Bad A/C clutch, what to do, what to do...
 

This is my mother-in-law's 2003 Accord LX 2.4L, AT, with 114k miles. They bought it new when my father-in-law was still alive, and I know the car still has the original compressor, etc.

Anyway, I ran through the clutch troubleshooting steps, and yep, the clutch coil is dead (I get nothing trying 3 different ways of getting battery power to it). So, because of the 114k miles, I'm thinking just go ahead and evac the system and replace the whole a/c compressor assembly & o-rings. I'm also expecting to replace the receiver/dryer unless someone can give me good argument to leave it alone. Part of me wants to leave the drier alone since this car eats a quart of oil every 300 to 400 miles (sad time for Honda, especially since she's had the oil changed every 5k at the dealership where she bought it).

Another option is for me to try to change the clutch while keeping the compressor's refrigerant lines connected. Has anyone been successful doing so? If so, how difficult is it? I've already ordered a Denso compressor/clutch assembly from Rockauto. Depending on you guys' responses, if I decide to attempt the clutch swap, I figure I could just rob the clutch from the new Denso compressor and keep the body to use it if something happens later on.

Thanks in advance for any help or opinions.

Re: Bad A/C clutch, what to do, what to do...
 

I'd change the clutch coil. You'll need a good tool for removing the inner c-clip. Mine is not strong enough, but with enough time I eventually get it to snap on. I recommend investing in a good tool for this if you are going to attempt it.
Also, the reason I'm on the forum today is to figure out how to measure the clearance and getting the right shims installed. I read that this is important, but no one says how to measure it.
I think I had mine too wide allowing the clutch to slip and it burned out my new coil, but have not verified it yet. Just reading a little before I dig back into my issue

Re: Bad A/C clutch, what to do, what to do...
 

Id replace the compressor. At around 100k Ive seen the compressor lose compression and the bearings go out on multiple lines of Honda vehicles. Only replacing the coil is a waste of time and money IMO.


The drier is the systems only line of defense against moisture,arguably the number 2 killer of AC compressors. Id definitely replace that as well because the desiccant bag has a finite amount of moisture it can absorb....

Re: Bad A/C clutch, what to do, what to do...
 

I disagree. I've replace several coils in multiple cars over the years. Replaced the coil in my last Honda and got another 5 years out of the compressor. This Honda, the coil only lasted 14 months, but the compressor is still good and replaced the coil again I still have cold air and good readings on my gauges. For the typical home do it yourselfer, the coil is the better way to go and saves a lot of money. The cost of a good c-clip tool is worth the investment also. You'll never get a garage to agree to replace the clutch coil and most local parts houses don't stock them any more..

Re: Bad A/C clutch, what to do, what to do...
 

Ive replaced a few hundred compressors in Hondas (and other makes) over the last 21 years for various failures that were NOT the coil.
Thats cool. IMO your sample pool is too low, me thinks you need to look at a much larger pool of vehicles to get better statistical data. 1(or even several) vehicles doesn't quite cut it.....

Time is money for many people. Spending time(and actual money) replacing a coil on a compressor with over a 100k is not the better way to go. Its the cheapest route,but definitely not the best. There is a difference.

A "garage" wont sell a coil alone because experience has taught them that, that is a fools errand...

Re: Bad A/C clutch, what to do, what to do...
 

A dealership garage won't sell a coil alone because with of the additional labor cost of replacing the coil at their high labor rates, not because it is foolish. They do what is easier and quicker for them regardless of the cost. Just like other things, remember the PGM-FI main relay issues on the older Accords which could be fixed but simply re-soldering one pin? No dealership garage would do that 10 minute fix, instead they sold the $50 part. The current 2013 generation Accords are plagued by starter problems which can be fixed by replacing the brushes using a $35 brush kit. No dealership will do that labor, instead they will sell you a new $900 starter.

There are many many examples of this type of repair that a DYI can do in a fraction of the cost. Because there are few DYI'ers percentage wise among car owners, these parts for the cheap fixes are sometimes hard to find. That doesn't mean they are a "fools errand".

Re: Bad A/C clutch, what to do, what to do...
 

LoL and you are privy to this information how?
How many dealerships have you owned,managed or operated? Even been a shop foreman of?

You have no clue what youre talking about......

Re: Bad A/C clutch, what to do, what to do...
 

Very telling that you somehow failed to refute any of my examples! ;-) Sure, you have a shop foreman to understand why dealerships replace parts with new factory ones, rather than repairing components of those parts! Sure! LOL!

Hey buddy, how about an $800 new starter for your car?

Re: Bad A/C clutch, what to do, what to do...
 

Could you guarantee that no other joints or connections will crack in that 15-25 year old relay after you repair the faulty joint? Can you make that gurantee 10s of 1000s of times over?


Yes genius, you do. You need to understand the dynamics of warranty,insurance, personnel, customer satisfaction and the financial structure of the business.All of these factors com into play when a repair facility makes a decision on how they do business. If youve ever owned,or even managed an automotive repair facility,you'd know and fully understand this. This is why no two facilities operate the same or charge the same rate.

Repairing a part vs replacing a parts pays much better in the short term, but could be very costly in the long term if that repair fails.


Im sure your internet mechanic wisdom is appreciated in other forums,but it is a waste here......