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Car AC Works Well Only In The Morning And Evening But Struggles In Hot Afternoon - Car Talk - Nairaland

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Car AC Works Well Only In The Morning And Evening But Struggles In Hot Afternoon by rhymz(m): 5:36pm On Mar 17, 2019
Hi Nairaland Auto experts, please I will like to know what the problem is before changing anything with my car. I use a Corolla sport 05, I have been struggling with the AC for a while now. I notice that the AC works excellently well in the evening when there is no sun and early in the morning but struggles to maintain a cool temperature especially for people at the back.

I have tried recharging but that has not solved the problem.
If increase the AC to the highest in hot afternoons it just blows air . Also, I also noticed that it slightly gets better when the car is moving than when it is idle in traffic.

I took the car to an AC technician who poured water on the condenser and then asked us to rev the car up, after which I noticed a significant improvement, then he concludes that the problem is the compressor, that it was suffering from low pressure, that we need to change it and it will cost us 28k.

However, I want to get a second opinion as I suspect the condenser and possibly a blockage. I don't know if anyone has experienced this kind of problem before, I would appreciate any technical advise or recommendation or even an AC tech guy that knows what he is doing.

Thank you

1 Like 2 Shares

Re: Car AC Works Well Only In The Morning And Evening But Struggles In Hot Afternoon by tempex88(m): 5:39pm On Mar 17, 2019
rhymz:
Hi Nairaland Auto experts, please I will like to know what the problem is before changing anything with my car. I use a Corolla sport 05, I have been struggling with the AC for a while now. I notice that the AC works excellently well in the evening when there is no sun and early in the morning but struggles to maintain a cool temperature especially for people at the back.

I have tried recharging but that has not solved the problem.
If increase the AC to the highest in hot afternoons it just blows air . Also, I also noticed that it slightly gets better when the car is moving than when it is idle in traffic.

I took the car to an AC technician who poured water on the condenser and then asked us to rev the car up, after which I noticed a significant improvement, then he concludes that the problem is the compressor, that it was suffering from low pressure, that we need to change it and it will cost us 28k.

However, I want to get a second opinion as I suspect the condenser and possibly a blockage. I don't know if anyone has experienced this kind of problem before, I would appreciate any technical advise or recommendation or even an AC tech guy that knows what he is doing.

I have same issue and was told same by technician. Waiting to see responses to your questions
Thank you
Re: Car AC Works Well Only In The Morning And Evening But Struggles In Hot Afternoon by daddytime(m): 5:42pm On Mar 17, 2019
Your AC is low on gas oga...or check your AC air filter...

1 Like

Re: Car AC Works Well Only In The Morning And Evening But Struggles In Hot Afternoon by braine(m): 5:42pm On Mar 17, 2019
I experience this too. The Hyundai Accent does not cool in the hot weather but sometimes work only if the car is in motion. So I always get to wind down in any small Lagos traffic.

We need our NL car doctors to help us with some info.

2 Likes

Re: Car AC Works Well Only In The Morning And Evening But Struggles In Hot Afternoon by MahatmaGhandi: 5:57pm On Mar 17, 2019
I have same issue
Re: Car AC Works Well Only In The Morning And Evening But Struggles In Hot Afternoon by rhymz(m): 6:27pm On Mar 17, 2019
daddytime:
Your AC is low on gas oga...or check your AC air filter...
that's definitely not the problem sir, the AC technician confirmed that....so wetin e come take dey cook in the night and morning?

6 Likes

Re: Car AC Works Well Only In The Morning And Evening But Struggles In Hot Afternoon by daddytime(m): 6:42pm On Mar 17, 2019
rhymz:
that's definitely not the problem sir, the AC technician confirmed that....so wetin e come take dey cook in the night and morning?

No wahala...
Re: Car AC Works Well Only In The Morning And Evening But Struggles In Hot Afternoon by daddytime(m): 6:48pm On Mar 17, 2019
rhymz:
that's definitely not the problem sir, the AC technician confirmed that....so wetin e come take dey cook in the night and morning?

