Honda A/C Repair

[NoClassic]

My brothers 2003 CR-V had a compressor failure a couple weeks back. Honda calls for complete system replacement when these experience any contamination so I went ahead and did that.

I just picked up the car from the shop performing the refrigerant fill and they could not get it to cool at idle. The low side was running around 70 and the high 250. From everything I have read those readings are an indication that there is a blockage within the system. The shop doing the fill seem to think the new compressor is bad.

I already have a new compressor on the way and pulled out the expansion valve so I can try another one. Is there anything else that could be causing this and if so what can I do/check before sealing everything back up and trying to have it filled again?

[shumpertdavid]

I've not had a CRV in the shop for A\c, but the last a\c tech seminar I went to talked about CRV's specifically. The said if the compressor failed internally to literally replace everything. Condenser, Evaporator, Compressor, Expansion Valve, and lines. It needed to be 100% part replacement. My typical A\c job consists of a new compressor, receiver dryer \ accumulator \ desiccant bag, and orifice tube \ expansion valve. If it has internal compressor failure it gets a condenser and lines and evaporator flushed as well.

I would starting with temperature testing the inlet and outlet of the condenser to see the temp drop across it to determine blockage, etc. The high side pressure doesn't sound out of line, the low side seems high by 30 psi or so at idle.

[NoClassic]

I replaced everything but the lines which were flushed off the car. I had also read the lines should be done, but when flushing I was not seeing any heavy contamination so thought it would be ok to keep them.

I went ahead and pulled everything off the car last night and it looks like the compressor was bad. There are flakes in the oil I drained out of it.

The people I bought from are being pretty cool about the whole deal and I should have all new parts back on it within the next couple days.

Do you think it is necessary to replaced even the lines that do not have rubber sections?

[Gasser64]

I don't envy you or your bro. I just sold a Honda once, as opposed to having to put up with all the hassle of the damned ac system. Old trusty mechanic wouldn't touch it, even though he regularly worked on Ac's. And the AC shop said the price would be sky high cause they had to pull the dash out. Good job, honda.

[NoClassic]

It is actually really easy to get the evaporator out on these. I pulled it last night in maybe fifteen or twenty minutes. I had the whole system off in an hour.

[Gasser64]

Yeah mine was a 97, but it was still really clean, people often thought it was new. Only had 40k on it when I bought it. But it had to go, they wanted $2,300 for the AC repair. Fuck all that. Least the car was easy to sell.

[shumpertdavid]

I don't remember the reasoning behind complete system replacement, but thats what we were told. I'm an independent shop so we see a little of everything. I've yet to have a CRV come in for A\c repair.

[Tyrone Biggums]

Fwiw, poor cooling in CRV-s and some other Honda's is also linked to using aftermarket expansion valves. If you're having to replace everything again, I would use an OE expansion valve.

[NoClassic]

My Dad had suggested an OEM expansion valve as well. I guess I will go grab one of those and some new lines.

[big_tiger]

I sold a few complete AC jobs for the CRV. Most people know about the problem and just accept it.

CRV AC compressor below

[NoClassic]

I am surprised this one made it as long as it did.

There was a class action case but for some reason this one is not within the VIN range. I know Honda also extended the warranty because of the issue.

[Gasser64]

I sold a few complete AC jobs for the CRV. Most people know about the problem and just accept it.

CRV AC compressor below

Do you happen to know offhand, if any other vehicles share that compressor?

[big_tiger]

Do you happen to know offhand, if any other vehicles share that compressor?

It looks like the crv uses the nippondenso HS-110R compressor which is probably on a bunch of cars, but I've only heard of a problem with the crv. That makes me think the problem either isn't in the compressor or it it's the HS-110R Crv housing mold.
It's crazy, the compressor looks like it throws a rod when it goes.

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[NoClassic]

I have read that it may have to do with a lack of airflow over the case and its proximity to the radiator. People think it just gets way too hot.