QuestionI just bought this 2002 civic lx. The ac comes on, blows slightly cool air but not cold. In a hot day, it seems to make no difference at all. Can there be some kind of leak?
AnswerBob,
If you pop the hood and look at your compressor I believe that you will see the clutch plate on the front cycling on and off. This is generally caused by a low refrigerant charge.
If this is the case, then you definitely have a leak somewhere in the system. The A/C system is a sealed system, nothing should ever get in or out. (Much like your refrigerator, how often have you ever had to have it charged?)
The easiest way to find the leak from home is to mix a liberal amount of dish soap and water in a spray bottle. (Windex works well also) Then spray this mix on all of your lines concentrating on any joints or fittings. Also the compressor manifold. You should also look at your condensor and concentrate this spray anywhere you see bent fins, dents, etc. When the soap mixture is applied to the leaking area, you will see bubbles form from the pressure inside the system. The car does not have to be running to do this.
Or, you can get a recharge kit from somewhere like autozone that has the flourescent dye added to it. Over time this dye will find the leak and seep through it making it noticable. Typicaly this will take a week or longer, but on the good side, having recharged your system, you will have a/c for that time period.
Thank you for the question, I hope I was of some assistance. If so, please remember to rate this answer. If I can do anything further during this process or in the future, do not hesitate to ask. Thank you again and good luck in everything.
