1996 HONDA CIVIC out

Description
Outline
The air conditioner system removes heat from the passenger compartment by circulating refrigerant through the system
as shown below.
BLOWER FAN
EVAPORATOR(Absorption of heati
EOUALIZING TUBE(Meters pressure andimproves the expansionvalve reaction time)
into the evaporator)CAPILLATY TUBE SENSING BULB
lControls the temPerature of the
ref rigerant leaving the evaporator
by metering the expansion valve)
/\
THERMOSTAT
A/C PRESSURE SWITCH
When the refrigerant is below
200 kPa (2.0 kgtcm',28 Psi)or above 3,200 kPa 132 kgflcm',
455 psi), the Ay'C pressure
switch opens the circuit to
the A,/C switch and stops the
EXPANSION VALVE(Meters the requiredamount of refrigerant
airconditioning to Protect the
compressor.
RECEIVER/DRYER(Traps debris, andremoves morsturel
THERMAL PROTECTOR
{Opens the comPressorclutch circuit when the
compressor temPeraturebecomes too high)
RELIEF VALVE(Relieves pressure at the
compressor when thepressure is too high)
(Radiation of heat)
I
f-r--; I
(Suction and comPression,
HIGH PRESSURE VAPOR
HtGH PRESSUBE LIOUID
LOW PRESSURE LIOUID
This car uses HFC-134a (R-134a) refrigerant which does not contain chlorofluorocarbons Pay attention to the following
service items:
. Do not mix refrigerants CFC-12 (R-12) and HFC-134a (R-134a)' They are not compatible'
. Useonlythe recommended polyalkyieneglycol (PAG) refrigerant oil designedforthe R-134a compressor (SANDEN: SP-
10; DENSO: ND_OIL8). Intermixing ihe re-commended (pAG) refrigerant oil with any other refrigerant oil will result in
compressor failure.
. All A,,ic system parts {compressor, discharge line, suction line, evaporator, condenser, receiver/dryer, expansion valve'
O-rings for joints) have to be proper for refrigerant R- 134a Do not confuse with R-l2 parts'
. Use a halogen gas leak detector designed for refrigerant R-134a
. R-12 and R-134a refrigerant servacing equipment are not interchangeable. Use only a recovery/recycling/charging station
that is u,L.-listed and is certified to meet the requirements of sAE J2210 to service R-134a air conditioning systems'
. Always recover the refrigerant R-134a with an approved recovery/recycling/charging station before disconnecting any
A,/C fitting.
S]
22-5

