Hi. I've got an '08 Civic EX with 1.8L I-4 and 90k miles. Last Summer the A/C would stop blowing cold so I checked the forums and found that it could be the A/C clutch. I swapped out equivalent fuses and got the clutch spinning, but problem persists. I work nights, so don't drive my car during the day very much which has made this problem a lot less of one since I don't 'need' cold A/C at night usually.
Here are the conditions/symptoms of my problem. A/C always works when I start the car after sitting for several hours. On this first drive, the air will noticeable warm when I stop at a light or am stuck in traffic. After a while the A/C will not blow cold at all, so I turn it off. I check the clutch and it is not spinning.
I've asked my mechanic to check it out and he has not been able to see it not work properly.
When the compressor is running it works great. Like at night when ambient temperatures are not high. I just don't get cold air when I REALLY need it.
I'm thinking its the A/C clutch and am considering buying the correct part and put it in myself to save a lot of $$. I'm not a mechanic, but am reasonably mechanically inclined and can probably rent the required tools from AutoZone or some such place.
Does anyone have any ideas or advice for me? Many thanks.

 

There is no reason to think it's the clutch however if when the clutch stops you hit it hard with a hammer and it turns on it could be the clutch gap is too great and needs to be reshimmed.

However, it's entirely possible that the expansion valve is bad if the ac blows ice cold at first turn on. Then the expansion valve starts sticking closed as it gets cold and then the evaporator freezes over and the thermostat turns off the compressor as a failsafe.

You can get a good ac shop to do a proper diagnosis but if the ac blows ice cold at first turn on as I state then I would say I'm about 90% confident the problem is the expansion valve. It's a common problem. You would have the refrigerant recovered, keeping track of how much refrigerant comes out. Replace the expansion valve, replace the receiver/drier, add 1/3 ounce of pag oil, pull a vacuum for 30 minutes to remove all moisture and check if it holds vacuum, recharge the system.

 

I have the same car and had the same problem.

A: have the AC clutch shim-gap checked (it can work its way out)

B: check the AC clutch relay (in the triangle shape fuse box under the hood in the right hand corner, its a small 1"x1"x1" cube) When it starts to fail motor heat makes it fail once you run the car for a while or its a hot day (when you need the AC) the relay is about $6 at the dealer.

Your shop should be able to handle this in under 30min.

 

As mentioned a proper diagnoses is needed, and that requires a set of A/C manifold gauges.

Also as mentioned, a common problem is the expansion valve, but gauges are needed to confirm this.

What you can do is make sure condenser fan is running anytime the A/C is on and swapping out the compressor clutch relay can confirm or eliminate it as the problem, and as long as compressor clutch is engaged, gap is good, 94

 

Probably a dumb question, but have you checked the charge? Mine did the same thing on way to OKC last week. Popped the hood and the big line coming out of firewall was coated with ice. Stopped and had it charged, was a little low. Tech at AAMCO was surprised that it only holds 1lb.