So my A/C has been acting funny for a while and now I figured would be a good time to fix it. Car is a 1995 civic with no work done to the a/c system by me (last 30k miles). The A/C system blows cold sometimes and hot sometimes. I'm assuming that is cause it needs a recharge.

Now there is mold on my passenger floorboard where water has been leaking. Same thing happened to my ex's civic (2002) and I blew compressed air up the hole where it comes out the bottom of the car, burped up some water and I fixed hers. Mine drain hose however, is bone dry. Followed it to what I believe is the condenser, and the drain hose was not connect! So that should have fixed my water-on-floor issue. (behind glove box, see attached pictures). Tried taking the cover off, serious pain in my ***! But here are a few pics Ive snapped. R-134 if anyone was wondering.

I bought a can with a gauge on it, and measured the low pressure side with the compressor clutch not kicking on and it measured a little over 100 psi. I've read that I need the compressor to be on, but what if it doesn' want to blow cold air? Can I still recharge it?

Also my A/C fan comes on but I have not seen the compressor clutch kick on. I cleaned the leafs out by the condenser.

 

 

the 100psi is static gas pressure, normal on a hot day with the compressor not turning.
There are two pressure switches in the system, one for high pressure cut and the other for low pressure cut, if the system does not have enough charge it will not allow the compressor to turn on. but with 100psi it should run so you have other problems stopping it from turning. Check the condenser fan is running when you turn on the cool switch, check with a volt meter to the compressor clutch.

 

keep in mind when recharging your system, your car should be running and your air should be on full blast wether its blowing cold or not. If after charging its not blowing cold still, I would check the compressor like for lose electrical connections. Seems to happen a lot on 92-95 civics. If its not that, then it may ne your compressor in the early stages of going bad. It also might be your block offs inside your vents not fulling opening and closing while switching form air to heat. Hope this helps

 

If the A/C blows cold sometimes, the refrigerant charge is likely fine. Check whether the gap of the armature plate on the compressor clutch is too wide.

 

Condenser fan is on when A/C is blowing. How do you check the compressor clutch with a volt meter. How do I check the gap of the armature plate?

 

Just an fyi, checked the gauge while the a/c was blowing cold and a/c was on and by my gauge, it was in the yellow, right around 50 psi on the low side.

 

 

Is it hard to do with the compressor on the car?

 

You can measure the gap and even replace the clutch without removing the compressor.

 

Sweet thanks, I will try and do that, not sure what tools would be easiest but ill figure it out. Also something kinda weird. Ambient temp is at 77 degrees. Im sitting in my car working on the glove box and had the a/c on for about 30 minutes, car idling, doors closed. Pretty damn cold and never once did it go through a "heat" spell. Would that help? Usually the heat spell happens when im driving or sitting at a red light, every 10 to 15 minutes. Not once in about 30 minutes, not sure if it had to do with the ambient temp or what.