A/C Service Tips and Precautions
The air conditioner system uses HFC-134a (R-134a) refrigerant and polyalkyleneglycol (PAG) refrigerant oil*, which are not
compatible with CFC-12 (R-12) refrigerant and mineral oil. Do not use R-12 refrigerant or mineral oil in this system, and do
not attempt to use R-12 servicing equipmenU damage to the air conditioner system or your servicing equipment will result.*Sanden SP-10:
. P/N 38897 - P13 - A0lAH: 120 ml 14ll.oz, 4.2lmp.oz)
. P/N 38899 - P13 - A0l | 40 mf 11 1/3ll.oz,1.4 lmp'oz)
Use only service equipment that is U.L. listed and is certified to meet the requirements of SAE J2210 to remove R 134a
from the air conditioner system.
CAUTION: Exposure to air conditioner ref;ige;ant and lubricant vapol or mist can irritate syes, nose and throat, Avoid
breathing the air conditioner refrigerant and lubricant vapor or misl.
lf accidental system discharge occurs, ventilate work area before resuming service.
R-'134a service equipment or vehicle air conditioner systems should not be pressure tested or leak tested with compressed
ai.
!@@ some mixtures of air and R-t3ila have been shown to be combustible at elevated pressures and can result
in tire or explosion causing iniury or property damage. Never use compressed air lo pressure tesl R-134a service equip-
ment or vehicle 8ir conditioner systoms.
Additional health and safety information may be obtained from the refrigerant and Iubricant manufacturers.
L Always disconnect the negative cable from the battery whenever replacing air conditioning pans.
2. Keep moisture and dust out of the system. When disconnecting any lines, plug or cap the fittings immediately; don't
remove the caps or plugs until just before you reconnect each line.
3. Before connecting any hose or line, apply a few drops of refrigerant oilto the O-ring.
4, When tightening o. loosening a fitting, use a second wrench to support the matching fitting.
5. When discharging the system, use a R-134a refrigerant recovery/recycling/charging station; don't release refrigerant
into the atmosphere,
6. Add refrigerant oil after replacing the following parts:
NOTE:
. To avoid contamination, do not return the oil to the container once dispensed, and never mix it with other refriger-
ant oils.
. lmmediately after using the oil, replace the cap on the container, and seal it to avoid moisture absorption.
. Do not spill the refrigerant oil on the vehicle; it may damage the paint; if the refrigerant oil contacts the paint, wash
it off immediately.
Condenser .......2o ml (2/3 fl.oz, 0.7 lmp.ozl
Evaporator .,.,.,. i[5 m{ 11 213 tl.oz,1,6lmp.ozl
Line or hose ..... 10 mf (1/3 fl.oz, 0.4 lmp.ozl
Receiver/Dryer 10 m{ (1/3 fl.oz,0.'l lmp.ozl
Leakage repair 25 m{ (5/6 fl.oz, 0.9 lmp.ozl
Comptessor ... For compressor replacement. subtract the volume of oil drained trom the
removed compressor from A, and drain the calculated volume of oilfrom the new
compressor: A - Volume of removed compressor: Volume to drain from new
comoressor.
A: SANDEN 130 mf l/t 113 ll.oz, 4.6 lmp'ozl; DENSO 140 mf {4 213 ll'oz, 1.9
lmp.oz),
NOTE: Even if no oil is drained from the removed compressor, don't drain more
than S0 m{ 112Ell.oz,1.8 lmp.oz) fromthe new compressor.
REMOVED NEW
COMPRESSORCOMPRESSOR
*DENSO ND-OlL 8l
. P/N 38897 - PR7 - A01AH: 120 ml (4 fl.oz)
. P/N 38899 PR7-A01:40mf (1 1/3fl'oz)
rereW W0000
22-22
-0_!- -0_a
Tol l00l
| | lffi 1 onrrrutrc I
fi+-sAME
LEvEr...+jEf,voLUME
J
^

A/C System Service
Performance Test
The performance test will help determine if the air con-
ditioner system is operating within specifications.
Use only service equipment that is U.L.-listed and is cer-
tified to meet the reouirements of SAE J2210 to remove
HFC-134a (R-134a) from the air conditioner system.
CAUTION: Exposure to air conditionor rofrigerant and
lubricant vapor or mist can irrilalo €yes, nose and
throat. Avoid breathing tho air conditioner rstrigerrnt
and lubricant vapor or mist,
lf accidental system discharge occurs, ventilate work
area before resuming service.
R-134a service equipment or vehicle air conditioner sys-
tems should not be pressure tested or leak tested with
compressed air.
@ some mixtur$ of air and R-134a have been
shown lo b9 combustible rt glgvatad pr€ssur63 and can
resull in tire 01 oxplosion causing inlury ot property
damage. Never uao compre33ed air to pressure t99t R-
134a ssrvico 6quipmsnt or vohicla air conditioner sys-
tems.
Additional health and safety information may be obtained
from the refrigerant and lubricant manufacturers.
'1. Connect a R-134a refrigerant recover/recycling/
charging station to the vehicle, as shown, following
the equipment manufacturer's instructions.
2. lnsert a thermometer in the center vent outlet.
Determine the relative humidity and air tempera-
ture,
Test conditions:
. Avoid direct sunlight.
. Open hood.
. Open front doors.
. Set the temDerature control lever or dial to MAX,
COOL, the mode control switch or dial on VENT
and the recirculation control switch on RECIRCU-
LATE.
. Turn the A,/C switch on. and the heater fan switch
on MAX.
. Run the engine at 1,500 rpm.
. No driver or passengers in vehicle
After running the air conditioning for 10 minutes
under the above test conditions, read the delivery
temperature from the thermometer in the dash vent
and the high and low system pressure from the A,/C
gauges.
Recovery/Rocycling/Charging Station
22-24

