Honda Car Forum

My A/C is working fine but rattling. The rattle goes away the minute it is shut off. All belts are new.Friends are telling me the problem is most likely the AC clutch.How hard is it to replace without going to the dealer... ?thks !bobthks all. I will run it till it fails then.....

NOPE, AFRAID TO TELL YA THE AC COMPRESSOR IS GONNA TAKE A DUMP...USUALLY WHEN THE CLUTCH FAILS IT IS A BEARING PROBLEM ANDTURNING IT ON AND OFF WILL HAVE NO AFFECT. THE RATTLE IS CALLED A DEATH RATTLE AND THE DEALER SHOULD BE THE ONLY ONE TO FIX IT IF YOU WANT IT DONE RIGHT. SURE IT COSTS...EVERYTHING DOES, BUT WORRYING IS SOMETHING I DON'T DO.

Hey Honda kids out there, I thought it was impossible for a honda/acura to break anything ever?Just keep drinking that kool aid.

Replacing the clutch on an AC compressor might be a foolish move. These clutches are electric and don't make much noise even when they fail. In fact, they form one solid unit to turn the compressor when the AC is on and should only make noise when off where they are allowed to free spin without turning the compressor.I would more believe the noise to be coming directly from the AC compressor itself and buying a new or junkyard compressor will come with a new AC clutch attached anyway. I just bought one for $150 from a junk yard in California with a six month warranty. As for the ease of installation... well, if you are mechanically inclined it isn't so bad. Much better if you have the proper toolsThe problem with any AC work is in the refridgerant itself. You see, that stuff isn't cheap anymore and you want to save it as best you can. The best way to do that is to bring the car to an AC shop and have them extract the refridgerant for you. They will note the quantity and charge you one fee for its removal and recharging later.With the refridgerant removed, you can remove and replace the compressor like any other part of your car. When you are done, take it back to the same AC place with your ticket showing how much refridgerant was removed before. They will then recharge the system and only charge you for any additional refridgerant the system needed. Be aware that it is a very good practice to replace the AC dryer at the same time as the compressor and may be required under the compressor warranty.Good luck!

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