AC Compressor sparking!

I have a '93 Honda Civic VX. My AC compressor is shorted out. It
will spark and smoke if the belt is connected. Not sure if it does
it with the AC switch off.

Anyone have an idea what the problem could be? I hope it's
something simple.

Thanks,
Gary
Getting 48+ MPG w/underinflated tires!

 

On 14 Aug 2003 21:44:11 -0700, (Gary H) wrote:

|I have a '93 Honda Civic VX. My AC compressor is shorted out. It
|will spark and smoke if the belt is connected. Not sure if it does
|it with the AC switch off.
|
|Anyone have an idea what the problem could be? I hope it's
|something simple.
|
|Thanks,
|Gary
|Getting 48+ MPG w/underinflated tires!

Gotta be something that got into the clutch coil.
You may be able to pull the clutch off without discharging the refrigerant.
Then just put a new clutch on, or get one from a salvage unit.

 

On 14 Aug 2003 21:44:11 -0700, (Gary H) wrote:

|I have a '93 Honda Civic VX. My AC compressor is shorted out. It
|will spark and smoke if the belt is connected. Not sure if it does
|it with the AC switch off.
|
|Anyone have an idea what the problem could be? I hope it's
|something simple.
|
|Thanks,
|Gary
|Getting 48+ MPG w/underinflated tires!

Gotta be something that got into the clutch coil.
You may be able to pull the clutch off without discharging the refrigerant.
Then just put a new clutch on, or get one from a salvage unit.

 

Sounds like a bad A/C clutch coil.

 

Why don't you check the stator coil resistance (should be ~3.5(+/-0.2)Ohms
for most of them) and check the bearing play before going any further. I
*think* it should be possible to remove the pulley and coil without
discharging the system but the access for the tools and the type of tools
needed will likely dictate whether the compressor needs to come off the car
for the job.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

 

Why don't you check the stator coil resistance (should be ~3.5(+/-0.2)Ohms
for most of them) and check the bearing play before going any further. I
*think* it should be possible to remove the pulley and coil without
discharging the system but the access for the tools and the type of tools
needed will likely dictate whether the compressor needs to come off the car
for the job.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

 

|On 16 Aug 2003 23:41:56 -0700, (Gary H) wrote:
|
|>I got a few private replies saying it may be the clutch coil.
|>So if it is, don't I have to take the ac compressor out anyways to
|>change the clutch coil? I don't think I can change it with the compressor
|>bolted to the engine right? I hope I'm wrong and this is an easy R&R job,
|>but with my luck, I doubt it.
|
|Why don't you check the stator coil resistance (should be ~3.5(+/-0.2)Ohms
|for most of them) and check the bearing play before going any further. I
|*think* it should be possible to remove the pulley and coil without
|discharging the system but the access for the tools and the type of tools
|needed will likely dictate whether the compressor needs to come off the car
|for the job.
|

I have the same issue with my '90 CRX HF
Good charge in the system, but the clutch squeals like a pig under a gate.
Looks to me like the compressor may be able to be unbolted from the mount and
rotated so the clutch is up at about a 45-degree angle. That might be enough to
get at the clutch and coil. If not, removal of radiator & fans, exhaust
manifold should do it nicely. Lots more trouble, but maybe worth it to keep
from losing the refrigerant charge.

Rex in Fort Worth

 

|On 16 Aug 2003 23:41:56 -0700, (Gary H) wrote:
|
|>I got a few private replies saying it may be the clutch coil.
|>So if it is, don't I have to take the ac compressor out anyways to
|>change the clutch coil? I don't think I can change it with the compressor
|>bolted to the engine right? I hope I'm wrong and this is an easy R&R job,
|>but with my luck, I doubt it.
|
|Why don't you check the stator coil resistance (should be ~3.5(+/-0.2)Ohms
|for most of them) and check the bearing play before going any further. I
|*think* it should be possible to remove the pulley and coil without
|discharging the system but the access for the tools and the type of tools
|needed will likely dictate whether the compressor needs to come off the car
|for the job.
|

I have the same issue with my '90 CRX HF
Good charge in the system, but the clutch squeals like a pig under a gate.
Looks to me like the compressor may be able to be unbolted from the mount and
rotated so the clutch is up at about a 45-degree angle. That might be enough to
get at the clutch and coil. If not, removal of radiator & fans, exhaust
manifold should do it nicely. Lots more trouble, but maybe worth it to keep
from losing the refrigerant charge.

