crawfish

I took my 2002 LX with 80,000 miles in for AC service due to it performing poorly in hot weather. This is not a new thing; it had been just barely adequate for some time, and the degradation happened very gradually. They couldn't find a leak so evacuated, charged, and added dye. I was told it was about a pound low.

It made a big difference, but ten miles later, the whole system shut off. The fan wouldn't turn back on even with the AC off. I did some research, determined the blower still works by jumpering two wires, and that the blower transistor was probably the culprit, so I bought the part and replaced it myself. This fixed it. Could this reasonably be coincidence? If so, I have bad luck with HVAC. When I had to replace the evaporator coil in my home system, the compressor locked up 2 days later, and I had to replace it, too. That system's been fine for several years now. As for the car, I would have had to have driven it 80,000 miles over 15 years and picked the exact moment minus 10 miles the transistor was going to fail to take it in for AC service. Anyway...

I have a UV flashlight and can't find any leaks under the hood. I believe that inspecting the evaporator requires removing the blower motor and looking from the interior. Is this correct? I don't want to do that just to look around when the system is cooling OK. Also, is it the only thing I'm likely not getting to looking around under the hood?

What I did notice is that removing the Schrader valve cap on the suction line releases a brief hiss. Is this normal? Is it possible this valve is the source of the leak? There was dye all around the valve and in the cap, but I figured that could be spillage from when it was added. I cleaned it up and will monitor.

ezone

100% coincidence. The power transistor failing is absolutely unrelated to the AC system losing freon over the years. It would have failed even if the car was not equipped with AC at all.


Did you check if the cabin filters need replaced?
How long have you been putting up with it slowly getting weak?
It may have taken 15 years to slowly seep enough refrigerant to become annoying, that's pretty darn good. For all we know it could take another 10-15 years before it happens again.

Back in the olden days, people expected to need their AC recharged each year before summer. We've come a long way.

It has to have leaked before any dye would be on the exterior of the system.

If it still cools good then it probably hasn't lost enough refrigerant and oil to leave any evidence (dye). If it took 15 years to lose a little, you may never see any dye. If it loses its charge in a years time, then you might find dye evidence in the future.

IOW it has to leak dye out before its evidence can be found.
Condenser? Drier? All lines and joints, follow the lines around the engine compartment.


A miniscule 'spit' is kinda typical. The valve should not hiss continuously though.

Note those plastic caps have a rubber gasket inside and that is supposed to be 'the final seal' for the schrader valves. The little spit you heard happened when that gasket uncovered the schrader port.
Not if the plastic caps are correctly installed and tight.
Yeah that's where the dye is installed most of the time and it gets all over the service valve connection on the AC machine, so there is almost always dye left right around the schrader port and the outside of the area.

crawfish

Evidently, I have a real talent for timing stuff like this. It's uncanny. lol

BTW, I found good help on replacing the transistor here and the linked thread at honda-tech.com. Probably saved me $100 or more.

Yes, they were a little dirty but not too bad. I ordered replacements anyway.

It's been years and years. I can't remember the last time it worked as well as it does now. I live in the deep south, so the AC hasn't been intolerable, or I would have had it fixed before now. It just hasn't been as good as our other car. The last straw was getting clearly inadequate cooling the other day when it was 85 degrees out.

Yeah, I'm hoping it's a slow leak that didn't suddenly become worse.

ezone

Not sure why the system ghosted your reply, but it's live now.