95 Civic A/C, intermittent operation

My daughter has my old 95 Civic now, down in Florida, with 175,000
milles on it and is experiencing intermittent a/c. I was in the car
with her and it seems to come on nice and cold at first, then after a
while peters out, but sometimes comes back on. I know nothing about
a/c systems so I'm totally baffled on what to tell her, if anything,
other than seek professional help. When it does go off it seems to
come back on when we're doing like an on ramp onto a free way, a big
right turn type of thing but that could just be a coincidence.

Any ideas?

 

One strong possibility is the soldered joints in the climate control
unit (where the A/C and fan switch etc. are) are weak and breaking the
electrical connection when they get hot. Specifically the A/C switch's
joints. Dunno how hand you are but this calls for either a new CCU or
getting in there, pulling the CCU circuit board, testing for
continuity with the switch on and off, and re-soldering as needed.

 

Have you checked the condenser fan(s)? Electric fan at the front of the
engine car should run a short while after switching ac on. This might cause
the system to over-pressure / shut down while the car is not moving, when it
speeds up, normal air flow will take the heat out.

www.poolecool.co.uk