I could really use some advice, guys.

We have a 1991 Civic 4WD wagon. Three years ago in the summer of 2005, the AC (which, at that time, was the original) needed of a recharge. Well, we took it into the area dealership, and were informed that it couldn't be recharged due to changing environmental standards. It would need a retrofit. We told them to go ahead and do the work.

That's when the troubles began.

Each summer since then, the AC has died a few weeks into the season. The compressor just stops kicking in when the button is engaged. The fan works fine on all four speeds, the AC light above the button lights fine (for what that's worth). Each summer when this happens, the first thing I do is check the fuse--also fine. The second thing we do is take it back to whoever's fixed it and ask them what's up. We never get a convincing answer, but so be it.

We've had the compressor replaced (two summers ago) and various other parts replaced (last summer--tubing, and various parts that fed into such). I don't entirely know what's wrong this time, but I do know that I don't get the "drag on the engine" feel that I got a few weeks ago when the AC was last turned on (and worked). Now, the button seems to light up the "on" light, and that's about it.

We've tried living with it, but we have quite a bit of long-ish distance driving to do this summer, and it's getting to be unbearable when the temp hits the 90s and 100s.

I noticed that this year it died in not so much a "blaze" of glory as a "mist" of glory. We had the AC on about 3/4 of the way, and with no warning a cold mist started pouring out of the vents. And then-- AC death. I'm assuming this is the coolant making its getaway.

Is this a common problem? Should I even bother having this thing repaired again? Is there anything I can do to ensure that the AC will keep working? I love this car--it's my baby--and except for the AC, anything that's been fixed has *stayed* fixed. It's a tank!

 

my guess is that they did a bad job repairing it. try to find a reputable shop that just specializes in doing air conditioning. I'm lucky enough to have one of those shops local.

I love my wagon too

 

on second thought.. since the gas escaped from the inside vents perhaps your evaporator is leaking..it's located on the inside of the car right behind the glove compartment.

looks like this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...ZWD1V

and sits inside a box similar to this one from a different year civic:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...ZWD1V

also have the AC Expansion Valve replaced that connects to the evaporator located inside the box as well.

the evaporator needs to be disconnected from 2 ac lines going into it from under the hood.


see if it was done already on any of the previous work you had done on it, if not that may be the cause.

 

Thanks! I'm going to check this out!

 

I invite you to join us at http://www.hondacivicwagon.com if you haven't done so already. thx...wagonwhirled