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Car struggles with air con on.

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Alans27

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Location
Wirral
Car
Honda Accord 2.0 se
Gents, I know the air con is a bit of a burden on the engine, but does anyone find it makes their car really struggle? My 2.0 accord with the air con on is really slow! is this just the way they are?
 
It saps power when the A/C is on, its like Power steering, it uses a bit of power to make it work, the 2L Accords doesn't have the power plus the weight of the car to compensate for the power taken but it shouldn't be soo much, you will notice a HUGE difference.

My ATR is fine with A/C but it does have more power and torque plus weighing less :)
 
No difference at all cheddars? That's very interesting....

Somebody said to me today that if the air con is lacking in gas it has to work harder and can affect performance more. Mine does get cold but I think it could be colder with a re gas. No idea if this is correct mind.
 
No, the engine doesn't react at all, only difference is the lovely cold air B)

Mine has climate control, not sure if that differs from yours or it affects anything?
 
Same as Cheddars for me.
I'm sure it could do with a gas (and a new condenser) but on or off doesn't make much odds. Admittedly it does struggle a bit to reach maximum frosty in this horrid hot weather.
 
Doesn't make a huge difference on mine either, infact slightly odd effect where the car becomes a bit eager to rev. *scratches head*
 
^ Probably due to the pump retrieving energy to run and hence drop in revs slightly.
 
My 1.8 doesn't struggle. You notice the A/C is on but it doesn't really effect the drive.
 
So it's just mine that has no guts then? Lol. Well i've serviced everything else on the car apart from the fuel filter so I think i'll have to get that done and see what difference it makes.
 
Alans27 said:
So it's just mine that has no guts then? Lol. Well i've serviced everything else on the car apart from the fuel filter so I think i'll have to get that done and see what difference it makes.
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Have you changed the ignition parts? Made a big difference on my old girl
 
Yeah the leads, plugs, cap and rotor are all new mate. Didn't make a huge difference to mine tbh but then it all depends how bad the old ones are doesn't it.
 
Yeah the leads, plugs, cap and rotor are all new mate. Didn't make a huge difference to mine tbh but then it all depends how bad the old ones are doesn't it.
 
You may have a bad compressor. If it's seizing up, it could be creating an additional load on the crank as its driven off the same belt normally.
 
That's a good point actually mate, I never thought of that. Come to think of it I did notice a while back that the compressor doesn't exactly sound smooth lol. But then I thought well it's getting cold so it can stay sounding a little rough. Certainly don't want to be buying a compressor for it. It's only a cheap run about until the stock markets move in my favour and then I'll probably get an 8th gen or something.
 
If it moves free when the aircon is off that means the clutch is ok so just leave it switched off. Or find a shorter belt and bypass it altogether.
 
After the hot weather this week bud I'd rather leave it working and put up with it slowing my car down when in use. Last Tuesday I was nearly melting and that was with the air con. Without it and I would have ended up a puddle of fat, sweat and alcohol lol. I'll leave it as it is for now and maybe get a second hand compressor if it packs in. :)
 
I'm driving a 1.8 accord 2000 and although not noticing a performance issue as such (not that I would), the car does seem to struggle with the air con. At idle the revs periodically increase slightly and there is engine vibration where there isn't normally and it all seems very noisy. Could this be a compression issue also? anyone have any ideas? I've recently had it re-gassed and the air con itself seems to work fine
 
I noticed my 1.8 struggle with the air con on however the compressor has given up the ghost now so I've ordered a replacement and will be swapping it over on the weekend. It's been a nightmare without air con this summer.
 
Guys just to dig up an old thread. With reference to he car beings sluggish with the air con on, I was talking to an air con service bloke the other week and he encountered a Vauxhall Corsa that whenever you turned he air on on it would cut out. Just totally stall each time you pressed the air con button. Turns out it had FOUR TIMES the amount of gas in it that is was suppose to have. Four times lol. The owner had been using those air con gas cartridge things you can buy in Halfords and this was the result. He said he was surprised the compressor didn't disintegrate! So if your car struggles with air con on it could be that it's got too much gas in the system.
 
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