1987 CRX HF A/C question
07-25-2012, 09:29 PM
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1987 CRX HF A/C question
The A/C in my CRX recently started acting up. It's an intermittent problem too.
It can sit a day and work fine and other times not work at all. I pulled the switch and used a VOM on it and it test out OK. I don't know if the fan switch
has anything to do with the activating the unit or not...if it's just fan control
and has nothing to do with the ac till it's turned on.
Tonight it worked again just fine for about 7 miles and cycled on and off and finally the compressor quit cycling completely.
I'd like to figure what's up with it. There is plenty of gas in the system the belt is tight and when it's working I can have a friend turn the A/C on and off and I can see the clutch engage and disengage.
Some times it won't work for a few days and the next time I use it an turn on the A/C it will work fine for awhile and then quit.
Any ideas ? Love to hear them. It's been working super and then one day it started this.
I'm beginning to think that when it is warmed up to operation temp that's when the problem starts.
It can sit a day and work fine and other times not work at all. I pulled the switch and used a VOM on it and it test out OK. I don't know if the fan switch
has anything to do with the activating the unit or not...if it's just fan control
and has nothing to do with the ac till it's turned on.
Tonight it worked again just fine for about 7 miles and cycled on and off and finally the compressor quit cycling completely.
I'd like to figure what's up with it. There is plenty of gas in the system the belt is tight and when it's working I can have a friend turn the A/C on and off and I can see the clutch engage and disengage.
Some times it won't work for a few days and the next time I use it an turn on the A/C it will work fine for awhile and then quit.
Any ideas ? Love to hear them. It's been working super and then one day it started this.
I'm beginning to think that when it is warmed up to operation temp that's when the problem starts.
08-16-2012, 04:20 PM
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Re: 1987 CRX HF A/C question
Well, I finally isolated the problem. Intermittent problems can be maddening
and this one sure has.
It winds up being the AC Relay by the radiator. Until I pick up another relay or find a used one on a wreck I'll suffer along with this one. Then I'll pull this old one apart and try to see if it is a weak coil or burnt contact points in it.
New I think they are about $50 or somewhere in that league.
How did I find it ? A younger friend who does HVAC and lives near by spoke to me at a gas station and I didn't see him till he came over and spoke. I told him about the problem I was having and he wanted me to drop by, suggesting I pull the dash apart and check everything out with my VOM first. I did this and everything checked out. So then I dropped by and I worked the switch from the inside while he checked out the relays. He was out in the front where he could hear them clicking and engaging.
First we started by turning the key switch on and off. Then leaving it on and
pressing the AC switch on and off. We did this for awhile and noticed the AC fan came up each time, the clutch engaged each time etc. Finally after doing this for awhile one relay quit clicking and the clutch didn't engage.
It sure helps having two people to trace these kinds of things out. LOL
And one of them who knows his AC tech to trouble shoot.
The AC relay is bolted to a support with two other relays as a cluster.
So yes it was interesting isolating the relay.....like tracing down a cricket in the garage.
and this one sure has.
It winds up being the AC Relay by the radiator. Until I pick up another relay or find a used one on a wreck I'll suffer along with this one. Then I'll pull this old one apart and try to see if it is a weak coil or burnt contact points in it.
New I think they are about $50 or somewhere in that league.
How did I find it ? A younger friend who does HVAC and lives near by spoke to me at a gas station and I didn't see him till he came over and spoke. I told him about the problem I was having and he wanted me to drop by, suggesting I pull the dash apart and check everything out with my VOM first. I did this and everything checked out. So then I dropped by and I worked the switch from the inside while he checked out the relays. He was out in the front where he could hear them clicking and engaging.
First we started by turning the key switch on and off. Then leaving it on and
pressing the AC switch on and off. We did this for awhile and noticed the AC fan came up each time, the clutch engaged each time etc. Finally after doing this for awhile one relay quit clicking and the clutch didn't engage.
It sure helps having two people to trace these kinds of things out. LOL
And one of them who knows his AC tech to trouble shoot.
The AC relay is bolted to a support with two other relays as a cluster.
So yes it was interesting isolating the relay.....like tracing down a cricket in the garage.
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