[jamesqf]

I'm having a problem with my A/C. I've not used it in years, and it probably lost refrigerant when I hit a deer some time back. However, it apparently runs automatically sometimes, when the heater is in defrost mode, and as a result the compressor seems to have frozen. At least when I used the heat last weekend, I smelled burning rubber, apparently from the belt (which also drives the water pump) turning on the frozen pulley.

I would like to disable the compressor clutch to prevent the belt from breaking from this. From the manual, it seems as though the easiest way to do this would be to pull the relay in the under-hood fuse box. However, there are three apparently identical relays in there, none of which have meaningful labels (just some artwork on the box lid), nor can I find a diagram in the shop or owner's manuals. So

1) Does anyone know which is the compressor clutch relay?

2) Is there a better way to disable the A/C and prevent this problem?

 

[S Keith]

 

[cowmeat]

Pretty sure you can bypass the AC altogether using a non-AC belt and a different tensioner. I think my son bypassed his AC when it was acting up a while back while he was waiting on a new compressor.

http://www.insightcentral.net/forums/problems-troubleshooting/64801-bypassing-c-compressor.html

 

[jamesqf]

Thanks! For future reference, where did you find the image? My service manual only has drawings...

I could do the different belt & tensioner, and might sometime in the future, but that's a lot more work than pulling out a relay

 

[Rainsux]

Why not just find the wire going to the compressor and unplug it? What am I missing?

Sam

 

[jamesqf]

Why not just find the wire going to the compressor and unplug it? What am I missing?

Me not being able to find said wire. It's not visible from the top, nor from as much of the underside as I can see without running it up on ramps. Which I would rather put off until it's not actually raining/snowing outside. And from the looks of things, getting my hand in there could be a problem. These cars were just not designed to be worked on by a guy who wears XXL gloves :-(

 

[S Keith]

It's from the downloaded manual in the Problems section.

 

[Aaron Cake]

Weird. The trinary/binary switch should prevent the compressor from running if the line pressure is too high or too low. Compressor should never run without refrigerant.

 

[S Keith]

Weird. The trinary/binary switch should prevent the compressor from running if the line pressure is too high or too low. Compressor should never run without refrigerant.

"probably" lost refrigerant. There may be enough to permit the pressure switch to allow it to come on briefly.

 

[jamesqf]

Weird. The trinary/binary switch should prevent the compressor from running if the line pressure is too high or too low. Compressor should never run without refrigerant.

Could be. I'm not sure that that is what's happening, it's just my best guess from the symptoms - ~5 mpg hit and burning rubber smell when I turned on the defrost. I don't really know of any way to actually test it, since AFAIK the A/C only comes on in dehumidify mode when the car's moving at speed, and I don't have anyone willing to sit on the fender while I drive down the road with the hood open

I'm certainly no expert in this - though I've owned the Insight for about 12 years now, I've never had to do much work on it (other than balancing the battery packs) - and would welcome alternative suggestions. Could be just not having used the A/C for a good few years: it's not really needed where I live, and I find it rather uncomfortable to have cold air blowing on me.

 

[5spdinsightowner]

I am currently running my insight without a tensioner. I just went to oreilly and found a belt that was stretch fit straight to the water pump. The part number for the belt is k050350. The other part number on the belt is 5pk891. Another set of numbers is 15718mx98. The width of the belt is 11/16". The outside circumference is 35-5/8" or 905mm. The inside circumference is 35-1/8" or 891mm.

 

[kennysmith]

I am currently running my insight without a tensioner. I just went to oreilly and found a belt that was stretch fit straight to the water pump. The part number for the belt is k050350. The other part number on the belt is 5pk891. Another set of numbers is 15718mx98. The width of the belt is 11/16". The outside circumference is 35-5/8" or 905mm. The inside circumference is 35-1/8" or 891mm.

Thanks 5spd. I'm traveling and notice my AC bearing is in trouble so I'm going to grab one of these belts and hope I get home without needing it. Perfect solution! I only recently heard of stretch to fit. Sounds interesting. I also saw your story before so searched for it just now.