When those cut and nail technicians wey no gree learn work finish before dem go open one shop say dem be technicians finish with your car, you'd run back here for a bigger complain.

If according to your AC doctor the problem is low pressure then I will beg to use your language as above and ask "which pressure e come take dey cool for morning and night"...do you get the logic here? If yes, then you should have posed that same question above to the seeming quack who's about to get one over you with a compressor change.

Common sense should have been suffice to know that whatever is left in your AC cylinder now gets sufficient only when the temperature outside is mellowed.

Peace..
Re: Car AC Works Well Only In The Morning And Evening But Struggles In Hot Afternoon by rhymz(m): 7:09pm On Mar 17, 2019
daddytime:


When those cut and nail technicians wey no gree learn work finish before dem go open one shop say dem be technicians finish with your car, you'd run back here for a bigger complain.

If according to your AC doctor the problem is low pressure then I will beg to use your language as above and ask "which pressure e come take dey cool for morning and night"...do you get the logic here? If yes, then you should have posed that same question above to the seeming quack who's about to get one over you with a compressor change.

Common sense should have been suffice to know that whatever is left in your AC cylinder now gets sufficient only when the temperature outside is mellowed.
R
Peace..
I don't know if I already said but I recently refilled the refrigerant in the car, that's why I said it can't be
Re: Car AC Works Well Only In The Morning And Evening But Struggles In Hot Afternoon by Gshakiru(m): 7:29pm On Mar 17, 2019
Please reach out to Mosbus on this forum. He's a guru in Air Conditioning System.

2 Likes

Re: Car AC Works Well Only In The Morning And Evening But Struggles In Hot Afternoon by adanny01(m): 8:01pm On Mar 17, 2019
rhymz:
Hi Nairaland Auto experts, please I will like to know what the problem is before changing anything with my car. I use a Corolla sport 05, I have been struggling with the AC for a while now. I notice that the AC works excellently well in the evening when there is no sun and early in the morning but struggles to maintain a cool temperature especially for people at the back.

I have tried recharging but that has not solved the problem.
If increase the AC to the highest in hot afternoons it just blows air . Also, I also noticed that it slightly gets better when the car is moving than when it is idle in traffic.

I took the car to an AC technician who poured water on the condenser and then asked us to rev the car up, after which I noticed a significant improvement, then he concludes that the problem is the compressor, that it was suffering from low pressure, that we need to change it and it will cost us 28k.

However, I want to get a second opinion as I suspect the condenser and possibly a blockage. I don't know if anyone has experienced this kind of problem before, I would appreciate any technical advise or recommendation or even an AC tech guy that knows what he is doing.

Thank you

Warning, long post.

I disagree with your AC technician.

A compressor should not work perfect in the morning then quit in the afternoon.

A basic understanding of the AC system should suffice at this moment. The compressor pressurises the refrigerant gas which makes it very hot then is sent to the condenser. Engine cooling fan blows the heat off in a kind of exchange at the evaporator and as the refrigerant cools down it turns to liquid, It then goes through the expansion valve which changes the liquid to gas through expansion which causes it to be cold and then evaporator fins take the coldness of the refrigerant by conduction. The cabin fan blows the cold from the fins (cold AC air you feel) as a result the refrigerant losses most of its coldness. The refrigerant gets back to the compressor where the gas compressed again.

Now this is where the problem lies, compressor works under a max pressure and has a pressure kill switch. If the condenser does not cool the gas and turn it to liguid, expansion valve receives gas or hot refrigerant from the condenser, no expansion or cooling will be done and the gas will travel back to compressor (pressure will be high), it will quit via a pressure switch.

