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I've looked all over but can't seem to find my specific question.
I have a 2001 honda civic coupe. My heating and ac work great - for about 25 minutes (my commute is 30 mins and it always cuts out right before I'm at work which is awesome....). It just slowly stops blowing until it doesn't blow anymore. When I look under the hood, (sorry I dont know anything about cars or what this is called) the thing circled in the below photo is frozen over with ice. It happened in the summer and still happens now that it's winter. Humidity and temperature do not matter and it isn't sporadic. It is every single time I drive. Once I turn the car off for a while and it thaws it is back to normal.
Firstly, so I don't sound so ignorant, what is the circled part called? I was told it was an AC line but with further googling that doesn't seem exactly right. But I don't know.
Secondly, any idea why it freezes over and affects both the heating and AC regardless of outside conditions? Thanks!

Pic: http://tinypic.com/r/2j5ktqr/8

 
Rep Power: 518

Your compressor is engaged and running when it should not be.

Most of the time this is caused by a stuck clutch relay.


Yes it will kill air movement as the evaporator becomes a huge ice cube, blocking air flow.

 
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Engine compartment fuse box pic above


Remove relay "D" and see if that allows the compressor to quit running.




Have you been having problems with your battery going dead?

 
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I'll have to try that tomorrow. I've had problems with the battery in the past, a few months ago but not anytime recent.

 
Rep Power: 518

The stuck relay problem can often kill a battery overnight, that's why I asked..


Ok then, you need to be able to tell visually if the compressor clutch is engaged or disengaged while the engine is running. Can you?




First, have the engine running and tap on that relay a few times. See if the clutch disengages. That would indicate a stuck relay and make this diagnosis real simple. LOL

Assuming tapping on the relay didn't make it turn off the compressor:
If you pull that relay out and the clutch disengages, that should at least stop the problem for the moment.
OTOH if you pull the relay out and the compressor continues to run, that's gonna be a different problem.

Let me know what happens, and I'll try to help you figure out why.