olemed

I did a search but could not find anything too similar to my problem.

On my 99 TL, my AC has not been blowing back cold air for some time. I noticed this in March and I figured I'd wait until late Spring to get it recharged - figured that is all it needed. Back in March I noticed a strange sound when the AC was on and while I was accelerating with the gas pedal I'd notice a whirl like sound coming from under the hood. The noise would immediately cease when I turned the AC off and would return when I turned the AC on while accelerating.

Last week I got the AC system recharged with refrigerant from my local mechanic. The AC was nice and ice cold for a few days - the noise, however, was still there, and we hoped it just needed refrigerant pumping through the system to get it going. I had originally thought it might be the compressor, but he said to give it a few days to see if that noise disappeared. Well, a few days later, no more ice cold air and the noise pretty much is gone now when the AC is on. I called my mechanic back and he had me stop by. He checked the pressure and indeed it was reading empty so he suspected it indeed is a bad compressor. He took a look with a flashlight and said the compressor appeared to be on but not doing anything. When I turn the AC on, something does appear to kick. I told my mechanic to get me a quote and he did, for nearly $1000 (parts and labor!) The parts he said included the compressor, clutch and some kind of filter. I trust this guy, he's done great work for me before but the price is too high for me to pay.

So I asked my nephew, who has done tons of work to his Civic Si if he wanted the challenge and he more than obliged. I am having him come tomorrow, on his day off, to take a look at the AC system before I order parts from Acuraoemparts.com - the cheapest place I have been able to find (any other recommendations from other sites)?

I need to know if anyone has experienced this very same issue - hearing the whine/hiss noise while the AC on and while accelerating (it would do it with light and with heavy acceleration). If the compressor is bad, is the clutch also bad? Could it be just the clutch and not the compressor? What else should I look for?

Any help is appreciated.

01tl4tl

First prob was letting it sit empty- the o ring seals dry up and there are probs as you now know
The receiver dryer is probably the part beside compressor your tech said to replace- thats standard procedure.
Take it to a real AC shop and tell them what has occured
Your tech SHOULD have installed some dye with the freon when he filled it- that shows up under black light at leak spot- if he didnt- the real Pro AC person will.

01tl4tl

And these days trying to repair the compressor is difficult

Check autozone NAPA and other local parts places for good deals on aftermarket parts
zone has compressor with clutch for $350 and dryer for under 20

olemed

This mechanic is well qualified and he did inject the dye. What is the receiver dryer? Could it be anything but a bad compressor? He only mentioned a compressor, clutch, and some kind of filter.

6MTUA5

iTrader: (2)

I vouch for that site. They have good prices, way below list price.

I only had one problem though. I checked out with 2nd Day Air 10:30AM shipping but they put it in as just 2nd Day Air so it got here at 5:30PM instead, which made the shop have my car for another day. I called and told them and complained and they said they would refund me the difference ~$2 between 2nd Day and 2nd Day 10:30AM. I told them it wasn't about the $2 but the extra time the shop had my car and just the simple fact that I put it in and paid for something, but got something different.

They decided to refund the whole shipping cost; $15. Better than nothing. Other than that, great service and great prices.

Good luck with everything.

01tl4tl

Since he injected the dye and should have retested after it leaked out- where is the leak.
AC is complex- could be several things but first you have to keep freon in!
The R/D just as its name implies- removes moisture from the sysyem during normal operation
Once a line has been open -especially for some months- its smart to replace and cheap
Standard practice when replacing compressor

This is like bad new$ from a doctor- go to another SPECIALIST for a 2nd opinion

No honest guy who did a correct diagnosis will object to you making sure your money is spent wisely. Great as your relative,neighbor,friend or other may be- are they certified qualified AC person.
I got cheap lobotamy and look what happened!!!!