5. To complete the charts:
. Mark the delivery temperature along the venical line.
. Mark the intake temperatu re (am bient a ir temperatu re) alongthe bottom line.
. Draw a line straight up from the air temperature to the humidity.
. Mark a point 10% above and 10% below the humidity level.
. From each point. draw a horizontal line across the delivery temperature.
. The deliverv temperature should fall between the two lines.
. Complete the low side pressure test and high side pressure test in the same way.
. Any measurements outside the line may indicate the need for further inspection.
rct86 -l
r3ol
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I
nt
300{3}I€I
200l2lt28l
kPalkgf/cm'llpsilaoy.30io2900 -
(30)
I€OI
2500 -
(25)
13601
2000 -
t20lt280t
1500 -
{15112101DELIVERYPRESSURE980 -
(101
lr40l
DELIVERYPRESSURE
80%
kPa{kgf/cm')lpsil
400 -
{4)t571
INTAXEPRESSURE
100tll
INTAKE 1141
PRESSURE
0
DELIVERYTEMPERATURE
68 77 86 95 10il 'F
(2ot t2sl t3o) 135) l4ol {"c)
INTAKE TEMPERATURE
22-25

A/C System Service
Pressure Test Chart
NOTE: Performance Test is on page 22-24,
Test resultsRelated symptomsProbabl€ causeRemedy
Discharge (high)
pressure aDnor-
mally high
After stopping compressor. pres-
sure drops to about 200 kPa
{2.0 kgflcm,,28 psi) quickly, and
then falls gradually.
Air in systemRecover, evacuate, and
recharge with specified amount.
Evacuation: see page 22-45
Charging: see page 22-46
Reduced or no air flow through
condenser
. Clogged condenser fins. Condenser fan not work-
ing properly
Clean.
Check voltage and fan rpm.
Check fan direction.
Line to condenser is excessively
hot.
Restricted flow of refriger-
ant in system
Restricted lines
Discharge pres-
sure abnormally
High and low pressures are bal-
anced soon after stopping compres-
sor, Low side is higher than normal.
. Faulty compressor dis-
charge valve. Faulty compressor seal
Replace the compressor.
Outlet of expansion valve is not
frosted, low pressure gauge indi-
cales vacuum.
. Faulty expansion valve. Moisture in system
. Replace,. Recover, evacuate, and
recharge with specified
amount.
Suction (low)
pressure abnor-
mally low
Expansion valve is not frosted, and
low oressure line is not cold. Low
pressure gauge indicates vacuum.
. Frozen expansion valve. Faulty expansion valve
ReDlace the exoansion valve.
Discharge temperature is low. and
the air flow from vents is restricted.
Frozen evaporatorRun the fan with compressor
off. then check A,/C thermostat.
Exoansion valve is frosted.Clogged expansion valveClean or replace.
Receiver/dryer outlet is cool, and
inlet is warm (should be warm
during operation).
Clogged receiver/dryerReplace.
Suction pres-
sure abnormally
hig h
Low pressure hose and check
joint are cooler than the tempera-
ture around evaporator.
. Expansion valve open too
long. Loose expansion capillary
tube
Repair or replace.
Suction oressure is lowered when
condenser is cooled bv water.
Excessive refrigerant in sys-
tem
Recover. evacuate, and
recharge with specified amount.
High and low pressure are equal-
ized as soon as the compressor is
stopped, and both gauges fluctu-
ate while running.
Faulty gasket
Faulty high pressure valve
Foreign particle stuck in
high pressure valve
Replace the compressor.
Suction and dis-
charge pres-
sures abnormally
h igh
Reduced air flow through con-
denser.
. Clogged condenser fins. Condenser fan not work-
ing properly
Clean condenser.
Check voltage and fan rpm.
Check fan direction.
Suction and dis-
charge pressure
abnormally low
Low pressure hose and metal end
areas are cooler than evaporator.
Clogged or kinked low pres-
sure hose parts
Repair or replace.
Temperature around expansion
valve is too low compared with
that around receiver/dryer.
Clogged high pressure lineRepair or replace.
Refrigerant leaksCompressor clutch is diny,Compressor shaft seal leakingReplace the compressor.
Compressor bolt{s) are diny.Leaking around bolt(s)Tighten bolt(s) or replace com-
pressor.
Compressor gasket is wet with oil.Gasket leakingReplace the compressor.
22-26

