Non-Mopar A/C Issue-Help????

[jeeper]

Hello,

My wife has a DD 98 Civic which has about 150K on it. Completely trouble free to this point. Just maintence.

She was driving home tonight and noticed that it was cutting out a bit when the AC kicked on. She heard a belt squeal once or twice. Noticable drop in power and mileage when the compressor kicks in. I could feel it at idle.
When we got home I checked it over.

Is this just a freon issue, or something worse?

I added about a half of a can and it didn't seem to help.

I noticed while sitting in the car in neutral and I would hold it at 4k it would rev freely and was fine. As soon as the AC kicked on it dropped to 2k and was noticeably less responsive.

Ideas? Is it the compressor dying or??? I don't want to screw anything up so I am having her run with no AC. That won't last for long, so any ideas here?

I did do some research and apparently the compressor won't kick on if the Freon is low. The compressor does kick on and almost short cycles it feels like to me.

Thank you, ROB

 

[catsncudas]

With that much RPM drop, I bet something is coming apart in the compressor or the bearing is starting to sieze. If it's an internal failure, the system can get clogged with debris if you keep running it.

 

[comoxian]

Sounds like the clutch in the compressor is shot. It will start to eat up the belt pretty soon.

Used, they retail between $150-$300.

 

[RedFish]

The bearing in the clutch is not the problem if free wheels when disengaged. The compumper is on its way out. Replace the entire assembly The dryer and the expansion valve will contain debrie from the compumper already. Must be replaced also

 

[68 Sedan]

Compumper????

 

[blown71duster]

Compumper????

Is that like your muffler bearing oil feed holes plugged?

 

[68 Sedan]

eye have NOOOOOOO idea:-?

 

[jeeper]

I don't get auto notification that I have a reply so this one got by me.

After doing some research and talking to a few mechanic friends we came to the conclusion that it was the compressor. He found a company that sold me the compressor, r/d and o-ring kit as well as the compressor oil for $300 to his door. He let me have it at cost.

We'll see how that turns out.

The dealer wanted 1k to start.....

ROB