Sluggish when air cond is on - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

ultimax5 · 01-21-2006, 06:20 AM

I had some problems with my ignition timing so I sent it to the workshop to have it adjusted. The engine would die on me occasionally when I'm at the traffic lights. Anyway, after it was adjusted, things seemed fine, even after I turned on the air conditioning, the rev meter wouldn't drop too much, which it did before.

Then I took my car for a test drive and I noticed that when the air conditioning is on, the car is extremely sluggish. Prior to this, when I floored the accelerator, it would lag like half a second and then the engine would rev really hard and drop to a lower gear and take off. Now, the engine just revs hard, but there's no acceleration whatsoever. And the lag is even longer, it's almost a second.

Even the regular acceleration of the car is extremely poor now. I used to be able to feel a slight surge and gradual but consistent acceleration, but now the car seems to run at a constant speed.

With the air conditioning turned off though, it's fine. Does anyone have any idea what it might be? I love my Corolla and to see it in this shape is making me very upset. Appreciate any feedback on this. Thank you so much. Btw, it's a 1.6L 4AF motor, 1990 AE92.

karugs · 01-21-2006, 06:27 AM

Sounds like a seized AC compressor.

abimanyu · 01-21-2006, 07:51 AM

Yeah, you should get your a/c system checked once a year, before summer. Compressor needs to be lubricated, use ND A/C Oil written on the compressor.

Flashmn · 01-21-2006, 12:52 PM

a seized AC compressor would make the belts scream. A/C does rob power from the car so it would be sluggish when the AC is on.

ultimax5 · 01-21-2006, 07:42 PM

Thanks for all the feedback guys. I'm no expert, but if it was the A/C compressor, wouldn't it affect the air conditioning as well? That works fine. As for the loss of power, Flashmn, yup, I'm aware that the A/C does take up some power, as I occasionally turn the A/C off and bear with the heat for that slight increase in power, but what I'm facing now is absolutely too much of a loss in power. It wasn't like this before, even flooring the accelerator doesn't do much, the car seems to be crawling. And even when the rev goes up, it doesn't downshift and pick up speed like it used to.

freakinbox · 01-21-2006, 09:31 PM

hmm I don;t know... even the van seems alot weaker when the a/c is turned on. it's a 2001 and has been like that since day one. My sr5 is the same way just weaker with the a/c.
it's normal for the car to feel that way when the a/c is on, takes quite a bit of power :p which is why you burn so much more gas with it on

ultimax5 · 01-21-2006, 11:22 PM

Big smiles all over

, my Corolla is back in action! I'm guessing it had something to do with the ignition timing. The guy at the workshop loosened and moved the distributor around a little and now it runs fine.

Oh, and yes, I agree with you guys that the A/C takes quite abit of power from the car, but what I was experiencing was really unusual, lots and lots of power was missing. You'd know what I meant if you drove the car.

Another happy Corolla owner is back on the streets!

Thanks for all the opinions and feedback, guys!