A/C cools, but is not as cold as it once was. A friend let me borrow his gauges and thermometer. Ambient temp is around 90. With the AC on max and recirculating, temp in the center vent only gets down to 42-44. With the compressor running, the low side shows 35-40 and the high side around 250. The high side needle "wobbles" and the low side one does not.

I am NOT an AC man, and hooking the gauges up is about the extent of my ability with that system. Before I take it to a shop, any insights into what I may be looking at?

Thanks
 
High side pressure is within reason for the ambient, if not slightly high. Make sure the condenser is clean and the fan is running well.
Low side is perfect. And the vent temperature is good.
If you still think its not cooling as well, you might look for a air flow restriction. Does this vehicle have a cabin filter? If so what is its condition?
 
I'm an A/C rookie too.
Suggestion: See that your drain pipe is clear. Sounds like (from my HIGHLY LIMITED experience) it's clogged and the condensation tray is full of water.
The evaporator's fins hit the water and chill it. The system has less cold to deliver to the air.

Scold me if I'm wrong.
 
The cabin air filter is less than 2 months old.

The drain line is open, and a lot of water is draining out of it underneath the vehicle.

I just had front end open, condenser is nice and clean. Electric fans appear to be working well and moving a lot of air.
 
Vent temps at idle seem pretty good. Clean the condenser real good with condenser cleaner. Might bring the high side down a bit. Maybe
 
Originally Posted By: Chris142
The water is condensation. Sounds like the drain is plugged. The wobbling high side is worn pistons or valves in the compressor


If OP is really in New Orleans, the humidity there is likely horrid...
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: Chris142
The water is condensation. Sounds like the drain is plugged. The wobbling high side is worn pistons or valves in the compressor


If OP is really in New Orleans, the humidity there is likely horrid...


Yes I really am in New Orleans. Today the humidity was not bad, but it's usually terrible!
 
Since nobody is paying attention to my thread, I'll try the question here:

Ambient Temp: 102.2* F
Vent Temp: 55.6* F
Low Side Pressure: 53 PSI
High Side Pressure: 260 PSI

R143A range at 100* F is supposed to be 50-55 Low 315-325 High

Should I add more refrigerant ?
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Since nobody is paying attention to my thread, I'll try the question here:

Ambient Temp: 102.2* F
Vent Temp: 55.6* F
Low Side Pressure: 53 PSI
High Side Pressure: 260 PSI

R143A range at 100* F is supposed to be 50-55 Low 315-325 High

Should I add more refrigerant ?


Because you were asking about vent temperatures in multiple locations, which can be attributed to a lot of things.

What does your FSM say the pressures should be?

Have you evacuated and refilled by mass?
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Because you were asking about vent temperatures in multiple locations, which can be attributed to a lot of things.

What does your FSM say the pressures should be?

Have you evacuated and refilled by mass?


I haven't checked the FSM for the pressures because I didn't know they'd be in there. Just going by the R134A chart. I didn't evacuate it because I didn't open the system up to change parts; I just topped the system off. There are no leaks that I know of. Somebody on here said that the R134A molecule is so small that it eventually works its way through the rubber hoses.
 
Following this thread. Our 08 is having issues only in traffic or a long stop light when the ac doesn't work. At speed works fine.
 
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