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I have a 2009 Honda Civic and the A/C hasn’t been working for a while. I had a friend hit the A/C button while I looked under the hood and I noticed that the A/C compressor clutch didn’t engage. I checked the relay and it’s working fine. I’m not sure what to do next. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
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Ok thanks.
The A/C hasn’t worked for months, so I’m assuming that the system has had no refrigerant for a long time. Will that cause major problems in the system? Or, can I simply find the leak, repair it, vacuum out the moisture, and recharge it? I’m capable of repairing a leak and recharging the system, but I don’t have the tools or experience to do a complete overhaul of the system.
Assuming that your leak is NOT because of a catastrophic compressor failure, you should be fine replacing the leaking component, AND the receiver / drier. Get the leak fixed, then when you are ready to recharge, put the new receiver / drier in just before you vacuum the system out, so as not to have your new drier absorb a bunch of water. Evacuate the system, hold the vacuum on it for at least half an hour, and charge, and away you go.
If your compressor is the failure point, well then all bets are off, and a whole different set of instructions / rules apply.
Ok two more questions:
1. If the static pressure in the system is 0 PSI, do I need to evacuate the system? Is there any refrigerant in the system at all?
2. When I recharge the system, do I need to add oil to the A/C compressor? If so, do I just add the oil in with the new refrigerant? I don’t want to ruin the compressor (new ones are $300-$400)If the system standing pressure was 0 psi then yes
I would suggest pulling a vacuum. As for adding oil
none at this time.[quote=”college man” post=84862]If the system standing pressure was 0 psi then yes
I would suggest pulling a vacuum. As for adding oil
none at this time.[/quote]Ok thanks. I knew I would have to pull a vacuum before recharging to get rid of the moisture. My previous question was more about getting rid of the old refrigerant that might be still in there. I don’t have a refrigerant recovery machine.
If you did have refrigerant in the system. You could
have a shop recover it and you take it from there.Update:
So I visually inspected for leaks and couldn’t find any. I’ll try the UV dye next. I know I have to first use a vacuum pump, then recharge the system with refrigerant and dye and look for leaks. I have one question though. What if I have a large leak? Will I be able to create a vacuum on the system? Won’t the leak not allow the vacuum to occur? I’m asking because my A/C compressor doesn’t turn on at all, so without creating a vacuum I’m not sure how to get the refrigerant in the system.
I wouldn’t worry about pulling a vacuum for the dye test. You aren’t going to run the system for any length of time, just put the dye in, and charge enough to get it running. Of course, once you find the leak, you SHOULD have a shop evacuate any refrigerant that might be left in the system.
Now, for oil, you need a copy of the shop manual for your car. You are likely going to measure out the amount of oil they call for when repairing a big leak, plus the amount they call for when replacing what ever part the leak is in, plus the amount they call for when replacing a receiver / drier.
Replace the leaking part, then remove your old receiver / drier. Measure out your oil, and pour it into your new receiver then immediately install it in the car, attach the lines to seal the system up, and draw your vacuum. Run the pump for 30 minute, then close the valves on the manifold set, shut the pump off, note the pressure reading, and wait half an hour. Check your gauge again. If it has moved, you still have a leak you need to find. If it has held vacuum, then it is time to charge.
You could try just pulling vacuum first (just letting it run a few minutes, shut it off, and then listen for the hissing and running your hands around), before putting dye in it and putting more R134a in it to just leak out.
[quote=”Wayne613″ post=84929]You could try just pulling vacuum first (just letting it run a few minutes, shut it off, and then listen for the hissing and running your hands around), before putting dye in it and putting more R134a in it to just leak out.[/quote]
That is a fantastic idea . . . never done it that way, never even thought of it.
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