My ac was working fine on a trip this weekend until I stopped to see friends. Got back in car and started it up and no ac clutch kicking in. Light on ac button on dash is on (blue) and fan works on all speeds. Car is 20 years old but only ac problem until now is in 2007 when I had r12 get low and found a guy who had a tank and he charged my system. It has blown ice cold until now.
Assuming my freon is OK, can anyone tell me where to find the following?
Where is the relay for the a/c clutch?
Where is the fuse for the a/c clutch?
I would like to check it out before I have to give my money to the Honda dealer.
Also, how can I tell if the a/c switch on the dash is bad? Like I mentioned the indicator light on that button lights up.

 

If the button lights up, the fuse is fine, and likely the rest of the circuit. If you had to have your system charged before it's an indication that the system is leaking. The aC system is a sealed system. Ideally, it should never need to be recharged. There is a low pressure cut out switch which disables the clutch from engaging if pressure is too low, ie low refrigerant. What you can do is have the system recharged using an oil equipped with uv dye. With a black light and the uv glasses, the dye will expose the leak. Recover refrigerant, make repair, and recharge

 

Thanks for the reply. Like I mentioned I had it charged, or let's say had the refrigerant "topped off" a few years ago when it started to not be cool anymore. That was when the car was 15-16 years old and I figured maybe a small leak but not much as nothing had been done to it in that many years. Maybe you are right and there is a leak which is now more than it was before. Maybe a fitting seat-gasket. I will get someone to check it as I am down with spinal stenosis right now and can't do the work myself. Thanks for the indication on the a/c switch. If it lights up it is good. This car is too reliable to probably be anything but low on freon R12. 20 years iold and it only has 148K on it. My little blue CRX. Drove it home from Missouri today without the A/C on and got 41MPG!!!!!

 

to me sounds like you are low on freon.

for it to be working then now work.

Especially when ac light is on etc.

means the low freon switch is kicking on and not letting the compressor pull in.

Switch is sitting under the battery.

 

More on rbwdriven's reply regarding the pressure switch.
I think low freon is your problem as well.

The pressure switch is #24 in this pic


Take the connector off the switch and jump the two wires together inside the connector.
This will simulate a properly pressurized system.
Start up the car and test the A/C.
If the compressor clutch clicks on with the jumper in place then you are low on freon.
This is NOT a permanent fix of any kind!!!
This is for testing only so do NOT run the system like this or you will damage it.

 

I have the same symptoms on my 86 CRX Si. However, My brother in law and I tested the freon levels with some of his equipment, and as far as we could tell, the levels seemed fine. I will jump the wires inside the connector tomorrow and see what happens. If the compressor does not kick on, is the compressor dead, or the relay switch? If it does turn on, any other thoughts on what it could be? Thanks.

 

Try powering the clutch directly. If it doesn't come on, it's the compressor

 

Had some help testing the relay (buddy is an electrical engineer), it is functioning. Jumped the connections, and the compressor did not come on. Prior to heading over to friends to test the relay, thought I would try the a c one more time. It kicked on for about 5 seconds, then stopped working. Is it safe to assume it's the compressor (and/or clutch)? Will be scouring the boards for a/c over haul. Yay.

 

If you jumped the compressor directly and it didn't engage, itsbthe compressor

 

Thanks for the tips, guys!

 

You have NOT jumped the compressor directly so, NO, it's absolutely not safe to assume that the compressor is bad.
Compressors tend to fail at the bearings and completely seize, mike all sorts of noise, and that's that.
Same with the A/C clutch - it either clicks on or it doesn't.

Have you jumped the pressure switch yet?
Intermittent problems like you are describing sound like low freon.

 

^ what he said.