cocktails

OK ALL YOU EXPERTS. I AM NEW TO WORKING ON HONDA'S I USUALLY WORK ON GO FAST BOATS THE AC IS QUITE A BIT DIFFERENT. MY COMPRESSOR/CLUTCH ON MY 2001 CIVIC LX WENT. IT FROZE UP TO THE POINT WHERE THE BELT SPINNING AROUND IT WON'T SPIN FAST ENOUGH TO GET THE CAR STARTED. I HAD IT TOWED BACK TO THE HOUSE. NOW READY TO ORDER PARTS AND GET HER FIXED.
MANY QUESTIONS.???
I WAS GOING TO BUY ONE OF THE AFTERMARKET COMPRESSORS FROM EBAY ANY LUCK WITH THESE. I DON'T WANT TO BUY USED.??

SHOULD I BUY THE WHOLE KIT, INCLUDING DRIER, OIL ETC.??

IS THE COMPRESSOR A PAIN TO GET OUT. WHAT DO I HAVE TO REMOVE TO GET AT IT. ????

CAN I JUST UNHOOK THE LINES AND UNBOLT THE OLD COMPRESSOR/ PUT THE NEW COMPRESSOR IN WITHOUT HOOKING UP THE LINES THEN DRIVE IT TO LOCAL SHOP TO GET IT FLUSHED AND CHARGED. ???

CAN THE NEW COMPRESSOR SPIN WITHOUT ANY LINES HOOKED TO IT WITHOUT DOING ANY DAMAGE.????

THANKS FOR ALL HELP.

lazlong

Hadn't had to replace the compressor on mine yet (crosses fingers). So, I don't know about the aftermarket ones, sorry.

With the system being that old I would get the whole kit as it's cheap insurance against near future breakdowns.

Remove alt, remove fan, remove A/c lines, remove compressor.

2 Notes on this: 1) Any part that your going to put back on has to be plugged immediately to prevent moisture and dust damage. This includes the lines and especially the drier as it can become saturated (worthless) in as little as 10 minutes when exposed to outside air. 2) You need to put the EXACT amount of coolant into it as you took out. The easiest way to do this is to take it to the local mech and have them vac it down so you know how much to put back in. Then, when your done take it back and have them fill it up with the same amount they took out. You also need to either make sure the correct amount of oil is in the new compressor by pouring it out and measuring the correct amount back in or drain the compressor and make the mech put the correct amount in when he refills.

Go ahead and hook up the whole system then take it to get refilled. It won't hurt it 'cause the compressor clutch isn't engaged until you turn on the A/C. Deflection o the belt is 1/8 inch.

Also: YOU DON'T HAVE THE TYPE IN ALL CAPS, WE CAN SEE YOU JUST FINE.

cocktails

Laz sorry about the caps, didn't even see that. ?? Can I just un hook the lines to the old compressor and put the new compressor in without hooking up the lines, just leave the lines off for now. I did plan on getting a new drier
should I put that in or wait till I get it over to the shop to Vacuum and recharge.

??? The oil that goes in di I need to put that in before driving it.?? I am trying to get it started so I can get it to the shop. Don't want to damage the new parts.

Should I put the new compressor in and the drier and hook up the lines before driving it or can I leave the lines unhooked.???

Thanks for any help

lazlong

Just put the whole system back together, you're not gonna hurt anything. You can leave the lines unhooked if you want but, there's no need. If you do, make sure you plug up everything, you don't want any moisture in the system.

cocktails

Do I have to put the oil back in the new compressor before driving it. ? Or is the oil only necessary when the clutch has engaged and the a/c is turned on. I didn't know if the pulley will spin freely without any oil.

Also a friend of mine said I may have to pull the front bumper to really get at it, ay thoughts on that. ??

Thanks again for your help

MarkM01

I bought one of the a/c compressor kits from ebay when mine went out last summer.

This exact kit;

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2001-...item33644de3f8

From what I remember, it was pretty easy to get the compressor off. You don't have to remove the bumper to get it off. But even if you did, that's a 3 minute job.

If your compressor really did lock up, it could of put a lot of junk in your system. So I would also replace the condenser, and dryer. After flushing the system with the proper aerosol solvent. Which is what I did.

I then let a shop vac the system, and charge with freon.

cocktails

??? Did you flush the sytem before driving it to the shop. How did you flush it exactly.

Thanks

MarkM01

I'm no a/c expert, but this is just what I did.

I got an aerosol can of a/c flush at Advanced auto parts. It's basically a solvent pressurized in a can with a hose on it to spray through what you want flushed.

I just wanted to clean my hoses/lines, and the evaporator.

My car had about 200k miles on it at the time, which is why I replaced the condenser. From what I've read, those can't really be clean out, and all my fins that are exposed where crushed flat anyways. So I got one from rockauto for about $100.