Rex in Fort Worth

 

I cured a squealing clutch on a '88 Integra without taking the compressor
off its mounts. Dunno about your CRX but just taking the inner fender
plastic liner off allowed access enough to get an extraction tool on the
clutch plate to get it off the pulley. The problem was to much clearance
between the clutch plate and the pulley and there were a couple of shims in
there to set the clearance. Mine was not that far off so I just lapped the
shims down a bit.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

 

I cured a squealing clutch on a '88 Integra without taking the compressor
off its mounts. Dunno about your CRX but just taking the inner fender
plastic liner off allowed access enough to get an extraction tool on the
clutch plate to get it off the pulley. The problem was to much clearance
between the clutch plate and the pulley and there were a couple of shims in
there to set the clearance. Mine was not that far off so I just lapped the
shims down a bit.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

 

|On Mon, 18 Aug 2003 18:27:45 GMT, (Rex B) wrote:
|
|>On Mon, 18 Aug 2003 11:15:02 GMT, fammacd=!SPAM^ (George
|>Macdonald) wrote:
|>
|>|On 16 Aug 2003 23:41:56 -0700, (Gary H) wrote:
|>|
|>|>I got a few private replies saying it may be the clutch coil.
|>|>So if it is, don't I have to take the ac compressor out anyways to
|>|>change the clutch coil? I don't think I can change it with the compressor
|>|>bolted to the engine right? I hope I'm wrong and this is an easy R&R job,
|>|>but with my luck, I doubt it.
|>|
|>|Why don't you check the stator coil resistance (should be ~3.5(+/-0.2)Ohms
|>|for most of them) and check the bearing play before going any further. I
|>|*think* it should be possible to remove the pulley and coil without
|>|discharging the system but the access for the tools and the type of tools
|>|needed will likely dictate whether the compressor needs to come off the car
|>|for the job.
|>|
|>
|>I have the same issue with my '90 CRX HF
|>Good charge in the system, but the clutch squeals like a pig under a gate.
|>Looks to me like the compressor may be able to be unbolted from the mount and
|>rotated so the clutch is up at about a 45-degree angle. That might be enough
to
|>get at the clutch and coil. If not, removal of radiator & fans, exhaust
|>manifold should do it nicely. Lots more trouble, but maybe worth it to keep
|>from losing the refrigerant charge.
|
|I cured a squealing clutch on a '88 Integra without taking the compressor
|off its mounts. Dunno about your CRX but just taking the inner fender
|plastic liner off allowed access enough to get an extraction tool on the
|clutch plate to get it off the pulley. The problem was to much clearance
|between the clutch plate and the pulley and there were a couple of shims in
|there to set the clearance. Mine was not that far off so I just lapped the
|shims down a bit.
|
|Rgds, George Macdonald

Excellent suggestion, George - thanks!

Rex B
Rex in Fort Worth

 

|On Mon, 18 Aug 2003 18:27:45 GMT, (Rex B) wrote:
|
|>On Mon, 18 Aug 2003 11:15:02 GMT, fammacd=!SPAM^ (George
|>Macdonald) wrote:
|>
|>|On 16 Aug 2003 23:41:56 -0700, (Gary H) wrote:
|>|
|>|>I got a few private replies saying it may be the clutch coil.
|>|>So if it is, don't I have to take the ac compressor out anyways to
|>|>change the clutch coil? I don't think I can change it with the compressor
|>|>bolted to the engine right? I hope I'm wrong and this is an easy R&R job,
|>|>but with my luck, I doubt it.
|>|
|>|Why don't you check the stator coil resistance (should be ~3.5(+/-0.2)Ohms
|>|for most of them) and check the bearing play before going any further. I
|>|*think* it should be possible to remove the pulley and coil without
|>|discharging the system but the access for the tools and the type of tools
|>|needed will likely dictate whether the compressor needs to come off the car
|>|for the job.
|>|
|>
|>I have the same issue with my '90 CRX HF
|>Good charge in the system, but the clutch squeals like a pig under a gate.
|>Looks to me like the compressor may be able to be unbolted from the mount and
|>rotated so the clutch is up at about a 45-degree angle. That might be enough
to
|>get at the clutch and coil. If not, removal of radiator & fans, exhaust
|>manifold should do it nicely. Lots more trouble, but maybe worth it to keep
|>from losing the refrigerant charge.
|
|I cured a squealing clutch on a '88 Integra without taking the compressor
|off its mounts. Dunno about your CRX but just taking the inner fender
|plastic liner off allowed access enough to get an extraction tool on the
|clutch plate to get it off the pulley. The problem was to much clearance
|between the clutch plate and the pulley and there were a couple of shims in
|there to set the clearance. Mine was not that far off so I just lapped the
|shims down a bit.
|
|Rgds, George Macdonald

Excellent suggestion, George - thanks!

Rex B
Rex in Fort Worth