Heater Problems

[JapCar]

I will report after test 1-4. When I tested I didn't remember position of DUAL, but both sides were Lo or Hi at the same time...

I tested system today and everything works as required, I mean answers of all your questions (1-4) are Yes.
After topped up, my concerns are just noisy compressor (if it isn't overfilled) and turbulence on small window (insufficient oil) instead smooth stream with a little bubbles.

 

[freddofrog]

I tested system today and everything works as required, I mean answers of all your questions (1-4) are Yes.
After topped up, my concerns are just noisy compressor (if it isn't overfilled) and turbulence on small window (insufficient oil) instead smooth stream with a little bubbles.

I'm now very puzzled by two things
1. If there was a problem with the operation of the flow of hot and cool air through the ducts, I don't see how filling the pressurised pipes with more gas has solved that
2. If the diagnostic display previously correlated with a problem with the flow of hot and cool air through the ducts (which seemed to be the case), I don't see how the diagnostic system no longer correlates with the actual system now that the actual system is working

With regards to the compressor being noisy, that is a potentially "subjective" thing, because you should always be able to hear the compressor coming in and out. Having said that, there is the possibility that the entire system is running in reverse, because the system in the diesel does run in reverse when the outside temperature is below +5 C ....if the main temperature sensor is indicating -ve C temperatures, then the system could now be stuck in reverse.

Regarding the bubbles, same apples ....it's subjective, and/or the system could be running in reverse. But anyway, AFAIK, the bubbles have nothing to do with "oil", the bubbles indicate that the refrigerant gas is compressed to a liquid (that's how all refrigerant systems work, they compress the gas to a liquid, which then expands at the evaporator back into a gas).


edit: the above is very badly worded but tonight doesn't seem to be a good time for me to type stuff (although I'm not sure that I can explain it better without making it even more TLDR, there are potentially very many "if'ss, buts, and maybe's" to go through)

 

[JapCar]

I'm now very puzzled by two things
1. If there was a problem with the operation of the flow of hot and cool air through the ducts, I don't see how filling the pressurised pipes with more gas has solved that
2. If the diagnostic display previously correlated with a problem with the flow of hot and cool air through the ducts (which seemed to be the case), I don't see how the diagnostic system no longer correlates with the actual system now that the actual system is working

See my post 58 above please...
Today I did self test again and C9 remains:
1 in-car temp .... 31
2 ambient ......... 22
3 solar light ....... 33
4 engine coolant 71
5 evaporator temp 5
6 drivers air mix % C9 (???)
7 passenger mix % 1 (???)
8 car speed ......... 00
9 vent temp air out 3
10 AC pressure 15
Apart of this, after topped up, AC is working now.

 

[freddofrog]

See my post 58 above please...

I did

Today I did self test again and C9 remains:
1 in-car temp .... 31
2 ambient ......... 22
3 solar light ....... 33
4 engine coolant 71
5 evaporator temp 5
6 drivers air mix % C9 (???)
7 passenger mix % 1 (???)
8 car speed ......... 00
9 vent temp air out 3
10 AC pressure 15
Apart of this, after topped up, AC is working now.

As already said, I suspect that C9 = 100 %
so ....
6 drivers air mix = 100%
7 passenger mix = 1%

they should be the same with DUAL OFF, and different with DUAL ON, and they will change as you increment/decrement the target temperature settings

9 vent air temp 3
that is too low/faulty, and will possibly cause the system in your car (diesel) to run in reverse

Apart of this, after topped up, AC is working now.

not according to those readings, and there is the possibility that the system in your car (diesel) is running in reverse

 

[JapCar]

not according to those readings, and there is the possibility that the system in your car (diesel) is running in reverse

I never heard "system in reverse"...I think diesels have separate heater when temperatures are very low , How it happens and how actually working?

 

[freddofrog]

I never heard "system in reverse"...I think diesels have separate heater when temperatures are very low , How it happens and how actually working?

An aircon system, like a refrigerator or freezer, is a "heat pump", in that it moves "heat" from one place to another. "Heat" is anything above zero Kelvin. so everything on this planet is actually "hot". So a refrigerator (and a freezer, and an aircon) takes the Kelvin heat from one place, and releases it elsewhere (at the condenser in normal operation).