So a perfect AC will shut off if the condenser doesnt do its job. Reasons for which a condenser will not do its job are;
1. Bad/blocked condenser fins (bad condenser)
2. Bad cooling fans
3. Too high ambient temperature

What happens is that in the low ambient temperature (morning/evening/night/rain/harmattan), the condenser easily does its job until the afternoon when temp is high, its ineffectiveness will cause the compressor to either do a bad job of cooling or cut out entirely. When you are driving very fast (say 100km/h) wind speed through the condenser is increased considerably that the cooling fan gets all the assistance it needs so the AC will cool. Once, you stop or in a hold up, the condenser only relies on the cooling fan which if defective will be inadequate.

My opinion is that it is either the cooling fan is bad or radiator fins are clogged or damaged or both radiator and cooling fans are bad.

Lastly, the clogging can be at the coolant radiator which sits behind the condenser in most cars. The problem is that anything that causes low air flow will cause low AC cooling especially in the afternoon.

18 Likes 2 Shares

Re: Car AC Works Well Only In The Morning And Evening But Struggles In Hot Afternoon by rhymz(m): 10:10pm On Mar 17, 2019
adanny01:


Warning, long post.

I disagree with your AC technician.

A compressor should not work perfect in the morning then quit in the afternoon.

A basic understanding of the AC system should suffice at this moment. The compressor pressurises the refrigerant which makes it very cold then is sent to the evaporator, the evaporator fins take the coldness of the refrigerant by conduction. The cabin fan blows the cold from the fins (cold AC air you feel) as a result the refrigerant losses its coldness and absorbs heat and is turned back to vapour, the refrigerant travels to condenser which has fins too. Engine cooling fan blows the heat off in the reversed kind of exchange at the evaporator and as the refrigerant cools down it turns to liquid. The now cool liquid refrigerant gets back to the compressor where the compression causes the refrigerant to get cold.

Now this is where the problem lies, compressor works under a max pressure and has a pressure kill switch. If the compressor receives vapour or hot refrigerant from the condenser (pressure will be high), it will quit via a pressure switch.

So a perfect AC will shut off if the condenser doesnt do its job. Reasons for which a condenser will not do its job are;
1. Bad/blocked condenser fins (bad condenser)
2. Bad cooling fans
3. Too high ambient temperature

What happens is that in the low ambient temperature (morning/evening/night/rain/harmattan), the condenser easily does its job until the afternoon when temp is high, its ineffectiveness will cause the compressor to either do a bad job of cooling or cut out entirely. When you are driving very fast (say 100km/h) wind speed through the condenser is increased considerably that the cooling fan gets all the assistance it needs so the AC will cool. Once, you stop or in a hold up, the condenser only relies on the cooling fan which if defective will be inadequate.

My opinion is that it is either the cooling fan is bad or radiator fins are clogged or damaged or both radiator and cooling fans are bad.

Lastly, the clogging can be at the coolant radiator which sits behind the condenser in most cars. The problem is that anything that causes low air flow will cause low AC cooling especially in the afternoon.
I also suspect the condenser and like you suspect as well, the fan.....I will probably check it tomorrow just to be sure. I feel many AC technician rush to call the compressor because it is an easy way out.....I am still trying to understand why thesame compressor will do a good job at night and early in the morning only to struggle in the hot afternoons. Not like it does not catch in the afternoon but it struggles to get cooler than outside temperature. However, soon as water was poured on the condenser the AC started working fine again.

That's why I want to get a second opinion on this before using money to change anything, I wouldn't want to spend money buying another compressor only to be told it is another thing.

Thanks for your contribution bro.....I will check some of the things you have said and get back.....and please how do i get in touch with Mosbus as someone recommended.
Re: Car AC Works Well Only In The Morning And Evening But Struggles In Hot Afternoon by NwaliE01: 10:00am On Mar 18, 2019
rhymz:
Hi Nairaland Auto experts, please I will like to know what the problem is before changing anything with my car. I use a Corolla sport 05, I have been struggling with the AC for a while now. I notice that the AC works excellently well in the evening when there is no sun and early in the morning but struggles to maintain a cool temperature especially for people at the back.