Overhaul
1.
3.
Pull out the A,/C thermostat sensor from the evapo-
rator fins.
Remove the self-tapping screws and clamps from
the housings.
Carefully separate the housings, then remove the
evaporator.
lf necessary, remove the expansion valve.
NOTE: When loosening the expansion valve nuts, use
a second wrench to hold the expansion valve or the
evaporator pipe. Otherwise, they can be damaged
5. Assemble in the reverse order of disassembly Make
note of following items.
. Replace the O-rings with new ones at each fitting,
and apply a thin coat of refrigerant oil before
installing them.
NOTE: Be sure to use the right O-rings for HFC-
134a (R-134a) to avoid leakage.
. Install the expansion valve capillary tube so that
it is in direct contact with the suction line. Then
wrap wath taPe.
. Reinstall the Ay'C thermostat sensor to its original
location.
6th tin lrom inld side
Serpentine type:
Laminate typo:
TAPEReplace.lvake sure there is no foreign matter stuck between
60t5mml'2.1! O.2 inl
EVAPORATORblow din out of linswith compressed air,
HOUSING
8 N.m 10.8 kgt m,6 tbf.ftl
6th fin lrom outle't sideCAPILLARY TUAE
VALVEN
u'
ll
6\N.m (2.it kgt.m,17 tbtftl1l
A/C THERMOSTfesr page 22 21
%
EVAPORA
LOWER
22-29

5. Remove the screw from the field coil ground termi-
nal, then disconnect the field coil connector.
Remove snap ring A with snap ring pliers, then
remove the field coil
NOTE:
. Be careful not to damage the field coil and com-
pressor during remove/installation.
. Once snap ring A is removed, replace it with a
new one.
. When installing the field coil, align the boss on
the field coil with the hole in the compressor.
SNAP RING AReplace.
Position the rotor pulley squarely over the field coil.
Press the rotor pulley onto the compressor boss
with the special tool. lf the rotor pulley does not
press on straight, remove it, and check the rotor
pulley and compressor boss for burrs or damage.
CAUTION: Maximum press load: 39,200 kPa
(,[00 kgf/cm', 5,590 Psi)
Press
THUB ASSEMBLYGUIDE ATTACHMENT07965 - 6920500
ROTORPULLEY
t'l
i,'
7. Assemble in the reverse order of disassembly
Make note of the following items.
. lnstall the field coil with the wire side facing down.
. Clean the rotor pulley and compressor sliding
surfaces with non-petroleum solvent.
. Make sure the snap rings are fully seated in the
groove.
. Make sure that the rotor pulley turns smoothly
after it's reassembled
. Route and clamp the wires properly or they can
be damaged bY the rotor Pulley.
22-35

Compressor (SANDENI
Thermal Protestor Replacement
1. Remove the bolt, the ground terminal and the hold-er. Disconnect the field coil connector. then removethe thermal Drotector.
7.{ N.m 10.75 ksf.m,5lbtfr)
/
SILICONE SEALANT
3. Install in the reverse order of removal.
GROUNDIERMINAL
HOI.I'ER
PNOTECTOR
Replace the thermal protector with a new one. andapply silicone sealant to the top of the thermal pro-
tector.
22-36
oo
Relief Valve Replacement
'1.Remove the relief valve and the O-ring.
NOTE:
. Do not let the compressor oil runout.. Make sure that no foreign matter enters the sys-tem,
RELIEFVALVE9.8 N.m {1.0 kgl.m,7.2 tbl.lrl
O.RINGReplace.
Clean the mating surfaces.
Replace the O-ring with a new one at the relief valve.and apply a thin coat of refrigerant oil beforeinstalling it.
NOTE:
. To avoid contamination. do not return the oil tothe container once dispensed, and never mix it
with other refrigerant oils.o lmmediately after using the oil, replace the capon the container, and seal it to avoid moistureabsorption.
. Do not spill the refrigerant oil on the vehicle; itmay damage the paint; if the refrigerant oil con-tacts the paint, wash it off immediately.
Install and tighten the relief valve.
Charge the system {see page 22-461, and test itsperformance 1se6 page 22-241.