Contemplating A/C Repair

[marklj]

It’s starting to get warm here in Georgia and now I’m contemplating A/C repair.

A bit of history on my ’88 Accord DX – Bought it from an older lady who kept all the service receipts. I found one referring to “A/C not cooling” and it stated that the compressor needed to be replaced. The belt is still on the compressor and the A/C, REC switches light up on the dash when pressed. Of course the compressor is not engaging. It has 121,000 miles on it.

My question is how can I confirm the compressor is really bad? Vacuum it down and, assuming it holds vacuum, try and recharge it?

Next question is if the compressor is indeed bad, is there a preferred model? From looking through past posts my Accord may have a Keihin, Nippon Denso, or maybe a Sanden. Is the Nippon Denso compressor the best choice?

Lastly, has anyone done the R134 conversion on an 88 Accord DX? If so, were you able to reuse the major components like the condenser? Did you have a high pressure cut out switch installed? How was the performance after the conversion? Any other tips?

Thanks for all the help!

[2drSE-i]

i cant remember which one, but one of the compressors can actually use R134 Coolant rather than the old shit. If your swapping compressors anyway, you should swap the whole system to that compressor, and run R134

[dlr1989]

The two most common compressors seem to be the Keihin and Nippondenso. The Keihin does not like the R134a, the Denso does better with the R134a and I can't speak from experience about the Sanden.

I converted my A/C from a Keihin to a Denso last summer using a kit made by Honda and charged it with R134a and all still seems to be well with it. I did put a Receiver/Dryer rated for R134a rather than use the R12 rated one that came in the Honda kit.

The performance with the R134a has been fine. I get about a 30 degree temp difference at the A/C vents from outside temp on a 95 degree day. On the other hand there is no question that R12 will almost certainly perform better, after all the system is designed for R12 not R134a.

[nfs480]

I had my system converted to R134a at the Honda dealer for about $200. It's been almost a year since then and it still works great. I have the Denso compressor so I don't know how it is for others.

[HondaBoy]

after researching this myself, the nippon denso 10 cylinder compressor is the best. the 5 cylinder kehin would be ok, but only with R12. which you could go with but is very costly compared to R134a.

personally, i would highly recommend restoring your ac system. i plan to do so myself on my '87. mine looks to be needing just an expansion valve. i would like to replace all of the componenets with new ones: compressor, condensor, evaporator, low pressure switch, suction and discharge hoses, all O rings, drier, and expansion valve. there may be a few other things that would be good to replace along with those items. my plan would be to have a reliable R134a system that cools just as good or better than the original R12 system. with improved condensor and evaporator designs that would be quite possible.

i would plan to spend around $600-$700 for all new parts. not sure what the labor would be, but our cars are somewhat simple to work on as far as the ac system goes compared to other cars. being that so, i may do this all myself. this isnt completely impossible if you have the right equipment. i've taken automotive ac courses so i know the proper procedures and what to and what not to do to sucessfully install new parts.

on a final note, dont make the mistake i did and not clean the lines, condensor and evaporator out with solvent cleaner. then you need to replace any needed O rings. mine worked ok until my expansion valve got stuck closed.

[Dr_Snooz]

The compressor not engaging could be a few things: bad switch, bad clutch, bad clutch solenoid, or low freon. Hook some gauges to it first to ensure that it is indeed low. Leaks can usually be found just by looking for oily smudges on your lines, indicating a spot where freon (and compressor oil) escaped. Check your Schrader valves too as those are a common exit point for freon. Once you've fixed your leaks, put a good vacuum on the system and leave it overnight. If it's unchanged in the morning, you should be ready to charge it. Napa has good conversion kits. Just follow the instructions carefully. Replace all your o-rings and your drier. If you have a Keihin compressor, just throw it away now because it will begin leaking irreparably at some point and isn't worth any bother.

[AccordB20A]

cheapo way to get your aircon working is to replace the faulty compressor and charge your ac system with LPG gas. its dangerour and flammable but works :)

[russiankid]

I cannot really help regarding the questions you have asked, but I can however say that my system still has the R12 refrigerant. On very hot days, sometimes reaching up to 100F, the air blowing out of my vents is 40F. The only time is goes above that is if I am in traffic, which is explainable because the condenser gets less air flow.

I would first check to see what is actually wrong with your compressor, because 121k seems a bit early to me, but I may be wrong.

[Blkblurr]

I have the denso compressor and converted it to R134 myself about 4 years ago. It still works great.

[Pnem3]

cheapo way to get your aircon working is to replace the faulty compressor and charge your ac system with LPG gas. its dangerour and flammable but works :)I charged my system with a mixture of isobutane and propane. It works great. There is no need to change components or oil as it is completely compatible with R12 components. I did this last summer and it has worked fine ever since. This is not for everyone though.

[marklj]

So it looks like I need to find a Nippon Denso compressor. I recall finding a kit on line that had a Denso compressor and all the parts needed for the R134 retrofit. Anyone know where I could find something like that?

[dlr1989]

Mark
I got mine through Majestic Honda about a year ago. www.hondaautomotiveparts.com (http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com)

Dave

[Dr_Snooz]

I bought the compressor (comes with hoses) from Majestic. Bought the drier and conversion kit from Napa. Of course, mine worked for two years and sprang a leak. :(

[marklj]

Digging a little deeper in this, I’ve found that I have a Keihin A150L with a 4 groove clutch. I found a Keihin compressor with clutch at Advanced Auto Parts for $300 with a 1 year warranty. Seeing as how the Nippon Denso is best for R134, What about the Keihin compressor with Enviro-Safe refrigerant and a fresh receiver dryer?

http://www.partsamerica.com/productdetail.aspx?MfrCode=FAA&MfrPartNumber=57871&PartType=387&PTSet=A

[w261w261]

I consider myself really fortunate, as I have 203k miles on the original a/c with no replacements. Last summer, I bought two cans of R12, used 1 1/2, and that was the first time in 4 years that I added anything.

You're in GA, and you might miss the good cooling of R12. If you seal up your system well, the environmental damage will be minimal, and the cost of R12, while more than the other stuff, isn't *that* much. If you get in your car after it's been in the GA sun regularly, I'd opt for a full R12 blast.