I have tried recharging but that has not solved the problem.
If increase the AC to the highest in hot afternoons it just blows air . Also, I also noticed that it slightly gets better when the car is moving than when it is idle in traffic.

I took the car to an AC technician who poured water on the condenser and then asked us to rev the car up, after which I noticed a significant improvement, then he concludes that the problem is the compressor, that it was suffering from low pressure, that we need to change it and it will cost us 28k.

However, I want to get a second opinion as I suspect the condenser and possibly a blockage. I don't know if anyone has experienced this kind of problem before, I would appreciate any technical advise or recommendation or even an AC tech guy that knows what he is doing.

Thank you

I had similar experience with you. What I did was to open the cooling system to inspect its condition.

Then I discovered that the system was very dirty and this caused blocked in the condenser filter.

So i serviced the compressor, replace the condenser filter, flush the condenser, flush the system with petrol and thinner.

Wash the vanes of the Condenser and water radiator.

Then couple back and check for leakage and then fill in gas.

My AC since then is super cooling at all time.

1 Like

Re: Car AC Works Well Only In The Morning And Evening But Struggles In Hot Afternoon by rainmaker12(m): 10:29am On Mar 18, 2019
adanny01:


Warning, long post.

I disagree with your AC technician.

A compressor should not work perfect in the morning then quit in the afternoon.

A basic understanding of the AC system should suffice at this moment. The compressor pressurises the refrigerant which makes it very cold then is sent to the evaporator, the evaporator fins take the coldness of the refrigerant by conduction. The cabin fan blows the cold from the fins (cold AC air you feel) as a result the refrigerant losses its coldness and absorbs heat and is turned back to vapour, the refrigerant travels to condenser which has fins too. Engine cooling fan blows the heat off in the reversed kind of exchange at the evaporator and as the refrigerant cools down it turns to liquid. The now cool liquid refrigerant gets back to the compressor where the compression causes the refrigerant to get cold.

Now this is where the problem lies, compressor works under a max pressure and has a pressure kill switch. If the compressor receives vapour or hot refrigerant from the condenser (pressure will be high), it will quit via a pressure switch.

So a perfect AC will shut off if the condenser doesnt do its job. Reasons for which a condenser will not do its job are;
1. Bad/blocked condenser fins (bad condenser)
2. Bad cooling fans
3. Too high ambient temperature

What happens is that in the low ambient temperature (morning/evening/night/rain/harmattan), the condenser easily does its job until the afternoon when temp is high, its ineffectiveness will cause the compressor to either do a bad job of cooling or cut out entirely. When you are driving very fast (say 100km/h) wind speed through the condenser is increased considerably that the cooling fan gets all the assistance it needs so the AC will cool. Once, you stop or in a hold up, the condenser only relies on the cooling fan which if defective will be inadequate.

My opinion is that it is either the cooling fan is bad or radiator fins are clogged or damaged or both radiator and cooling fans are bad.

Lastly, the clogging can be at the coolant radiator which sits behind the condenser in most cars. The problem is that anything that causes low air flow will cause low AC cooling especially in the afternoon.

This is the best advice so far.

Check your:

1. Refrigerant level: Any A.C technician that doesn't have a pressure guage, minimum, should not touch the paint of your car, let alone your ac system. You can't just be dumping gas into the system anytime it doesnt cool. Too much is also bad for your ac. What if there's a leak? You recharged now, before you leave the garage half of the gas have leak out. The pressure guage or vacuum pump can help detect that.

2. Condenser fans: Make sure all your fans are working and working right. Both fans must be working. They should run at the right rpm. Some fans will just be rolling but they not pulling the right amount of air. Your fan must pull or push enough air through the condenser for your ac to cool while your car is standing in traffic in a very hot sun that can fry egg.

