Ever since temps started hitting around 110 my car has been.. not overheating..but running at 1/2on the temp gauge which is high for this car. It does it no matter if im driving or in stop and go traffic.

Normally it wouldnt bother me but as the temp goes up to 1/2, the ac gets warmer and warmer and when i sit still for to long it just starts blowing warmair. Im thinking its some sort of cooling problem involving not getting enough air through the radiator, but then, it does it when im driving at speed too.

The AC works great before the sun is up and after it goes down though.

With the AC off it runs at 1/4 like normal even when its 110 outside. What gives?

Oh yea, I also have a small 14 inch electric fan IN ADDITION to the stock clutch fan.

Theres no bubbling in teh coolant, and the engine is a rebuilt with about 5k miles on it.

 

I think your AC needs to be recharged.

 

I just remembered I had the same problem with the temp guage being in the middle when the A/C was on. It just turned out my oil was low...really low.

 

Not the oil, mine premixes so it doesnt loose any. But ill go check anyway..

Yep.. level is good.

If it needs a recharge im just gonna go 134 on it.

 

Might also have a compressor in the beginning of its end. Take a moment to listen to the compressor and see if its making weird noises. Remember all of our cars are at least 12 years old. Components such as the ac compressor are ready to fail just in age alone.

 

LOL AC? what's that? I'm too afriad to run AC. I don't want to overheat my car. I usually run 1/3 on the scale during the day with no AC.

I'm hardcore. I hate losing power to AC. lol

 

If you sit still for a while, of course the engine is going to get hotter, but the AC shouldn't change. Put some 134 in it, that should do the trick.

 

The A/C dumps its heat straight onto the radiator, which effectively reduces the effectiveness of cooling system. Normally this isn't a problem because the cooling system has been sized to cope with this. So if temps rise with the A/C switched on, it's more likely to be a cooling system problem than an A/C one. Check all the usual things like clogged radiator and/or condensor fins blocking airflow, thermostat not opening fully, air in the system, fan clutch not fully engaging, etc.
The A/C not being able to keep the air cool is probably a seperate issue, most likely low refrigerant. Run the system for five minutes (or until the coolant temp gets too high) and check the sight glass on top of the receiver/drier when the compressor's clutch is engaged. If you see bubbles passing through the glass, it needs recharging. If using the A/C causes the car to overheat you have a problem with the cooling system. See above. You only lose power to the A/C when it's on. That's why it comes with an "off" switch... That "trick" will be the compressor siezing due to lack of lubrication. R134A is not compatible with mineral oil so it cannot be used in older R12 A/C systems without a complete flush of the old oil and replacement with sythetic. The receiver/drier must be replaced also. A cheaper alternative is to find someone who will charge the system with R406A, which is fully compatible with R12 systems. I work for an air-conditioning company so getting it done was no prob.