A/C Compressor 4th Gen SI - Honda Prelude Forum

malken00 · 07-12-2003, 03:14 PM

I'm having an issue with my fiancee's car. I swapped out the AC Compressor, as the old one had some problems, the bearing were toast, just too much to get it rebuilt. Anyways, I found another A/C Compressor at a junkyard, installed the new one, went and got it charged, just to find out the clutch wasn't engaging (I DID fill the compressor with the required PAG refrigerant fluid). I traced the problem back to the clutch not getting a 12 V signal to engage, so for the time being, I decided I would make sure the compressor worked by doing a temporary 15 Amp circuit from the battery directly to the compressor.

Cold air started flowing, everything was working perfect, then all of a sudden the whole system discharged (Read: How to make your money dissapate into thin air) out of the side of the compressor housing, this is after it ran for, 30-45 seconds straight. I am wondering if the junkyard compressor is bad, or it is possible that having that steady clutch engagement is the problem (the wire from the battery to the clutch), and the compressor just went over the limit, or there is another problem altogether... I DID have the A/C light on too, so the rest of the AC system should've engaged as well... Who knows.. hopefully one of you can shed some light, I have no idea

G_Loc · 07-12-2003, 03:46 PM

the compressor could have been damaged

you weren't gonna leave the clutch engaged all the time right? that would cause some problems in the long run since the clutch engages and disengages depending on system pressure and the evaporator temp.

did you try searching for any bad fuses? the guys that fixed my a/c changed a fuse somewhere because the clutch wasn't engaging

malken00 · 07-12-2003, 03:55 PM

Yup, checked all the electrical, and no, I was going to trace the problem with the switch after the system was running for 4-5 minutes.

irishpilot · 07-12-2003, 05:09 PM

how much did it cost to charge your AC ?

you had the older ac system right?

Fast&furiuslude · 07-12-2003, 05:42 PM

This happens to almost ALL 4th gens. If you take out the piece under your A/C vents there is 2 connectors that go up into the control board. Turn on your car and play with the wires a lil and the compressor is bound to come on for you but im not promising itll stay on. I have to play with mine for it to come on but now it wont even engage. Im takin it to a shop monday. Its either a loose wire in the connector or the wires in the main A/C board have become unsoldered kinda like the Main Relay switch that goes bad in 4th gens.

i posted that in another A/C thread. It may not be relavent to your problem but its worth a shot.

red92s · 07-12-2003, 05:44 PM

I've got a compressor left over from my JDM swap, free to good home.

malken00 · 07-12-2003, 06:46 PM

Sold Red92... hook a me up.

prelude555 · 07-13-2003, 09:43 PM

my ac compressor gone bad a few months ago too, went to the junk yard n got one use. it turn out the ac compressor was bad, went again traded another one n that was bad too! anyways i trade about 3 ac compressor in 1 months time, all 3 of em turn out bad, then finally i found one thats good right now. i loss alot of money refilling freon

i think our compressors tend to damage easy, hope u find a good one cuz freon will cost....

malken00 · 07-14-2003, 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by prelude555
my ac compressor gone bad a few months ago too, went to the junk yard n got one use. it turn out the ac compressor was bad, went again traded another one n that was bad too! anyways i trade about 3 ac compressor in 1 months time, all 3 of em turn out bad, then finally i found one thats good right now. i loss alot of money refilling freon
i think our compressors tend to damage easy, hope u find a good one cuz freon will cost....

I think I am going exactly through what you did, except I am only on replacement number 1

94LOOD · 07-14-2003, 10:21 AM

i bought my lude w/o a functional compressor, how much do they charge you to refill the freon?

and has anyone heard anything about a recall for the compressors? i have read about people getting theirs fixed for free under a recall........

PreludeRacer023 · 07-14-2003, 11:34 PM

Malken..i had the same prob..mine wasnt working, wasnt getting power, so i hooked up a wire from my driving lights that are switch operated to it, worked fine for a bit then spewed out the freon through the side of the compressor....im looking inot getting it fixed ive also heard of this recall..need more info on it though

Phamine · 08-08-2003, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by LilImportkid
i bought my lude w/o a functional compressor, how much do they charge you to refill the freon?

and has anyone heard anything about a recall for the compressors? i have read about people getting theirs fixed for free under a recall........

check out this link for info

my A/C is messed up

Quote:

Originally posted by PreludeRacer023
Malken..i had the same prob..mine wasnt working, wasnt getting power, so i hooked up a wire from my driving lights that are switch operated to it, worked fine for a bit then spewed out the freon through the side of the compressor....im looking inot getting it fixed ive also heard of this recall..need more info on it though

bad idea - the compressor turns on and off for proper pressure. There was most likely too much pressure in the lines and it had no where to go