3. Condenser/Radiator: All air, pull or push must pass through the front of the condenser/radiator not side. If too many heat plates on the condenser/radiator is bent or totally blocked by debris, that will hinder the flow of air and your condenser/radiator will not do its job. Both of them must dissipate heat from your car system.

If the above doesn't work, check your compressor to make sure its compressing well. Last resort only.
.

4 Likes

Re: Car AC Works Well Only In The Morning And Evening But Struggles In Hot Afternoon by rhymz(m): 4:44am On Mar 20, 2019
Ok
Re: Car AC Works Well Only In The Morning And Evening But Struggles In Hot Afternoon by ozone0801(m): 11:42am On Mar 20, 2019
I have this same issue currently.
Re: Car AC Works Well Only In The Morning And Evening But Struggles In Hot Afternoon by mosbus: 6:47pm On Mar 20, 2019
rhymz:

I also suspect the condenser and like you suspect as well, the fan.....I will probably check it tomorrow just to be sure. I feel many AC technician rush to call the compressor because it is an easy way out.....I am still trying to understand why thesame compressor will do a good job at night and early in the morning only to struggle in the hot afternoons. Not like it does not catch in the afternoon but it struggles to get cooler than outside temperature. However, soon as water was poured on the condenser the AC started working fine again.

That's why I want to get a second opinion on this before using money to change anything, I wouldn't want to spend money buying another compressor only to be told it is another thing.

Thanks for your contribution bro.....I will check some of the things you have said and get back.....and please how do i get in touch with Mosbus as someone recommended.
08026941215
Re: Car AC Works Well Only In The Morning And Evening But Struggles In Hot Afternoon by 4llerbuntu(m): 7:50am On Mar 29, 2019
.
Re: Car AC Works Well Only In The Morning And Evening But Struggles In Hot Afternoon by t2sco: 6:12am On Dec 02, 2019
rhymz:
Hi Nairaland Auto experts, please I will like to know what the problem is before changing anything with my car. I use a Corolla sport 05, I have been struggling with the AC for a while now. I notice that the AC works excellently well in the evening when there is no sun and early in the morning but struggles to maintain a cool temperature especially for people at the back.

I have tried recharging but that has not solved the problem.
If increase the AC to the highest in hot afternoons it just blows air . Also, I also noticed that it slightly gets better when the car is moving than when it is idle in traffic.

I took the car to an AC technician who poured water on the condenser and then asked us to rev the car up, after which I noticed a significant improvement, then he concludes that the problem is the compressor, that it was suffering from low pressure, that we need to change it and it will cost us 28k.

However, I want to get a second opinion as I suspect the condenser and possibly a blockage. I don't know if anyone has experienced this kind of problem before, I would appreciate any technical advise or recommendation or even an AC tech guy that knows what he is doing.

Thank you
pls how did you solve this I'm having this issue as well
Re: Car AC Works Well Only In The Morning And Evening But Struggles In Hot Afternoon by NaijadrivaCars: 9:15am On Dec 02, 2019
Bad Compressor?
Re: Car AC Works Well Only In The Morning And Evening But Struggles In Hot Afternoon by NobleEngineer(m): 2:41pm On Jun 02, 2020
Pls how did you later solve this AC issue.
Thanks for the Tec junior tweak.
rhymz:
Hi Nairaland Auto experts, please I will like to know what the problem is before changing anything with my car. I use a Corolla sport 05, I have been struggling with the AC for a while now. I notice that the AC works excellently well in the evening when there is no sun and early in the morning but struggles to maintain a cool temperature especially for people at the back.

I have tried recharging but that has not solved the problem.
If increase the AC to the highest in hot afternoons it just blows air . Also, I also noticed that it slightly gets better when the car is moving than when it is idle in traffic.

I took the car to an AC technician who poured water on the condenser and then asked us to rev the car up, after which I noticed a significant improvement, then he concludes that the problem is the compressor, that it was suffering from low pressure, that we need to change it and it will cost us 28k.

