Del Sol A/C

Hi:

My local Honda dealer wants to charge $600 to replace an $85 magnetic clutch
coil for the air con [for intermittent cold air].

My question for the experts is: can I replace it myself without venting the
refrigerant?

Thanks so much!

Doc

 

It is mostly a practical problem; If you can get enough access to do the
job while the A/C is in the car, then removing the clutch will not cause
any refrigerant leak. Post a real e-mail address if you want me to send
you relevant scans from the '94 Civic service manual, it should be
similar to the Del Sol.

 

you can vent the refrigerant, then you can pay for new refrigerant. ha ha.
you need the compressor off in order to change the clutch and coil.

 

Cool, and then you get to evacuate the system before you put in new
refrigerant. I was helping a friend fix her A/C recently, and thought it
was going to be a simple "replace the clutch coil" job. The car has an
I-4 in an engine bay that fits an I-6, so there was no shortage of
space. Turned out the reason the coil didn't work was that it was torn
to shreds because the compressor bearings were bad.

 

Evac and charging the AC is about $40
no need to have a honduh dealer rape you.

 

========================
Doc,

Wouldn't the most obvious question to ask be: "My air conditioning is
intermittent, what would be the cause?"

Why not ask this question and see if you don't get a different answer
than the one your Honda dealer gave you?

If the dealer's charge$ aren't right, who says the diagnosis is any good
either ???

'Curly'

 

Thanks for the help! Scans would help tremendously!

Doc

 

Doc,

astute. who [qualified] to ask?

 

===========================

As a qualified (yeah, right) backyard mechanic, I'd suggest your
refrigerant is a tad low, so when the system fails to stay charged to
the right pressure, the compressor shuts down just as it's getting
things cool, and you feel the air warm up again. It's supposed to work
that way.

Phone ANY place that services AC, and they'll ask when you last had it
'topped up'. In Edmonton, we pay about $100 CAN for such an inspection /
top-up.

You didn't mention the year of mileage, but 6 years seems to be about
right for needing 'service' on AC systems here in Canada. Freezing the
sucker to -40 might not be too good for the poor thing, but that's life.

I go to a place that only does AC, car starters, and alarms.

'Curly'

 

And scans you shall receive. I have a feeling ()" may not
be a valid e-mail address, though. Post a valid one (to NG), and I'll
send you the scans. Can't post binaries in this NG.

 

sorry!

thanks!