alvinecigs

Not sure what is going on. Both of fans are running but compressor clutch is not moving. Finally took pressure readings after 2 days of tyring to ohm everything out..



That is reading with car running at idle and ac on full blast...



That is the tempature when I took the reading...

Not sure what is going on. I think its way high from what I read, but please give me some insight. Thanks. Honda Civic 08

jordan1794

I'm sure ezone will pop in with a more comprehensive reply if mine doesn't cover it, but in the meantime if you can find the relay in the fusebox for the AC clutch and try tapping/hitting it with a screwdriver to see if the clutch moves or not.

Apparently the original relay has a tendency to get stuck, original is omron (Or something like that) and a new replacement relay is mitsuba. (Close enough I think)

alvinecigs

Yes, I have replaced the clutch relay as well as moved them around. I used the multimeter a little bit doing ohms and voltage BUT I really don't know what i'm doing. I'm worried about the charge on the ac right now. I think its unusually high.

Just came in from messing with it. Was trying to test the high side pressure switch by putting the probes of multimeter in the female end.. but after I unplugged it, the fans shut off. I plugged it back in and restarted the car and the fans came on again. So I think the high pressure switch is working. Now I think it is over filled with Freon.. but not sure.. and not sure if it messed up the clutch if it is over filled.. ugh..

ezone

Ignore the pressures for now, your compressor isn't operating.
You can't read anything important until the compressor is operating.


What car do you have?

alvinecigs

08 Honda Civic EX.

ezone

Don't touch freon or the pressure sensor.



Remove the AC clutch relay from the fuse box.
Arrow #12 in this pic






Use a paper clip to jump the two large terminals in the relay socket.
(a wire with 1/4" male spade terminals would be better, but a paper clip will do)

See pic below, bottom relay diagram
Jumper terminals 3 and 5 in the socket you pulled the relay from:


Does the clutch click on?
Is there any spark when you stick the paper clip in?

ezone

I'll assume the clutch does not click when you put the jumper in.
The engine does not need to be running to do this.

Once you put the jumper in the relay hole, go push on the compressor clutch plate and see if that makes it click on.

alvinecigs

Clutch not kicking in. Where is the clutch plate?

ezone

That's the outermost plate that isn't clicking against the pulley.

Basic diagram:


With that jumper wire in place: If you can push on the "clutch plate" and it sticks to the pulley, then either the gap is too wide or the electromagnetic coil is weak.

If it looks like there's a millimeter of gap (or more) between the plate and pulley, that's probably the problem.

How many miles on the car?

alvinecigs

111000 miles on the car.. The paperclip is connecting I think. I don't hear a click on it though. But, when I put the relay back in and started up the car, I heard clicking coming from the fuse box. Let me try to push it.

alvinecigs

How can I be sure that I have a good connection on the jumper?

ezone

If you make connection on both sides of the paper clip it usually will make a little spark.

A paper clip kinda sucks for this but it works..... Like I said, 1/4" spade terminals would be better, but this can work.
Bend the paper clip in such a way that you have a pair of "U" shapes that are inserted in the 2 slots, rounded ends down. That would probably make better contact than sticking straight wires in the slots.

alvinecigs

Ah ha. Good Idea. Ok, well I pushed on the plate and it didn't move. Not sure they paperclip was connected though. I will fix the paperclip and do it again. For now, here is the pick of the plate. Best I can get.

ezone

If you can't make the plate stick, the next step would be to do volt and ohm tests in the relay socket on those two terminals you have jumpered.

Remove jumper, test both slots for power.
One should have battery power.

The other will be connected to the clutch. Ohm test between that terminal and battery neg post, should have something like 3.1-3.5 ohms.

alvinecigs

Ok. Tested the fuse holes. Slot 3 does have powers. But I checked slot 5 for ohms and it did not give a reading at all.

ezone

Ok that's bad.

go to the 3 wire connector on top of the alternator, disconnect the halves, and do the same ohm test on the center terminal (on the harness that goes downward).

hang on, double checking a diagram

ezone

Yep, check on the center terminal


Use the paper clip as a probe if you have to, don't try to stuff a whole test lead into a tiny spade terminal.

alvinecigs

Son of a gun. Nothing. Ugh..

ezone

Next step will be to go to the compressor and verify the same thing at the clutch coil itself.
99% sure it's a bad coil now unless you have rodent problems LOL

Honda sells the clutch, pulley, and coil separate from the compressor.
Aftermarket will make you buy an entire compressor, and IMO they usually aren't very reliable (long term).
My preference is to repair an original compressor whenever possible. If it cooled decent before, it will be the same after fixing the clutch parts.
Most of the time this can be done without having to discharge or recharge freon, but it takes some tools and talent to get it done.

alvinecigs

So I am supposing the clutch coil went out? Ack. How do I check it at the compressor? I can't really see anything on top of the compressor. I see the wire at the bottom of the compressor that has the boot connection. Actually I tested that for power before and the compressor is getting power.

alvinecigs

And, what about the pressures of Freon on low and high side? Are they bad? Is that what was wearing on the clutch?

ezone

My guess from here.
Go under and look, see what you can see

Same wire.. Bullet connector (round). If it had power there then that's as far as you can test.
If it did not engage with power there then the coil is presumed bad.

About the only other thing you can possibly test is the coil ground wire and screw on the compressor body, and I have not run into issues with that one yet.

alvinecigs

I will check that ground, which I doubt is the problem. What should I replace and how do I find it? Is there a specific place you get your Honda parts from?

alvinecigs

By the way, you've been a huge help! I appreciate it very much.

ezone

Pressures are NOT your problem, ignore all that. The coil is bad.

If it was working fine before it quit, there is nothing wrong with the freon level. It did not somehow grow while nobody was looking.

Static pressure (system not operating) changes dramatically with temperatures. If you check after the engine is cooled off the pressure will be close to reading the ambient temperature:

ezone

Clutch set and the field coil are what I would replace.

I work for a dealership.

You can get genuine Honda parts at many dealers online at wholesale pricing, plus shipping. Google.

I use this one all the time in the forum just because it's easy to hotlink catalog pictures, but there are many others.
http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/

You should get a service manual if you want to DIY. Local library?

Search the forum, there's been a couple discussions on doing this particular job on 8th gen cars.


YW.

alvinecigs

This is possible without taking the compressor out and vacumming the ac lines?

ezone

Yes. You may need to unbolt the compressor from its mounts but the job can be accomplished without touching freon, although it may be simpler if you do.

alvinecigs

Lol. I guess I need to FIND the talent within me ONLINE Thanks Ezone.

ezone

Search the forum, the job on that car has been discussed.