The aircon in the petrol Accord is a standard, simple, aircon system, in that it only runs one way (releasing the Kelvin heat at the condenser)

However, in very cold weather, the diesel takes too long to warm up, so it runs the aircon in reverse i.e. it takes Kelvin heat from the condenser and releases it at the evaporator.


edit: In your diagnostic readings, items 6 and 7 and 9 don't seem normal, so the system might be confused, but if you're sure that everything is running ok, then ignore the diagnostic readings (even though it does seem very strange to me). Note that if there was too much gas in the system, you would hear an extremely loud "farting" noise coming from the compressor (no joke). So if the compressor is making a loud rumbling, it could be something else (e.g. the bearings in the compressor)

 

[freddofrog]

When I looked at your readings in #48 and #58 and #63, I have ***umed that 6 is always "stuck" at C9, and 7 is always "stuck" at about 1.

You need to go into the diagnostic system and take readings with different settings, as i did in #42
i.e. you need to check 6 and 7 with DUAL OFF and with DUAL ON, and at different temperature settings, to see if they move
If 6 and 7 are always "stuck" in those positions, then it does not make sense when you say that the system is working ok.

Also, you also need to check 5 and 9 with DUAL OFF and see what 5 and 9 are with A/C ON and then with A/C OFF.

If 6 and 7 are not "stuck" , then I am fairly sure that the system in your car is running in reverse ....I'll explain why when you've done checks on 6 and 7 to see if they really are "stuck", and 5 and 9 with A/C ON and OFF.

 

[JapCar]

OK I will check it when find spare time and will report.

 

[JapCar]

I did some tests:
Outside temperature 20-21 deg,

- DUAL OFF, AUTO ON
Set temp. 22deg
6 -- 24
7 -- 24
Set temp 17 deg
6 -- C9
7 -- 01

-DUAL ON, AUTO ON
Set temp.22deg
6 -- 24
7 -- 24
set temp. 17deg
6 -- C9
7 -- 01
======================
DUAL OFF, AC ON
5 -- 3
9 -- 12 slowly rising to 15

DUAL OFF AC OFF
5 -- 4 slowly rising to 17
9 -- 12

 

[freddofrog]

^ good work dude

that would correlate with a system that now seems to be working properly (although I'm not sure what C9 is supposed to represent)

thanks for doing that, because anyone else reading this in the future could have been as confused as I was LOL

but that clears it up for anyone else who wants to use the inbuilt diagnostic system ...several combinations of settings and corresponding readings give a clearer indication


btw, if 5 and 6 and 7 did as above but 9 was stuck at low (or -ve) temperatures, then I would have said the system was running in reverse ......though I wish I knew where 9 is in the car

 

[freddofrog]

just an update on #9 ..... "vent temp air out".

Several days ago I managed to get the "negative" readout for #9 on my 2.4 petrol (which does not have the "aircon in reverse" system which the diesel has).

#9 seems to be a "virtual" reading, and is approximately "target temperature" minus "in-car temperature".

So if you set the "target temperature" to less than the "in-car temperature" (latter is displayed as #1) then you'll get a reading from the table below

Also, "C9" in #6 or #7 (mix %) indicates that the flap has rotated slightly past its zero position, and is not a problem, unless it's permanently stuck.

Best way to check #6, #7, and #9 .....is to ramp the "target temperatures" up and down with the system in diagnostic mode (but note that you cannot see the "target temperatures" with the system in diagnostic mode). These should change as the "target temperature" goes above and below the "in-car temperature".

 

[Aurimasas]

Can someone please repost pictures from this topic?

 

[baloghjocc]

I also had the same issue:
AC ON, temp set to Lo, left side was blowing cold and right side not. Whether on Auto and Manual setting... did not make any difference.
I did not run any diagnostics. No leaks noticed, my Condenser was replaced 2 years ago.
I went to Halfords, asked them to recharge the gas.
When it was done, I was told that there was only about half of the required refrigerant in the system, so they filed it up to the correct level.
Once done, both sides blowing cold, everything is working fine now. Cost: £40