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Modified JK Tech Tech related bulletin board forum regarding subjects such as suspension, tires & wheels, steering, bumpers, skid plates, drive train, cages, on-board air and other useful modifications that will help improve the performance and protection of your Jeep JK Wrangler (Rubicon, Sahara, Unlimited and X) on the trail.

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Improve AC performance

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Old Aug 13, 2012 | 03:33 PM
  #1  
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Default Improve AC performance

Took a trip to CA central Valley and AC was not cuttin it. How often Should you recharge your AC and is there some sort of service or things I can do to get it to blow colder air? I have an 08 Sahara unlimited
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Old Aug 13, 2012 | 03:34 PM
  #2  
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I was wondering the same thing i find it best if your naked with a mesh top on
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Old Aug 13, 2012 | 04:36 PM
  #3  
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Originally Posted by Jeepster831
Took a trip to CA central Valley and AC was not cuttin it. How often Should you recharge your AC and is there some sort of service or things I can do to get it to blow colder air? I have an 08 Sahara unlimited
I would like an answer to this question as well.. With this brutal Texas heat I just could not get cool today! Would be cool (not pun intended ) if there was some way to improve our AC. I have an '08 Sahara too BTW!
Originally Posted by Jeek.OlllllllO
I was wondering the same thing i find it best if your naked with a mesh top on
Good answer.... Sort of....
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Old Aug 13, 2012 | 04:57 PM
  #4  
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Paint the roof white or buy a headliner.
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Old Aug 13, 2012 | 05:38 PM
  #5  
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Most manufactures recommend servicing the a/c system yearly. Meaning evacuate and re-charge the freon system and ensure proper operation of the HVAC system.
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Old Aug 13, 2012 | 05:39 PM
  #6  
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We have been 100s here all year. But very humid. My ac blows ice cold. It's one of the best acs in a vehicle I've had.

Mines an 11. I suggest recharge.
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Old Aug 13, 2012 | 05:46 PM
  #7  
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I have had a number of Chrysler products and none of them had AC worth poot. I currently have a Dodge Dakota and it takes a good while for the AC to put out cold air and even then it isn't much to brag about. On the other hand my Chevy truck and wife's Maxima have ice cold air within seconds.

The one thing I really think Chrysler did right on my Dakota was the rear view mirror. At night it is the best I have ever seen at automatically dimming the headlights of cars behind me. I want that mirror with a different AC unit on my JKUR when I get it.

I also like the 4.7L V8 engine on the Dakota. Wish it came on the Jeeps.
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Old Aug 13, 2012 | 06:19 PM
  #8  
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If your A/C is properly serviced, and it's working the best it can, and the HVAC doors are all working properly, there is another thing to consider.

There is a thermistor on the evaporator that prevents it from freezing up by turning off the compressor when the evaporator reaches a certain temperature. Thermistors of the same value actually vary quite a bit. Consequently, there is a wide range of "normal" temperatures at the panel outlets.

Here is a chart showing the expected A/C performance of the JK:

Ambient Temperature........... Air Temperature at Center Panel Outlet
21° C (70° F)............................6 -15° C (42 - 59° F)
27° C (80° F)............................7 -18° C (45 - 64° F)
32° C (90° F)............................9 - 21° C (48 - 69° F)
38° C (100° F)..........................11 - 22° C (52 - 72° F)
43° C (110° F)..........................13 - 24° C (56 - 75° F)

I have seen threads dealing with improving the performance of an otherwise properly functioning A/C system.
The mod involves installing a resistor across the leads of the thermistor.
It fools the system into lowering the output temp from the high end of "normal" to the lower end. There will be no harm done if the temp still falls in the range listed in the chart above.


Last edited by ronjenx; Aug 13, 2012 at 06:21 PM.
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Old Aug 14, 2012 | 05:59 AM
  #9  
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From: McComb, Mississippi
Default a/c

Originally Posted by ronjenx
If your A/C is properly serviced, and it's working the best it can, and the HVAC doors are all working properly, there is another thing to consider.

There is a thermistor on the evaporator that prevents it from freezing up by turning off the compressor when the evaporator reaches a certain temperature. Thermistors of the same value actually vary quite a bit. Consequently, there is a wide range of "normal" temperatures at the panel outlets.

Here is a chart showing the expected A/C performance of the JK:

Ambient Temperature........... Air Temperature at Center Panel Outlet
21° C (70° F)............................6 -15° C (42 - 59° F)
27° C (80° F)............................7 -18° C (45 - 64° F)
32° C (90° F)............................9 - 21° C (48 - 69° F)
38° C (100° F)..........................11 - 22° C (52 - 72° F)
43° C (110° F)..........................13 - 24° C (56 - 75° F)

I have seen threads dealing with improving the performance of an otherwise properly functioning A/C system.
The mod involves installing a resistor across the leads of the thermistor.
It fools the system into lowering the output temp from the high end of "normal" to the lower end. There will be no harm done if the temp still falls in the range listed in the chart above.

You wouldn't happen to have a link to the thread about installing the resistor do you....tried searching, but no luck yet..
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Old Aug 14, 2012 | 09:14 AM
  #10  
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Last summer we set a record for the number of 100+ days and my ac was struggling to keep it cool so I decided to make a custom headliner. I'm glad I did it, this year I have been running my ac at half the blower speed and it stays cool. And I don't feel like my brains a slowly being cooked by the top. This may not be your issue but it certainly can't hurt looking into it.

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