AC blows HOT after tightening steering rack bolts

[joenobodyyet]

I have a 2008 Honda Civic LX automatic transmission with 144,499 miles. Last night I replaced the passenger side cv axle. I decided to try to loosen then tighten the steering rack bolts, since my car has had the popping/clunking sound. I checked the TSB 09-028

https://static.oemdtc.com/TSB/A09-028.pdf

I figured I could reach some of the bolts from under and with the wheel off and cv axle out. I was able to loosen and tighten the two bolts on the passenger side, but the others I couldn’t access for the bottom. I’ll try to tighten then from the top another day.

BUT NOW MY AC BLOWS HOT AS FIRE. What did I do??! Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[ripcord]

I bet if you do a thorough visual inspection you'll find something disconnected.

 

[Astro14]

Or - you didn’t do anything. Just because two events are connected in time doesn’t mean that one caused the other.

 

[dishdude]

Random coincidence.

 

[4WD]

Random coincidence.

Like the young lady leaves the ducky at the wrong address

 

[joenobodyyet]

Worked great yesterday, today the AC blows fire. What could have happened over night? I’ll try to look under the car to see if anything magically disconnected. Would it be a metal hose that’s disconnected? How does a hose just disconnect? Should I ad stop leak stuff?

 

[D60]

Worked great yesterday, today the AC blows fire. What could have happened over night? I’ll try to look under the car to see if anything magically disconnected. Would it be a metal hose that’s disconnected? How does a hose just disconnect? Should I ad stop leak stuff?

No do not add stop leak. Ever.

Look for a/c clutch trigger wire. Anything electrical.

 

[Mechanician]

Or - you didn’t do anything. Just because two events are connected in time doesn’t mean that one caused the other.

It could be a sincha.

Worked great yesterday, today the AC blows fire. What could have happened over night? I’ll try to look under the car to see if anything magically disconnected. Would it be a metal hose that’s disconnected? How does a hose just disconnect? Should I ad stop leak stuff?

All the metal lines are screwed together, or bolted to a component. You would know if you did something forceful enough to damage one.
Look for an electrical wire or plug that got knocked off, or apart.

 

[Astro14]

Worked great yesterday, today the AC blows fire. What could have happened over night? I’ll try to look under the car to see if anything magically disconnected. Would it be a metal hose that’s disconnected? How does a hose just disconnect? Should I ad stop leak stuff?

Do not add stop leak, unless you want the AC tech who ends up working on it to hate you and charge you double.

What could have happened overnight?

Fuse blew. Wire broke. Leak started. You pressed on an already weak line and caused a leak. Who knows?

You haven’t provided enough information to even guess.

 

[dishdude]

Worked great yesterday, today the AC blows fire. What could have happened over night? I’ll try to look under the car to see if anything magically disconnected. Would it be a metal hose that’s disconnected? How does a hose just disconnect? Should I ad stop leak stuff?

We're being trolled.

 

[joenobodyyet]

Let me know what other information I should provide. I can’t think of anything else that I did last night. I didn’t open the hood. There is a metal hose near the passenger side steering rack bolts that make it sort of impossible to access from underneath. I attempted to put a wrench under it, but I certainly didn’t move the metal hose too much. I didn’t disconnect any wires. I did spray some lubricant on the bolts.

Please let me know if there are any more details you need. I took the passenger wheel off, removed the passenger cv axle, went under the car to tighten the steering rack bolts, tightened the two on the passenger side, installed the new passenger cv cake, the put the wheel back on. I didn’t see any wires.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Astro14]

What information?

Well, does the compressor clutch engage?
What are the system pressures?
How do the fuses look?
How about the belt?

I have to ask: have you ever worked on an AC system before?

“It blows hot” is like saying, “My car won’t go - what could it be?”. There are just too many possibilities until you start troubleshooting.

 

[ripcord]

When you turn on the AC, does the AC compressor pump come on? Does the radiator fan come on?

 

[joenobodyyet]

Ok, the temperature outside was 76 at 12-2:30 and it was blowing Hot. Temperature outside is 72 now (2:50) and my ac JUST started blowing cold again.

What the ____ is going on?

No idea how the AC will work later, or when it’s super hot.

I’ll try to check fuses, wires, and hoses. I’ll avoid stop leak.

 

[kschachn]

Check the rear suspension too. That has caused issues in the past.

 

[joenobodyyet]

Both Radiator Fans turn on.
AC compressor appears to be spinning.
Belt looks good, no visible cracks.
Not sure how to check the system pressures.
I’ll try to check the fuses. Which fuses? Compressor fuse? AC fuse? Radiator fan fuse? Any others?

Sorry I’m a beginner mechanic and don’t know a lot about this stuff. Thanks for everyone’s help.

 

[Mechanician]

Both Radiator Fans turn on.
AC compressor appears to be spinning.
Belt looks good, no visible cracks.
Not sure how to check the system pressures.
I’ll try to check the fuses. Which fuses? Compressor fuse? AC fuse? Radiator fan fuse? Any others?

Sorry I’m a beginner mechanic and don’t know a lot about this stuff. Thanks for everyone’s help.

If it's working you may as well stop worrying, until it acts up again.
If it works sporadically it's not a leak, they don't start working again if they're empty.
I would guess the compressor coincidentally stopped working, due to a bad relay, or compressor clutch problem.
You'll have to wait until it happens again, and see if the compressor is spinning, and the fans are still running.

 

[ripcord]

The AC compressor has a pulley that will be spinning 100% of the time. Most of the time, it's not spinning the pump it's attached to, though. The pulley has a big electric magnet that engages the pump and when the system needs more pressure, it will activate the magnet with an audible click or thunk. In normal operation the pump will cycle on and off as needed and you should be able to hear it click on and off.

 

[Chris142]

Worked great yesterday, today the AC blows fire. What could have happened over night? I’ll try to look under the car to see if anything magically disconnected. Would it be a metal hose that’s disconnected? How does a hose just disconnect? Should I ad stop leak stuff?

There are many reasons why an AC quit or wont cool. A leak is just 1 possibility. Dont go adding stop leak or adding refrierant without a proper diag.

 

[joenobodyyet]

The AC compressor has a pulley that will be spinning 100% of the time. Most of the time, it's not spinning the pump it's attached to, though. The pulley has a big electric magnet that engages the pump and when the system needs more pressure, it will activate the magnet with an audible click or thunk. In normal operation the pump will cycle on and off as needed and you should be able to hear it click on and off.

Good to know!! Thanks!