However, I want to get a second opinion as I suspect the condenser and possibly a blockage. I don't know if anyone has experienced this kind of problem before, I would appreciate any technical advise or recommendation or even an AC tech guy that knows what he is doing.

Thank you
Re: Car AC Works Well Only In The Morning And Evening But Struggles In Hot Afternoon by MOTIONTECH(m): 12:52am On Jun 03, 2020
daddytime:
Your AC is low on gas oga...or check your AC air filter...
partly correct
Re: Car AC Works Well Only In The Morning And Evening But Struggles In Hot Afternoon by MOTIONTECH(m): 12:54am On Jun 03, 2020
daddytime:


When those cut and nail technicians wey no gree learn work finish before dem go open one shop say dem be technicians finish with your car, you'd run back here for a bigger complain.

If according to your AC doctor the problem is low pressure then I will beg to use your language as above and ask "which pressure e come take dey cool for morning and night"...do you get the logic here? If yes, then you should have posed that same question above to the seeming quack who's about to get one over you with a compressor change.

Common sense should have been suffice to know that whatever is left in your AC cylinder now gets sufficient only when the temperature outside is mellowed.

Peace..
Please what is A/C cylinder sir?
Re: Car AC Works Well Only In The Morning And Evening But Struggles In Hot Afternoon by MOTIONTECH(m): 1:09am On Jun 03, 2020
Your A/C technician is probably correct but take your vehicle for physical evaluation. BTW where is your location?
Re: Car AC Works Well Only In The Morning And Evening But Struggles In Hot Afternoon by daddytime(m): 6:04am On Jun 03, 2020
MOTIONTECH:
Please what is A/C cylinder sir?

The cylinder is what holds whatever ac gas is dispensed into your car.

1 Like

Re: Car AC Works Well Only In The Morning And Evening But Struggles In Hot Afternoon by MOTIONTECH(m): 6:51pm On Jun 04, 2020
daddytime:


The cylinder is what holds whatever ac gas is dispensed into your car.
Inside the engine bay sir?
Re: Car AC Works Well Only In The Morning And Evening But Struggles In Hot Afternoon by daddytime(m): 6:57pm On Jun 04, 2020
MOTIONTECH:
Inside the engine bay sir?

Yes, bro.

You'd see where the AC technician fills the gas into or checks to see if there's gas in the AC chamber.

1 Like

Re: Car AC Works Well Only In The Morning And Evening But Struggles In Hot Afternoon by MOTIONTECH(m): 7:36pm On Jun 04, 2020
daddytime:


Yes, bro.

You'd see where the AC technician fills the gas into or checks to see if there's gas in the AC chamber.
thank you sir....i have learnt something today.
Re: Car AC Works Well Only In The Morning And Evening But Struggles In Hot Afternoon by rhymz(m): 1:29pm On Jul 10, 2020
NobleEngineer:
Pls how did you later solve this AC issue.
Thanks for the Tec junior tweak.

Like I was advised here by Nairaland Auto gurus, the problem was definitely not my compressor, that mechanic guy na otondo, I took it to another AC guy who checked it and discovered that one of the otondo mechanics that had previously touched the car connected the fan switch wrongly in a way it was blowing in reverse.... honestly, I can't remember I'm details but I know I didn't spend any money to fix it and I didn't have to replace my compressor either.
Re: Car AC Works Well Only In The Morning And Evening But Struggles In Hot Afternoon by NobleEngineer(m): 4:51pm On Jul 10, 2020
rhymz:
ok thanks

Like I was advised here by Nairaland Auto gurus, the problem was definitely not my compressor, that mechanic guy na otondo, I took it to another AC guy who checked it and discovered that one of the otondo mechanics that had previously touched the car connected the fan switch wrongly in a way it was blowing in reverse.... honestly, I can't remember I'm details but I know I didn't spend any money to fix it and I didn't have to replace my compressor either.

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