Honda Repair: 1988 Honda Prelude Air Conditioning Problems, crankshaft pulley, honda prelude


Question
i have a 88 honda prelude, when i turn the air conditioning on it stays on for awhile then a red light on the switch inside comes on and the compressor stops spinning. i have changed the compressor, condensor, receiver/dryer, relays for the fans and the compressor control box under the dash. the only thing i haven't changed is the evaporator. what is wrong with my car?

Answer
On ’88–91 Preludes, the red A/C warning light comes
on when the speeds of the A/C compressor pulley and
the crankshaft are different for more than 3 seconds.
Here’s what can cause the speeds to differ, and how to
repair the possible problems:
Crankshaft pulley separation. On some models, a
rubber insulator joins the hub and rim of the
crankshaft pulley. If the bond fails between the
insulator and the hub or rim, the hub turns with the
crankshaft, but the rim slips on the insulator, making
the A/C warning light come on. To check for this
slippage, draw a line across the pulley. Start the
engine, rev it up, then shut it off. Look at the line you
drew on the pulley. If the marks across the hub and
rim aren’t still lined up, replace the pulley.
Compressor clutch oil seal leakage. On ’88–89
models, a leaking oil seal can contaminate the
compressor clutch and cause it to slip, making the
A/C warning light come on. Inspect the compressor
clutch oil seal, and replace it if necessary (see S/B
88-038, A/C Compressor Front Seal Leakage, filed
under Accessories).
Compressor pick-up sensor. On ’90 models, a
defective pick-up sensor can send a false signal to the
compressor control unit, making the A/C warning
light come on. Check for a defective pick-up sensor,
and replace it if necessary (see S/B 90-019, A/C
Compressor Pick-up Sensor Set Replacement, filed
under Accessories).
Compressor control unit. If the A/C warning light is
on without any of the above problems, use an 8X
magnifier to inspect the solder joints inside the
compressor control unit. If any of the solder joints
are cracked, clean and resolder the printed circuit
board, or replace the compressor control unit.