Hey guys,

I have a 2002 Honda Civic coupe and it's had some strange A/C problems now for some time. It's much worse when sitting at idle but while highway driving it works fine. I'll try to describe things as best as I can. I can also get a video with a digital camera with sound if needed.

I used my cheapy guage to check the pressure in the system and it was low. I figured I'd top it off to the correct level and see if things change. They sorta did sorta didn't. Right now it has the correct amount of R134A in it.

The clutch goes on and off in like 5-10 second spurts. While at idle it is so violent at times it seems like it could cause the car to stall. The car is bone stock. It started making noise and just made noise. The Air comming out is cold as it's always been. Never had an issue with how cold it was just how much noise the compressor/clutch makes.

After filling it up the noise and motions of that compressor got worse. It sounds like something is grinding but I can't see anything (like a stone in the clutch) or something like that. But when it comes on while in idle it sounds horrible. Like a grinding sound in a way.

The car has 64,000 miles. Never had an issue with anything before A/C wise until this. Just wondering if there's anything to check as to why it'd not only be comming on in such quick bursts but as to why it could be making so much noise. We want to sell it (or trade it in) but we're having a hard time wondering how it'd pass as far as that went. I don't know if a dealership trys out every gadget/gizmo before allowing it as a trade in.

I can get a video of the car running and the car running with the A/C on if that helps any (with sound from my digi cam).

Please let me know with anything that may help.

Thanks again,
Chris[align=left] [/align]

 

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2 things can cause this. The A/C Pump is in poor shape causing too much mechanical load to turn it over. (there are lots of little pistons in there)
Or youare having trouble with the field coil, The clutch is an electromagnet.

Try this. Take the A/C belt off. Spin the outside pulley, it should turn very freely/quietly/smoothly. Next try to turn the "inside" part of the pulley. This is the part attatched to the center shaft of the Compressor. Is should also turn pretty smooth, allthough there will be a little bit more resistance.

I see you added R134a, Did you add any oil to the system? Was it totally empty? If so, it needs to be evacuated. Then recharged with oil/R134a

Let us know.

 

Since the car has no serptine belt how hard is it to remove the regular belt? I can remove one's like on my truck no problem but never removed one from these import cars that don't seem to use the same system. Is there a tool I need to get to unload the tension of the belt?

The R134A I added were the ID cans that said they were a complete system tune-up with oil already in the mix. I had to add 1 1/2 cans to get the guage to read in the "blue" field which ment it was full enough. It sounded better when it was low but on the other had now the clutch does come on.....but for only a few seconds as it starts to spin the fans and then clicks off quickly. It does that every 10 seconds or so.

We thought about taking it out to Honda to see how much they'd want. I think it is just the clutch as everything else seems to work fine. The AC system has never been serviced in 5 years so being a can low doesn't seem abnormal. I've seen instructions on how to change a A/C Clutch but that bugger is down in there at the bottom. I imagine I'd have to take off the wheel/splash sheld, and everything around that area to change it out.

 

Believe it or not, That compressor is not bad to remove.
But to answer your question, The tension adjustment is a small idler roller, with a dedicated belt for the A/C system. if you look straight down at the compressor, youwill see a bolt head going vertically. Loosten it and work the belt off.
Good luck.